Asmir Begović
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Asmir Begović (; born 20 June 1987) is a Bosnian professional
footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...
who plays as a
goalkeeper In many team sports that involve scoring goal (sport), goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie, or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or i ...
. He is currently a
free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present ...
. Begović started his senior career at
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
, signing for them in the summer of 2003. After a sequence of loans, he made his Premier League debut in May 2009 and was sold to
Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The team competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, the cl ...
for £3.25 million in February 2010. In the 2012–13 season, he played every league match and won the club's Player of the Year award. In November 2013, Begović became the fifth goalkeeper to score a goal in the Premier League, scoring from 97.5 yards (89.15 meters) against Southampton after 13 seconds, also getting the World Record for 'longest goal scored in football'. In July 2015, he joined Premier League champions Chelsea for a fee of £8 million, remaining second-choice until his move to
AFC Bournemouth AFC Bournemouth ( ) is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. ...
two years later. After losing his place to
Artur Boruc Artur Boruc (; born 20 February 1980) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Boruc began his career in the Polish third division with hometown club Pogoń Siedlce. He joined Ekstraklasa team Legia Warsaw in 1999 ...
early in 2019, he was loaned to Qarabağ and
A.C. Milan (), commonly referred to as Milan or AC Milan () mainly outside of Italy, is an Italian professional Football club (association football), football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Founded in 1899, the club competes in the Serie A, the top tie ...
before signing for Everton. Begović represented
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
at youth level playing for them at the
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 16th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (formerly called the FIFA World Youth Championship), hosted by Canada from 30 June to 22 July 2007. Argentina defeated the Czech Republic in the title game by the scor ...
. In 2009, he decided to change his allegiance and represent his native country,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. He soon established himself as their number one goalkeeper and helped them qualify for the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, their first major tournament.


Club career


Early career

Begović was born in
Trebinje Trebinje ( sr-Cyrl, Требиње, ) is a city and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the southernmost city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and is situated on the banks of the Trebišnjica river in the region of East Her ...
,
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
, which was at the time part of
Yugoslavia , common_name = Yugoslavia , life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation , p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia , flag_p ...
, to a
Bosniak The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...
family. His father, Amir, was also a goalkeeper who played for Leotar and Iskra Bugojno whilst his mother, Ajnija, hails from
Stolac Stolac ( sr-Cyrl, Столац) is an ancient city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the region of Herzegovina. Stolac is one of the oldest cit ...
. The Begović family fled the
Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...
to Germany when Asmir was four years old, where he began to play organised football with local youth club FC Kirchhausen in
Heilbronn Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District. From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...
. When he was 10, his family moved to
Edmonton Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...
in Canada. Subsequently, he is of Canadian descent. Begović attended the St. Francis Xavier High School where he played for their academy. He also played Minor League Soccer with the Southwest Sting Soccer Club in Edmonton which earned him a call-up to the Canada under-17 squad. In 2003, he earned a trial with
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
and
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
and his representatives paid for him to fly over to England. After two days with Portsmouth, coaches David Hurst and
Mark O'Connor Mark O'Connor (born August 5, 1961) is an American fiddle player, composer, guitarist, and mandolinist whose music combines bluegrass, country, jazz and classical. A three-time Grammy Award winner, he has won six Country Music Association Mu ...
were suitably impressed and offered Begović a contract before his trial at Tottenham could begin.


Portsmouth

Begović signed a youth contract with
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
in the summer of 2003 and due to him not having a European Union passport he spent two years on an education visa which prevented him from featuring in matches which involved money being taken on the gate. After playing for the youth team he then spent time on loan at
La Louvière La Louvière (; ) is a city and Municipalities of Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Hainaut Province, province of Hainaut, Belgium. The municipality consists of the following districts: Boussoit, Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pie ...
in Belgium in 2005 where he played twice in the Belgian top flight. Begović got his UK visa in the summer of 2006 which allowed him to sign on
loan In finance, a loan is the tender of money by one party to another with an agreement to pay it back. The recipient, or borrower, incurs a debt and is usually required to pay interest for the use of the money. The document evidencing the deb ...
for Macclesfield Town in the 2006–07 season, making his
Football League The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional association football, football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, it is the oldest football league in Association football around the world, the w ...
debut in a 1–1 draw at
Stockport County Stockport County Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The team competes in EFL League One, the third tier of the English football league system. Formed in 1883 as Heaton ...
on 25 November as an 80th minute substitute, after injury to first choice goalkeeper Jonny Brain. His loan spell was cut short, however, as he sustained a knee injury after making just three appearances. In August 2007, Begović was loaned to
AFC Bournemouth AFC Bournemouth ( ) is a professional association football club based in Kings Park, Boscombe, a suburb of Bournemouth, Dorset, England. The club compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. ...
in League One in a deal lasting until January 2008. He was recalled back from Bournemouth on 11 October 2007. On 8 December 2007, Begović was named in Portsmouth's 16-man matchday squad for the first time in a
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
game in a match against
Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...
as a substitute. In March 2008, he signed for Yeovil Town on loan for a month with Portsmouth having the right to recall him back when they so desired. On 29 March Begović made his debut for Yeovil, keeping a clean sheet against
Bristol Rovers Bristol Rovers FC is a men's professional football club in Bristol. The team competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. The club is affiliated to Bristol Rovers W.F.C., whose team play in the FA Women's National Leag ...
. He was subsequently recalled after making two appearances despite Yeovil trying to re-sign him on an emergency loan. The "Glovers" manager
Russell Slade Russell Mark Slade (born 10 October 1960) is an English former professional football manager and coach. Having had an extended career at reserve team level, Slade entered professional sports coaching with Notts County in 1993. He briefly took ...
revealed in June 2008 that he wanted to sign Begović on loan again after Steve Mildenhall joined Southend United. The move was delayed however due to his grandfather passing away. He rejoined Yeovil on loan, this time for three months in August 2008. He made 14 league appearances, keeping three clean sheets in a struggling Yeovil side. Begović made his Portsmouth debut against Sunderland in their 3–1 win on 18 May 2009. Following his Premier League debut for Pompey Begović expressed his delight. "It was fantastic, to make your first Premier League appearance is something I've looked forward to for a long long time." He joined
Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this sys ...
team
Ipswich Town Ipswich Town Football Club is a professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk, England. The club currently competes in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. Ipswich Town were founded in 1878 but did not turn ...
on loan until 16 January 2010 in October. On 23 November Begović was recalled to Portsmouth due to David James being injured, ending his Ipswich Town loan after having played six matches. On his return to
Fratton Park Fratton Park is a association football, football ground in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and is the home of Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth Football Club. Fratton Park's location on Portsea Island is unique in English professional football, as it ...
he went on to play 15 first team matches during the 2009–10 season.


Stoke City

On 1 February 2010, Begović signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at
Stoke City Stoke City Football Club is a professional association football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England. The team competes in the , the second level of the English football league system. Founded as Stoke Ramblers in 1863, the cl ...
for a fee of £3.25 million. Following the signing manager
Tony Pulis Anthony Richard Pulis (; born 16 January 1958) is a Welsh former professional football manager and former footballer who last managed Sheffield Wednesday. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at age 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 2 ...
revealed that he had been tracking Begović for a while. "We have been tracking Asmir for some time and we believe that potentially he is the best young keeper in the country". Begović had also held talks with
Tottenham Hotspur Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly referred to as simply Tottenham (, , , ) or Spurs, is a professional Association football, football club based in Tottenham, North London, England. The club itself has stated that it should always ...
prior to joining Stoke, but opted for the "Potters" due to "sporting reasons". He later revealed his relief at leaving
Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...
following their financial turmoil during the 2009–10 season. Portsmouth ended up owing Tottenham money for Begović, despite him turning them down, as Tottenham had already paid Portsmouth an instalment on the transfer. Portsmouth were ordered to pay Tottenham £1 million by the
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
over the aborted transfer as Spurs had already made an initial payment for both Begović and
Younès Kaboul Younes Kaboul (born 4 January 1986) is a French former professional Association football, footballer who played as a centre-back for AJ Auxerre, Auxerre, Tottenham Hotspur F.C., Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth F.C., Portsmouth, Sunderland A.F.C., ...
. Begović made his debut for Stoke against Chelsea on 25 April 2010, replacing the injured
Thomas Sørensen Thomas Løvendahl Sørensen (; born 12 June 1976) is a Danish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Sørensen started his career with his local side Odense BK. After impressing on loan at Vejle Boldklub and Svendborg he wa ...
in the 35th minute, where he conceded five goals. He kept his first clean sheet for City in a 0–0 draw with Everton on 1 May 2010. He also played in the last two games of the 2009–10 season against
Fulham Fulham () is an area of the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in West London, England, southwest of Charing Cross. It lies in a loop on the north bank of the River Thames, bordering Hammersmith, Kensington and Chelsea, London, Chelsea ...
and
Manchester United Manchester United Football Club, commonly referred to as Man United (often stylised as Man Utd) or simply United, is a professional association football, football club based in Old Trafford (area), Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, Engl ...
. At the start of the 2010–11 season Begović was handed the number one jersey by manager
Tony Pulis Anthony Richard Pulis (; born 16 January 1958) is a Welsh former professional football manager and former footballer who last managed Sheffield Wednesday. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at age 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 2 ...
. Begović allegedly refused to play in a League Cup match against
Shrewsbury Town Shrewsbury Town Football Club is a professional association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England. The team currently competes in , the fourth tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1886, the club were inaugur ...
, a decision which Pulis said was "totally disrespectful". Begović on the other hand, denied that he had refused to play. Despite this Begović played his first match of the season in the next round of the League Cup against Fulham and then
West Ham United West Ham United Football Club is a professional Association football, football club based in Stratford, London, Stratford, East London, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English f ...
. He made his first league appearance on 30 October against Everton replacing the injured Sørensen. Following this Begović took over from Sørensen as City's first choice 'keeper, he also 'made peace' with Tony Pulis with his absence from the Shrewsbury match. After a narrow defeat at
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
in February 2011 Begović believes that Stoke are developing well. The following week against West Ham, Begović made an error gifting a goal to
Demba Ba Demba Ba (born 25 May 1985) is a former professional footballer who played as a striker. He serves as the chairman of National Independent Soccer Association side Albion San Diego. He made his first-team debut with French team Rouen in 2005 b ...
. Begović missed out on an
FA Cup Final The FA Cup Final is the last match in the FA Cup, Football Association Challenge Cup. It has regularly been one of the List of sports attendance figures, most attended domestic football events in the world, with an official attendance of 89,472 ...
with second choice 'keeper Sørensen being preferred to play in cup matches. Begović started the 2011–12 season as first choice keeper and earned praise from Tony Pulis after he kept five clean sheets in six matches including a fine display against
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
on 11 September. However, Begović then conceded eighteen goals in the next seven matches, including a woeful 5–0 defeat by Bolton Wanderers a performance which led him to apologise to the supporters for his display. Following the Bolton match he was dropped in favour of Sørensen. Begović signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract extension with Stoke in December 2011 keeping him at the club until 2016. He regained number 1 spot in March 2012. Begović continued as City's number one stopper in
2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...
and began the season in fine form conceding just 12 goals in the opening 15 matches. Despite Stoke having a poor second half to the season, Begović remained in decent enough form and won the
Player of the Year Award Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year. In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award. Association football In association football, this award is held on b ...
. Begović remained first choice keeper going into the 2013–14 season under new manager
Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes (born 1 November 1963) is a Welsh association football, football coach and former player who is the head coach of club Carlisle United F.C., Carlisle United. During his playing career he usually operated as a Forward (asso ...
and produced a
man of the match In team sport, a player of the match award (also known as man of the match or woman of the match) is often given to the most outstanding player in a particular match. This can be a player from either team, although the player is generally chose ...
performance on the opening day against
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. On 2 November 2013, Begović scored after 13 seconds against
Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
at a distance of 97.5 yards, after his long kick downfield deceived
Artur Boruc Artur Boruc (; born 20 February 1980) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Boruc began his career in the Polish third division with hometown club Pogoń Siedlce. He joined Ekstraklasa team Legia Warsaw in 1999 ...
. His goal against Southampton earned him a place in the 2015 ''
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
'' for the 'longest goal scored in football'. Begović missed his first League match for almost two years at Newcastle United on 26 December after he broke his finger in a training session which ruled him out for five weeks. He returned to the starting line-up against Chelsea on 26 January 2014. Begović played 33 times for Stoke in 2013–14 as the team finished in 9th position. Begović kept his 50th clean sheet for Stoke on 4 March 2015 in a 2–0 victory over Everton. Begović kept his place as number one keeper in 2014–15 playing in 36 matches as Stoke finished the season again in ninth position and they ended the campaign with a 6–1 victory against
Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
. He was dropped by
Mark Hughes Leslie Mark Hughes (born 1 November 1963) is a Welsh association football, football coach and former player who is the head coach of club Carlisle United F.C., Carlisle United. During his playing career he usually operated as a Forward (asso ...
for three matches in May after making a mistake against
Sunderland Sunderland () is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is a port at the mouth of the River Wear on the North Sea, approximately south-east of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is the most p ...
. This prompted media speculation about his future at the club. Indeed, Begović departed the
Britannia Stadium The bet365 Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England and the home of EFL Championship club Stoke City. The stadium was previously called the Britannia Stadium but was renamed on 1 June 2016 when the cl ...
in July 2015, in total he spent five and a half seasons at Stoke, making 172 appearances.


Chelsea

On 13 July 2015, Chelsea signed Begović on a four-year deal for a fee of £8 million. As part of the deal Chelsea also offered midfielder Marco van Ginkel in part exchange to Stoke on loan for one season. He made his debut nine days later on Chelsea's pre-season tour, coming on at half time for
Thibaut Courtois Thibaut Nicolas Marc Courtois (; ; born 11 May 1992) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for La Liga club Real Madrid and the Belgium national team. Regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, he is known ...
with Chelsea 1–0 up against the
New York Red Bulls The New York Red Bulls are an American professional association football, soccer club based in the New York metropolitan area. The Red Bulls compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference (MLS), Eastern Conferenc ...
, but the match ended in a 4–2 defeat. His first competitive fixture was the 2015 FA Community Shield on 2 August at
Wembley Stadium Wembley Stadium, currently branded as Wembley Stadium connected by EE Limited, EE for sponsorship reasons, is an association football stadium in Wembley, London. It opened in 2007 on the site of the Wembley Stadium (1923), original Wembley Sta ...
, in which he was unused in a 1–0 loss to
rivals A rivalry is the state of two people or Social group, groups engaging in a lasting competitive relationship. Rivalry is the "against each other" spirit between two competing sides. The relationship itself may also be called "a rivalry", and each ...
Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...
. Six days later he came on as a substitute for
Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...
when Courtois was sent off for conceding a penalty with a foul on
Bafétimbi Gomis Bafétimbi Gomis (born 6 August 1985) is a French former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Striker (association football), striker. Gomis played youth football with AS Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne before making his ...
, who converted it for a 2–2 draw. On 16 August, Begović made his first competitive start for Chelsea in a 3–0 away loss to
Manchester City Manchester City Football Club is a professional association football, football club based in Manchester, England, that competes in the Premier League, the English football league system, top flight of Football in England, English footbal ...
. A month later, he earned the first clean sheet of the season for Chelsea in a
UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...
match against
Maccabi Tel Aviv Maccabi Tel Aviv () is one of the largest sports clubs in Israel, and a part of the Maccabi association. Many sports clubs and teams in Tel Aviv are in association with Maccabi and compete in a variety of sports, such as football, basketball, j ...
which ended in a 4–0 win for Chelsea. He kept a sequence of three clean sheets before Courtois returned to the team on 5 December. In his second season with Chelsea, Begović didn't get much playing time, and there were speculations that he would leave the club in the winter transfer window. However, since Chelsea couldn't find a replacement for him, he was forced to stay at Stamford Bridge. In spite of featuring in only two league games, he received a winners' medal as Chelsea won the
2016–17 Premier League The 2016–17 Premier League was the 25th season of the Premier League, the top English professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992, and the 118th season of top-flight English football overall. The season ...
.


AFC Bournemouth

On 30 May 2017, Begović signed for Premier League club Bournemouth on a long-term contract for an undisclosed fee. He debuted on 12 August on the opening day of the new Premier League season, in a 0–1 loss against
West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Football Club (), commonly known as West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the Englis ...
. He kept his first clean sheet in the season on 30 September, in a 0–0 draw against
Leicester City Leicester ( ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city, Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area, and the county town of Leicestershire in the East Midlands of England. It is the largest city in the East Midlands with a popula ...
. On 31 January 2018, he played in a 3–0 win at his former club Chelsea. He played all 38 league games for the Cherries and manager
Eddie Howe Edward John Frank Howe (born 29 November 1977) is an English professional football manager and former player, who is the manager of Premier League club Newcastle United. A centre-back during his playing career, Howe spent most of his playing ...
praised Begovic as being worth “every penny” of his £10 million fee. After conceding 14 goals over four consecutive defeats, Begović was dropped for the first time in January 2019, for
Artur Boruc Artur Boruc (; born 20 February 1980) is a Polish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Boruc began his career in the Polish third division with hometown club Pogoń Siedlce. He joined Ekstraklasa team Legia Warsaw in 1999 ...
— the former rival against whom he scored his world record-setting goal in 2013. The Polish veteran then secured his place as Bournemouth's goalkeeper at Begović's expense. On 2 September 2019, Begović was sent on a six-month loan to Qarabağ. He made his debut 13 days later, in a 2–0 victory against Neftçi in the
Azerbaijan Premier League The Azerbaijan Premier League (), also known as Misli Premyer Liqası for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Azerbaijan and the highest level of the Azerbaijani football league system. It is contested by twelve ...
. He signed on loan for
Serie A The Serie A (), officially known as Serie A Enilive in Italy and Serie A Made in Italy abroad for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Italy and the highest tier of the Italian football league system. Establish ...
club
AC Milan (), commonly referred to as Milan or AC Milan () mainly outside of Italy, is an Italian professional Football club (association football), football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Founded in 1899, the club competes in the Serie A, the top tie ...
for the rest of the 2019–20 season on 13 January 2020. He played twice, first on 22 February in a 1–1 draw at
Fiorentina ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as Fiorentina (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Florence, Tuscany. The original team was founded by a merger in August 1926, while ...
, as a 52nd-minute replacement for the injured
Gianluigi Donnarumma Gianluigi Donnarumma (; born 25 February 1999) is an Italian professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Goalkeeper (association football), goalkeeper for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain FC, Paris Saint-Germain and Captain (ass ...
, then in a 2–1 home loss to
Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
on 8 March. Begović made 45
Championship In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion. Championship systems Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship. Title match system In this sys ...
appearances for Bournemouth in the
2020–21 The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen ...
season, keeping 15 clean sheets.


Everton

On 20 July 2021, Begović joined Everton on an initial 12-month contract with an option for a further year. He made his debut on 24 August in the second round of the EFL Cup, a 2–1 win at
Huddersfield Town Huddersfield Town Association Football Club is a professional association football club based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, England. They compete in , the third tier of English football league system, English football. Huddersfield Town we ...
. Second-choice to
Jordan Pickford Jordan Lee Pickford (' Logan; born 7 March 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for club Everton and the England national team. Pickford began his career at Sunderland, and played for their academy, reserve ...
, he played three Premier League games in his first season, starting with a 3–0 loss at Aston Villa on 18 September. He departed the club at the end of the 2022–23 season having rejected the offer of a new contract.


Queens Park Rangers

On 17 July 2023, Begović signed for Championship club
Queens Park Rangers Queens Park Rangers Football Club, commonly abbreviated to QPR, is a professional association football club based in Shepherd's Bush, West London, England. The team currently compete in the EFL Championship, the second level of the English f ...
. He departed the club upon the expiration of his contract on June 2024.


Return to Everton

On 23 August 2024, Begović returned to Everton, signing a contract until the end of the 2024–25 season. On 20 May 2025, Everton announced that he would be leaving the club at the expiration of his contract.


International career


Canada

Begović was the starting goalkeeper for
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
in the
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the 16th edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup (formerly called the FIFA World Youth Championship), hosted by Canada from 30 June to 22 July 2007. Argentina defeated the Czech Republic in the title game by the scor ...
. He made several difficult saves for his team in a 3–0 loss to
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
and let in one goal against
Austria Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
. Late in the third match of the tournament, after allowing two goals, Begović came out of his area to play a long ball from a Congo defender. The ball took a high bounce off the wet pitch, forcing him to use his hands to prevent it from going over his head. He was shown a straight red card, and midfielder Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault had to play in goal, as Canada had used up their three substitutes. On 14 August 2007, 20-year-old Begović received his first call-up to the senior Canada squad for the friendly match with
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, but didn't see any action on the pitch. In November 2008, he accepted another call for Canada's
2010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for List of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010. ...
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF third round, qualifier versus Jamaica, but again didn't get any playing time as Lars Hirschfeld was the preferred option in goal. Players with dual nationality, like Begović, who had already played for a country's national team at youth level, were not allowed to switch nationalities after they turned 21, but on 3 June 2009 FIFA removed the age limit. In late June 2009, he spoke with Bosnian head coach Miroslav Blažević about the possibility of making his debut for
Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...
. Quotes in the Bosnian media seemed to indicate Begović's intent to play for the country of his birth. Begović missed the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup for Canada saying Portsmouth wanted him to spend the whole pre-season with the club. On 12 July 2009 on ''Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show'' on the CKST, TEAM 1040 radio in Canada he indicated his desire to continue with the Canada national team. He suggested that comments he had made to Bosnia's head coach had been misinterpreted due to poor translation. In the same interview, Begović also said:


Bosnia and Herzegovina

However, less than two months later, Begović changed his mind. On 21 August 2009, he accepted a call-up for two Bosnia 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 5, 2010 World Cup qualifiers: away against Armenia national football team, Armenia on 5 September, and four days later against Turkey national football team, Turkey at home in Zenica. Moreover, he did not play in either match. During the pre-match preparations, Begović gave an interview to the Bosnian web portal, stating among other things: In October 2009, Begović debuted for another 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Estonia national football team, Estonia, coming on as a substitute to Kenan Hasagić in the 92nd minute of the match, in which Bosnia won the match with a final score of 2–0. On 3 March 2010, Begović played his first significant role in a match as he got to play the second half in a 2–1 Exhibition game#Association football, friendly victory against Ghana national football team, Ghana; Begović did not concede any goals. He received his first full appearance against Sweden men's national football team, Sweden in May where Bosnia and Herzegovina lost the match 4–2, but Begović was not responsible for any of the goals according to the Bosnian media, as they blamed Bosnia's defense for the goals. Begović caused controversy after he pulled out of Bosnia and Herzegovina's friendly matches against Slovakia national football team, Slovakia and Mexico national football team, Mexico. In August 2012, Begović became first-choice goalkeeper for the national team. On 27 May 2013, he has been voted the 2012 Bosnian Footballer of the Year by the Bosnian Sport Writers' Jury. On 16 October 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina defeated Lithuania national football team, Lithuania 1–0 to qualify for the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, their first major tournament. In June 2014, Begović was named in Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the
2014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup was the 20th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for list of men's national association football teams, men's national Association football, football teams organised by FIFA. It took place in Brazil fr ...
, where he played full 90 minutes in all three matches.


Personal life

On 18 June 2011, Begović married his American-born wife, Nicolle Howard, with whom he has two daughters, Taylor and Blair Rose Begović. In April 2011 he joined FC Edmonton's charity 'Kicks for Kids Program'. Begović was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina while it was part of the SFR Yugoslavia, and moved to Germany at the age of four. Growing up in Germany, Begović supported FC Bayern Munich, Bayern Munich and cites goalkeeping great Oliver Kahn as his inspiration. He also attended matches at his local club VfB Stuttgart. Along with his native Bosnian language, Bosnian, Begović is fluent in three additional languages: German language, German, English language, English and French language, French. In October 2013 he set up his own charity, the Asmir Begović Foundation. His mother is from
Stolac Stolac ( sr-Cyrl, Столац) is an ancient city located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the region of Herzegovina. Stolac is one of the oldest cit ...
. As a Muslim, Begovic follows a customized meal plan when training during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. Begović's younger brother Denis had a brief spell with Bristol City F.C., Bristol City's under-18s as a goalkeeper. In April 2020, Begović played a football video game against fellow professional Alphonso Davies – who also came to Canada as a child refugee – to raise funds for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.


Career statistics


Club


International


Honours

Chelsea *
Premier League The Premier League is a professional association football league in England and the highest level of the English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Football Lea ...
: 2016–17 Premier League, 2016–17 *FA Cup runner-up: 2016–17 FA Cup, 2016–17 Qarabağ FK *
Azerbaijan Premier League The Azerbaijan Premier League (), also known as Misli Premyer Liqası for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Azerbaijan and the highest level of the Azerbaijani football league system. It is contested by twelve ...
: 2019–20 Azerbaijan Premier League, 2019–20 Canada U23 *CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament third place: 2008 CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, 2008 Individual *Canadian U-20 Players of the Year, Canadian U–20 Player of the Year: 2007 *Idol Nacije#Idol Nacije, Bosnian Footballer of the Year: 2012 *EFL Awards, EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2020–21 EFL Championship, 2020–21


See also

*List of goalscoring goalkeepers *List of goalkeepers who have scored in the Premier League


References


External links


Profile
at the Everton F.C. website * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Begovic, Asmir 1987 births Living people Footballers from Trebinje Bosniaks of Bosnia and Herzegovina Yugoslav Wars refugees Bosnia and Herzegovina refugees Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to Germany Bosnia and Herzegovina emigrants to Canada Canadian people of Bosnia and Herzegovina descent Canadian Muslims Naturalized citizens of Canada Men's association football goalkeepers Soccer players from Edmonton Canadian men's soccer players Canada men's youth international soccer players Bosnia and Herzegovina men's footballers 21st-century Bosnia and Herzegovina sportsmen Bosnia and Herzegovina men's international footballers 2014 FIFA World Cup players Portsmouth F.C. players R.A.A. Louviéroise players Macclesfield Town F.C. players AFC Bournemouth players Yeovil Town F.C. players Ipswich Town F.C. players Stoke City F.C. players Chelsea F.C. players Qarabağ FK players AC Milan players Everton F.C. players Queens Park Rangers F.C. players English Football League players Belgian Pro League players Premier League players Azerbaijan Premier League players Serie A players Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate men's footballers Canadian expatriate men's soccer players Expatriate men's footballers in Belgium Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Belgium Expatriate men's footballers in England Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in England Canadian expatriate sportspeople in England Expatriate men's footballers in Azerbaijan Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Azerbaijan Expatriate men's footballers in Italy Bosnia and Herzegovina expatriate sportspeople in Italy Canadian expatriate sportspeople in Italy 21st-century Canadian sportsmen 20th-century Bosnia and Herzegovina sportsmen