The ball boy who stole the show: Bosnian teen’s daring heist leaves Italian goalkeeper lost

In one of the most unexpected twists of the World Cup playoff campaign, a 14-year-old ball boy has become a national hero—not for retrieving a ball, but for swiping one.

Bosnian television has tracked down the young mastermind behind the disappearance of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s infamous penalty cheat sheet. His name is Afan Čizmić, a 14-year-old footballer who is already turning heads on the pitch with 18 goals in just 12 matches for his local team.

The incident occurred during the high-stakes World Cup playoff, when Čizmić noticed a crucial detail: Donnarumma had left his tactical note—detailing opponents’ penalty tendencies—far from the goal, placed next to his towel. Seeing his chance, the ball boy didn’t hesitate.

“The moment he looked away, I went for it,” Čizmić recalled in an exclusive interview with a Bosnian TV channel.

Without the cheat sheet, the usually unshakable Paris Saint-Germain and Italy goalkeeper appeared visibly disoriented, unable to anticipate the direction of subsequent spot kicks. The stolen piece of paper, Čizmić says, is now his “greatest treasure.”

The Bosnian broadcaster that broke the story has now offered to take the teenager to the World Cup as a guest. “Why not?” the network stated. “Afan is a World Cup participant in his own way.”

Whether Čizmić will return the note remains unconfirmed. But for Bosnian football fans, he has already secured legendary status—no gloves required.