Ball Boy Admits Taking Donnarumma's Penalty Cheat Sheet in 2021 Euros Play-Off
A Bosnian ball boy has admitted to taking a penalty 'cheat sheet' belonging to Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma during a crucial 2021 World Cup play-off, an act that has become a national story in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The incident occurred during the penalty shootout of the UEFA qualifying play-off semi-final between Italy and Bosnia-Herzegovina in March 2022, a match Italy lost 1-0 on the night but won 2-1 on aggregate to progress. The ball boy, 14-year-old Afan Cizmic, has become a local celebrity after his role in the bizarre episode was revealed.
According to an interview with Bosnian media outlet FACE TV, Cizmic was the ball boy stationed behind the goal during the penalty shootout in Zenica. He saw Donnarumma place a water bottle and a small note on the ground near his goal. The note, a so-called "cheat sheet," reportedly contained information on the penalty-taking habits of the Bosnian players, a common but discreet practice for goalkeepers. Spotting the note, Cizmic saw his chance.
"I saw something next to the towel and I knew what it was," Cizmic told FACE TV. "I took it and hid it. Inside was all the information... I took the note and put it in my pocket." The young ball boy, now 17, admitted to the act, which was captured on television as a frustrated Donnarumma was seen searching frantically for the missing note before the shootout commenced. The Italian goalkeeper did not make a single save in the shootout, though Italy ultimately won the tie on penalties.
The note itself has become a piece of football memorabilia. Cizmic, who has been celebrated as a local hero in Bosnia for his quick thinking, has confirmed that the famous cheat sheet will be put up for auction, with the proceeds going to charity. "We decided to donate the money to charity," Cizmic confirmed in his interview, adding a philanthropic twist to the mischievous act.
The incident, while not altering the final outcome of the qualifier, has become a legendary footnote in the story of that high-pressure play-off. It highlights the fine margins and psychological games that can influence a penalty shootout, even from the sidelines. For Donnarumma, the 2021 European champion and a key figure in Italy's Euro 2020 triumph, the loss of his notes was a minor, if irritating, footnote in a successful qualification campaign. For Cizmic, it was a moment of spontaneous national pride that has made him a minor celebrity, with the cheat sheet itself now destined for the auction block as a unique piece of footballing memorabilia.
