Sigh? Džeko played through injury with 2 shots and 0 on target! The World Cup's "Twilight of the Gods" sees 5 legends over 40 making disappointing debuts

In a World Cup Group B second-round match that ended on June 19th Beijing time, Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered a 1-4 defeat to Switzerland, putting them on the verge of being eliminated after two group-stage fixtures with one draw and one loss. In this contest, the 40-year-old Bosnian captain Edin Džeko played through injury but was unable to stop his side from being routed.

In the first group match, Džeko, as the team's captain and spiritual leader, was a surprise absentee, with coach Barbarez citing a minor injury sustained during training. For this crucial match, Džeko gritted his teeth and played despite not being fully recovered, and the outcome was predictable.

During the 64 minutes he was on the pitch, Džeko tried hard and even helped Bosnia hold off Switzerland's onslaught for a period. In the 64th minute, exhausted, he was substituted by a teammate. His final stats were a dismal 0 shots on target from just 2 attempts.

Right after Džeko was taken off, the game took a dramatic turn. Bosnia collapsed in the final 20 minutes, conceding 4 goals in a row and having one player sent off, sealing their defeat. Džeko's second World Cup campaign may well end in the group stage.

In fact, Džeko is not alone—other legends aged 40 and above also had underwhelming World Cup debuts. Neuer conceded a goal against Curaçao in his first match, while Uruguay goalkeeper Muslera made a costly fumble that allowed Saudi Arabia to take the lead.

As for two Ballon d'Or winners, Modrić and Ronaldo, needless to say, Modrić gave away a penalty early in the match against England, while Ronaldo played the full 90 minutes with 3 shots and none on target.

The "Twilight of the Gods" at the World Cup feels rather tragic and poignant. It is also a reminder of how time spares no one.