FC Schalke 04 are back in the Bundesliga. The club sealed promotion Friday night with a 1-0 win over Fortuna Düsseldorf, ending what had been an anxious wait for the Royal Blues to return to Germany's top flight.
The win set off celebrations, but the question that followed was whether striker Edin Džeko would be part of the next chapter. The 40-year-old veteran gave no firm answer.
"I made the right decision with the move. Getting promoted and going to the World Cup with Bosnia is a dream," Džeko said to Sky Germany after the match. He added that the moment called for celebration first. "Now we celebrate. Have a few drinks."
On his future, he was measured. "There is still plenty of time to think about what I will do next. When I see all of this, that's why you play football. I don't want to stop, I feel good. But I am 40 years old. Let's see how I feel after the World Cup. Then we will sit down and talk again."
Džeko joined Schalke this season and played a direct role in getting them promoted. The club's return to the Bundesliga coincides with his spot in Bosnia's World Cup squad, two milestones he suggested might not have happened without his move to Gelsenkirchen.
There was at least one piece of settled business for the club. Coach Miron Muslic's contract was automatically extended through 2028 upon Schalke clinching promotion, giving the club stability in the dugout regardless of what Džeko ultimately decides.
