Asmir Begović is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
and the
Bosnia and Herzegovina national teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
.
Whilst growing up Begović lived in Bosnia, Germany and Canada. In 2003 he moved again this time to England where he joined
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
's academy. He went out on loan to a five clubs in order to gain first team experience before making his Portsmouth debut in May 2009. Begović joined
Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m in January 2010 where he has established himself as first choice goalkeeper.
Portsmouth
Begović signed a youth contract with
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in 2003 and spent time on loan at
La LouviereR.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, was a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. It had been playing its latest run in the Belgian First Division from 2000-01 to 2005-06 included...
in Belgium in 2005. He signed on loan for
Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in the 2006–07 season, making his
Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut in a 1–1 draw at
Stockport CountyStockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on 25 November as an 80th minute substitute, after injury to first choice goalkeeper
Jonny BrainJonathon Robert "Jonny" Brain is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Nantwich Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division....
. 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
BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in
League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
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 game in a match against
Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
as a substitute.
In March 2008, he signed for
Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
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 RoversBristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. He was subsequently recalled after making two appearances despite Yeovil trying to re-sign him on an emergency loan.
The Glovers manager
Russell SladeRussell Slade is an English football manager currently in charge of League One side Leyton Orient.-Notts County:Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager...
revealed in June 2008 that he wants to sign Begović on loan again after
Steve MildenhallStephen James "Steve" Mildenhall is an English professional football goalkeeper, currently playing for Millwall in the Championship.-Career:...
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
ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
team
Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
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 Pompey 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 CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m. Following the signing manager
Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
revealed that he had been tracking Begović for a while.
Begović had also held talks with
Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
prior to joining Stoke, but opted for
The Potters due to "sporting reasons". He later revealed his relief at leaving
PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
following their financial turmoil during the
2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
. In a bizarre turn of events, it was revealed that Portsmouth in fact owe Tottenham money for Begović, despite him turning them down to play for Stoke, as Tottenham had already paid Portsmouth an installment on the transfer. Portsmouth were ordered to pay Tottenham £1million by the Premier League over the aborted transfer as Spurs had already paid an initial payment for both Begović and
Younès KaboulYounès Kaboul is a French footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play at right back or in defensive midfield.-Auxerre:...
.
Begović made his debut for Stoke against
ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 25 April 2010, replacing the injured
Thomas SørensenThomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
in the 35th minute. He kept his first clean sheet for City in a 0–0 draw with
EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on the 1 May 2010. He also played in the last two games of the 2009–10 season against
FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. At the start of the 2010–11 season Begović was handed the number one jersey by manager
Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
. Begović allegedly refused to play in a League Cup match against
Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
a decision which Pulis says is
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 UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He made his first league appearance on the 30 October against Everton replacing the injured Sørensen. Following this Begović has taken over from Sørensen as City's first choice 'keeper, he has also 'made peace' with Tony Pulis with his absence from the Shrewsbury match. After a narrow defeat at
ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
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 BaDemba Ba is a French-born Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and for the Senegal national team.-Early life:Ba was born in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, and was the sixth child of seven...
. Begović missed out on a
FA Cup FinalThe FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
with second choice 'keeper Sørensen being preferred to play in cup matches.
Begović started the 2011–12 season as first choice keeper and has earned praise from Tony Pulis after keeping five clean sheets in six matches including a fine display against
LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 11 September. However Since then Begović has conceded eighteen goals in seven matches including a 5–0 defeat by Bolton a performance which led him to apologise to the supporters for his display.
Canada
Begović appeared for Canada in the
2007 FIFA U-20 World CupThe 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
after appearing in an
AdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
commercial as part of an ad campaign ahead of the tournament. He made several crucial saves for his team in a 3–0 loss to Chile. Late in the third round robin match of the tournament, 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-BourgaultJonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault is a French Canadian footballer player, who current plays for SC Preußen Münster.- Career :...
was forced to play in goal, as Canada had used up its three substitutes.
On August 14, 2007, 20-year-old Begović received his first call-up to the senior
CanadianThe Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
squad for the friendly match with
IcelandThe Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
, but didn't see any action on the pitch.
In November 2008, he accepted another call for Canada's
2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier versus Jamaica, but again didn't get any playing time as
Lars HirschfeldLars Justin Hirschfeld is a Canadian football goalkeeper currently playing for Vålerenga Fotball in Norway.-Club career:Hirschfeld started his career with the Edmonton Drillers, playing indoor soccer...
was the preferred option in goal. Begović missed the
2009 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament...
for Canada due to Portsmouth wanting him to spend the whole pre-season with the team. In late June 2009, he spoke with Bosnian head coach
Miroslav BlaževićMiroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
about the possibility of making his debut for the
Bosnian national football teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. Quotes in the Bosnian media seemed to indicate Begović's intent to play for the country of his birth, however on July 12, 2009 on
Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer ShowFull-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show is a 2 hour soccer radio program broadcast Sunday nights at 9pm on the TEAM 1040 Sports Radio in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The show is hosted by Tyler Green and Mike Martignago. The show debuted on June 29, 2008 as a once a month soccer show...
on the TEAM 1040 radio in Canada he indicated his desire to continue with the Canadian 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, "I've played for Canada for a long time. There's no decision, I don’t want to switch… but there is a state of uncertainty with Canada soccer (next coach, etc). Get things in place and I'm happy to stay with Canada, that's where I see my future… I've been approached by Bosnia. There were talks… but I have no intention on playing for Bosnia."
Bosnia and Herzegovina
However, less than two months later, Begović changed his mind and on August 21, 2009 accepted a call up for two Bosnian 2010 World Cup qualifiers: away at
ArmeniaThe Armenia national football team represents Armenia in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia...
on September 5, 2009, and four days later versus
TurkeyThe Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
at home in
ZenicaZenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
. During the pre-match preparations, Begović gave an interview to the Bosnian web portal, stating among other things: "I was born in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina is my homeland and I wouldn't be disappointed even if I don't get a chance to play right away". He did not play in either match. However, his debut for the national team finally came in the next qualifier against
EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
. He came on to replace
Kenan HasagićKenan Hasagić is a Bosnian football goalkeeper.His football career began in his hometown with the local FK Rudar of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the age of 16, he made his debut in a first division match...
in the 92nd minute of the match, in which Bosnia won the match with a final score of 2–0.
On March 3 he played a significant role in a match for the first time as he got to play the second half in Bosnia's friendly match against Ghana. Bosnia won the match 2–1 and Begović didn't concede any goals. He received his first full cap against Sweden in May 2010. Bosnia 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. He caused controversy after he pulled out of Bosnia's friendlies against Slovakia and Mexico.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other
Asmir Begović (born 20 June 1987) is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
.
Whilst growing up Begović lived in Bosnia, Germany and Canada. In 2003 he moved again this time to England where he joined PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
's academy. He went out on loan to a five clubs in order to gain first team experience before making his Portsmouth debut in May 2009. Begović joined Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m in January 2010 where he has established himself as first choice goalkeeper.
Portsmouth
Begović signed a youth contract with PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in 2003 and spent time on loan at La LouviereR.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, was a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. It had been playing its latest run in the Belgian First Division from 2000-01 to 2005-06 included...
in Belgium in 2005. He signed on loan for Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in the 2006–07 season, making his Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut in a 1–1 draw at Stockport CountyStockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on 25 November as an 80th minute substitute, after injury to first choice goalkeeper Jonny BrainJonathon Robert "Jonny" Brain is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Nantwich Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division....
. 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 BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
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 game in a match against Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
as a substitute.
In March 2008, he signed for Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
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 RoversBristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. He was subsequently recalled after making two appearances despite Yeovil trying to re-sign him on an emergency loan. The Glovers manager Russell SladeRussell Slade is an English football manager currently in charge of League One side Leyton Orient.-Notts County:Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager...
revealed in June 2008 that he wants to sign Begović on loan again after Steve MildenhallStephen James "Steve" Mildenhall is an English professional football goalkeeper, currently playing for Millwall in the Championship.-Career:...
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 ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
team Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
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 Pompey 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 CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m. Following the signing manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
revealed that he had been tracking Begović for a while.
{{Quote|"We have been tracking Asmir for some time and we believe that potentially he is the best young keeper in the country. It was important we brought in another goalkeeper because we were a bit exposed in that department. Most clubs in the Premier League have three experienced keepers, but we had managed with just the two for a long time"|Stoke manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
has high hopes for Asmir Begović.}}
Begović had also held talks with Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
prior to joining Stoke, but opted for The Potters due to "sporting reasons". He later revealed his relief at leaving PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
following their financial turmoil during the 2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
. In a bizarre turn of events, it was revealed that Portsmouth in fact owe Tottenham money for Begović, despite him turning them down to play for Stoke, as Tottenham had already paid Portsmouth an installment on the transfer. Portsmouth were ordered to pay Tottenham £1million by the Premier League over the aborted transfer as Spurs had already paid an initial payment for both Begović and Younès KaboulYounès Kaboul is a French footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play at right back or in defensive midfield.-Auxerre:...
.
Begović made his debut for Stoke against ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 25 April 2010, replacing the injured Thomas SørensenThomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
in the 35th minute. He kept his first clean sheet for City in a 0–0 draw with EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on the 1 May 2010. He also played in the last two games of the 2009–10 season against FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. At the start of the 2010–11 season Begović was handed the number one jersey by manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
. Begović allegedly refused to play in a League Cup match against Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
a decision which Pulis says is 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 UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He made his first league appearance on the 30 October against Everton replacing the injured Sørensen. Following this Begović has taken over from Sørensen as City's first choice 'keeper, he has also 'made peace' with Tony Pulis with his absence from the Shrewsbury match. After a narrow defeat at ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
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 BaDemba Ba is a French-born Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and for the Senegal national team.-Early life:Ba was born in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, and was the sixth child of seven...
. Begović missed out on a FA Cup FinalThe FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
with second choice 'keeper Sørensen being preferred to play in cup matches.
Begović started the 2011–12 season as first choice keeper and has earned praise from Tony Pulis after keeping five clean sheets in six matches including a fine display against LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 11 September. However Since then Begović has conceded eighteen goals in seven matches including a 5–0 defeat by Bolton a performance which led him to apologise to the supporters for his display.
Canada
Begović appeared for Canada in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World CupThe 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
after appearing in an AdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
commercial as part of an ad campaign ahead of the tournament. He made several crucial saves for his team in a 3–0 loss to Chile. Late in the third round robin match of the tournament, 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-BourgaultJonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault is a French Canadian footballer player, who current plays for SC Preußen Münster.- Career :...
was forced to play in goal, as Canada had used up its three substitutes.
On August 14, 2007, 20-year-old Begović received his first call-up to the senior CanadianThe Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
squad for the friendly match with IcelandThe Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
, but didn't see any action on the pitch.
In November 2008, he accepted another call for Canada's 2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier versus Jamaica, but again didn't get any playing time as Lars HirschfeldLars Justin Hirschfeld is a Canadian football goalkeeper currently playing for Vålerenga Fotball in Norway.-Club career:Hirschfeld started his career with the Edmonton Drillers, playing indoor soccer...
was the preferred option in goal. Begović missed the 2009 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament...
for Canada due to Portsmouth wanting him to spend the whole pre-season with the team. In late June 2009, he spoke with Bosnian head coach Miroslav BlaževićMiroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
about the possibility of making his debut for the Bosnian national football teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. Quotes in the Bosnian media seemed to indicate Begović's intent to play for the country of his birth, however on July 12, 2009 on Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer ShowFull-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show is a 2 hour soccer radio program broadcast Sunday nights at 9pm on the TEAM 1040 Sports Radio in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The show is hosted by Tyler Green and Mike Martignago. The show debuted on June 29, 2008 as a once a month soccer show...
on the TEAM 1040 radio in Canada he indicated his desire to continue with the Canadian 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, "I've played for Canada for a long time. There's no decision, I don’t want to switch… but there is a state of uncertainty with Canada soccer (next coach, etc). Get things in place and I'm happy to stay with Canada, that's where I see my future… I've been approached by Bosnia. There were talks… but I have no intention on playing for Bosnia."
Bosnia and Herzegovina
However, less than two months later, Begović changed his mind and on August 21, 2009 accepted a call up for two Bosnian 2010 World Cup qualifiers: away at ArmeniaThe Armenia national football team represents Armenia in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia...
on September 5, 2009, and four days later versus TurkeyThe Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
at home in ZenicaZenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
. During the pre-match preparations, Begović gave an interview to the Bosnian web portal, stating among other things: "I was born in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina is my homeland and I wouldn't be disappointed even if I don't get a chance to play right away". He did not play in either match. However, his debut for the national team finally came in the next qualifier against EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
. He came on to replace Kenan HasagićKenan Hasagić is a Bosnian football goalkeeper.His football career began in his hometown with the local FK Rudar of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the age of 16, he made his debut in a first division match...
in the 92nd minute of the match, in which Bosnia won the match with a final score of 2–0.
On March 3 he played a significant role in a match for the first time as he got to play the second half in Bosnia's friendly match against Ghana. Bosnia won the match 2–1 and Begović didn't concede any goals. He received his first full cap against Sweden in May 2010. Bosnia 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. He caused controversy after he pulled out of Bosnia's friendlies against Slovakia and Mexico.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other
Asmir Begović (born 20 June 1987) is a Bosnian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
and the Bosnia and Herzegovina national teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
.
Whilst growing up Begović lived in Bosnia, Germany and Canada. In 2003 he moved again this time to England where he joined PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
's academy. He went out on loan to a five clubs in order to gain first team experience before making his Portsmouth debut in May 2009. Begović joined Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m in January 2010 where he has established himself as first choice goalkeeper.
Portsmouth
Begović signed a youth contract with PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in 2003 and spent time on loan at La LouviereR.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, was a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. It had been playing its latest run in the Belgian First Division from 2000-01 to 2005-06 included...
in Belgium in 2005. He signed on loan for Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
in the 2006–07 season, making his Football LeagueThe Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut in a 1–1 draw at Stockport CountyStockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on 25 November as an 80th minute substitute, after injury to first choice goalkeeper Jonny BrainJonathon Robert "Jonny" Brain is an English football goalkeeper who plays for Nantwich Town in the Northern Premier League Premier Division....
. 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 BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
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 game in a match against Aston VillaAston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
as a substitute.
In March 2008, he signed for Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
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 RoversBristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
. He was subsequently recalled after making two appearances despite Yeovil trying to re-sign him on an emergency loan. The Glovers manager Russell SladeRussell Slade is an English football manager currently in charge of League One side Leyton Orient.-Notts County:Slade was assistant manager to Mick Walker at Notts County, and took over as caretaker manager when Walker was sacked in September 1994. When County appointed Howard Kendall as manager...
revealed in June 2008 that he wants to sign Begović on loan again after Steve MildenhallStephen James "Steve" Mildenhall is an English professional football goalkeeper, currently playing for Millwall in the Championship.-Career:...
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 ChampionshipThe Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
team Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
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 Pompey 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 CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
for a fee of £3.25m. Following the signing manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
revealed that he had been tracking Begović for a while.
{{Quote|"We have been tracking Asmir for some time and we believe that potentially he is the best young keeper in the country. It was important we brought in another goalkeeper because we were a bit exposed in that department. Most clubs in the Premier League have three experienced keepers, but we had managed with just the two for a long time"|Stoke manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
has high hopes for Asmir Begović.}}
Begović had also held talks with Tottenham HotspurTottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
prior to joining Stoke, but opted for The Potters due to "sporting reasons". He later revealed his relief at leaving PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
following their financial turmoil during the 2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
. In a bizarre turn of events, it was revealed that Portsmouth in fact owe Tottenham money for Begović, despite him turning them down to play for Stoke, as Tottenham had already paid Portsmouth an installment on the transfer. Portsmouth were ordered to pay Tottenham £1million by the Premier League over the aborted transfer as Spurs had already paid an initial payment for both Begović and Younès KaboulYounès Kaboul is a French footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. He can also play at right back or in defensive midfield.-Auxerre:...
.
Begović made his debut for Stoke against ChelseaChelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
on 25 April 2010, replacing the injured Thomas SørensenThomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
in the 35th minute. He kept his first clean sheet for City in a 0–0 draw with EvertonEverton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
on the 1 May 2010. He also played in the last two games of the 2009–10 season against FulhamFulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
and Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
. At the start of the 2010–11 season Begović was handed the number one jersey by manager Tony PulisAnthony Richard "Tony" Pulis is a Welsh former football player and is currently the manager of Stoke City. Pulis obtained his FA coaching badge at the age of 19, followed by his UEFA 'A' licence aged 21 – making him one of the youngest professional players ever to have obtained the qualification...
. Begović allegedly refused to play in a League Cup match against Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
a decision which Pulis says is 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 UnitedWest Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
. He made his first league appearance on the 30 October against Everton replacing the injured Sørensen. Following this Begović has taken over from Sørensen as City's first choice 'keeper, he has also 'made peace' with Tony Pulis with his absence from the Shrewsbury match. After a narrow defeat at ArsenalArsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
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 BaDemba Ba is a French-born Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Newcastle United in the Premier League, and for the Senegal national team.-Early life:Ba was born in Sèvres, Hauts-de-Seine, and was the sixth child of seven...
. Begović missed out on a FA Cup FinalThe FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
with second choice 'keeper Sørensen being preferred to play in cup matches.
Begović started the 2011–12 season as first choice keeper and has earned praise from Tony Pulis after keeping five clean sheets in six matches including a fine display against LiverpoolLiverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 11 September. However Since then Begović has conceded eighteen goals in seven matches including a 5–0 defeat by Bolton a performance which led him to apologise to the supporters for his display.
Canada
Begović appeared for Canada in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World CupThe 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
after appearing in an AdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
commercial as part of an ad campaign ahead of the tournament. He made several crucial saves for his team in a 3–0 loss to Chile. Late in the third round robin match of the tournament, 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-BourgaultJonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault is a French Canadian footballer player, who current plays for SC Preußen Münster.- Career :...
was forced to play in goal, as Canada had used up its three substitutes.
On August 14, 2007, 20-year-old Begović received his first call-up to the senior CanadianThe Canada men's national soccer team represents Canada in international soccer competitions at the senior men's level. They are overseen by the Canadian Soccer Association and compete in the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football .Their most significant...
squad for the friendly match with IcelandThe Iceland national football team is the national football team of Iceland and is controlled by the Football Association of Iceland. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition....
, but didn't see any action on the pitch.
In November 2008, he accepted another call for Canada's 2010 FIFA World CupThe 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
qualifier versus Jamaica, but again didn't get any playing time as Lars HirschfeldLars Justin Hirschfeld is a Canadian football goalkeeper currently playing for Vålerenga Fotball in Norway.-Club career:Hirschfeld started his career with the Edmonton Drillers, playing indoor soccer...
was the preferred option in goal. Begović missed the 2009 CONCACAF Gold CupThe 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup was the tenth edition of the Gold Cup competition, and the twentieth association football championship of North America, Central America and the Caribbean . It was contested from 3 July to 26 July 2009 in the United States. This competition was the fourth tournament...
for Canada due to Portsmouth wanting him to spend the whole pre-season with the team. In late June 2009, he spoke with Bosnian head coach Miroslav BlaževićMiroslav "Ćiro" Blažević is a Bosnian Croat football manager. He is the current head coach of Mes Kerman in Iran Pro League....
about the possibility of making his debut for the Bosnian national football teamThe Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team is the national football team of Bosnia and Herzegovina, governed by the Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. Quotes in the Bosnian media seemed to indicate Begović's intent to play for the country of his birth, however on July 12, 2009 on Full-Time: Vancouver's Soccer ShowFull-Time: Vancouver's Soccer Show is a 2 hour soccer radio program broadcast Sunday nights at 9pm on the TEAM 1040 Sports Radio in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The show is hosted by Tyler Green and Mike Martignago. The show debuted on June 29, 2008 as a once a month soccer show...
on the TEAM 1040 radio in Canada he indicated his desire to continue with the Canadian 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, "I've played for Canada for a long time. There's no decision, I don’t want to switch… but there is a state of uncertainty with Canada soccer (next coach, etc). Get things in place and I'm happy to stay with Canada, that's where I see my future… I've been approached by Bosnia. There were talks… but I have no intention on playing for Bosnia."
Bosnia and Herzegovina
However, less than two months later, Begović changed his mind and on August 21, 2009 accepted a call up for two Bosnian 2010 World Cup qualifiers: away at ArmeniaThe Armenia national football team represents Armenia in association football and is controlled by the Football Federation of Armenia, the governing body for football in Armenia...
on September 5, 2009, and four days later versus TurkeyThe Turkey national football team represents Turkey in association football and is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Turkey. They are affiliated with UEFA...
at home in ZenicaZenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
. During the pre-match preparations, Begović gave an interview to the Bosnian web portal, stating among other things: "I was born in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina is my homeland and I wouldn't be disappointed even if I don't get a chance to play right away". He did not play in either match. However, his debut for the national team finally came in the next qualifier against EstoniaThe Estonia national football team represents Estonia in international association football. Team members are selected by the head coach of Estonian Football Association . Estonia play their home matches at the A. Le Coq Arena in Tallinn, Estonia....
. He came on to replace Kenan HasagićKenan Hasagić is a Bosnian football goalkeeper.His football career began in his hometown with the local FK Rudar of Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the age of 16, he made his debut in a first division match...
in the 92nd minute of the match, in which Bosnia won the match with a final score of 2–0.
On March 3 he played a significant role in a match for the first time as he got to play the second half in Bosnia's friendly match against Ghana. Bosnia won the match 2–1 and Begović didn't concede any goals. He received his first full cap against Sweden in May 2010. Bosnia 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. He caused controversy after he pulled out of Bosnia's friendlies against Slovakia and Mexico.
Club
| Club |
Season |
League |
FA Cup |
League Cup |
Europe |
Other{{ref label|Other|A|} |
}
!colspan="2"|Total
|-
!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals
|-
|rowspan="3" valign="center"|PortsmouthPortsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
|2008–09
|2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||2||0
|-
|2009–10
|9||0||3||0||3||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||15||0
|-
!Total
!11!!0!!3!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!17!!0
|-
|rowspan="2"|La LouvièreR.A.A. Louviéroise, sometimes referred to as La Louvière or RAAL, was a Belgian football club located in the city of La Louvière, in the province of Hainaut. It had been playing its latest run in the Belgian First Division from 2000-01 to 2005-06 included...
(loan)
|2005–06
|2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||2||0
|-
!Total
!2!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0
|-
|rowspan="2"|Macclesfield TownMacclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
(loan)
|2006–07
|3||0||1||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||4||0
|-
!Total
!3!!0!!1!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!4!!0
|-
|rowspan="2"|BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
(loan)
|2007–08
|8||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||1||0||9||0
|-
!Total
!8!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!1!!0!!9!!0
|-
|rowspan="3"|Yeovil TownYeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
(loan)
|2007–08
|2||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||2||0
|-
|2008–09
|14||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||0||0||14||0
|-
!Total
!16!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!16!!0
|-
|rowspan="2" valign="center"|Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. As of 2011, they play in the Football League Championship, having last appeared in the Premier League in 2001–02....
(loan)
|2009–10The 2009–10 football season marked the 131st year of existence of Ipswich Town Football Club. Additionally, it marked the club's 74th anniversary of turning professional and was the club's 71st consecutive season in the English football league system....
|6||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||6||0
|-
!Total
!6!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!0!!6!!0
|-
|rowspan="4" valign="center"|Stoke CityStoke City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire that plays in the Premier League. Founded in 1863, it is the oldest club in the Premier League, and considered to be the second oldest professional football club in the world, after Notts...
|2009–10
|4||0||0||0||0||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||4||0
|-
|2010–11The 2010–11 season was the 148th season in Stoke City F.C.s history, their third in the Premier League and 111th in the league system of English football. Their 11th place finish in the 2009–10 season means it is their third successive season in the Premier League...
|28||0||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||colspan="2"|–||30||0
|-
|2011–12The 2011–12 season is the 149th season in Stoke City F.C.s history, their fourth in the Premier League and 112th in the league system of English football. Their 13th place finish in the 2010–11 season means it is their fourth successive season in the Premier League...
|11||0||0||0||0||0||2||0||colspan="2"|–||13||0
|-
!Total
!43!!0!!0!!0!!2!!0!!2!!0!!0!!0!!47!!0
|-
!colspan="2"|Career total
!89!!0!!4!!0!!5!!0!!2!!0!!1!!0!!101!!0
|}
International
As of June 2011
{{Football player national team statistics|BIH}}
|-
|2009||1||0
|-
|2010||3||0
|-
|2011||3||0
|-
!Total||7||0
|}
Personal life
Asmir was born in TrebinjeTrebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
, YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
later to become part of what is now Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
to a Bosniak family. His father, Amir Begović, was a goalkeeper for FK Leotar from TrebinjeTrebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
and NK Iskra from BugojnoBugojno is a town and municipality of the same name in central Bosnia and Herzegovina on the river Vrbas. It is located in the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity. The town is to the northwest from Sarajevo, with an estimated population of 50,000 .To the west...
. His mother's name is Ajnija, who is from StolacStolac is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in the southern part of Herzegovina. Administratively, it is part of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
. The Begović family fled war-torn Bosnia for Germany when Asmir was four years old, where he began to play organized football. When he was 10, his family moved to EdmontonEdmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, AlbertaAlberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
. In 2004 they moved back to Germany to follow Asmir's youth football development. On 18 June 2011, Begović married his AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
wife, Nicolle, with whom he has a daughter, Taylor.
Growing up in Germany, Begović supported giants Bayern MunichFC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
and cites goalkeeping great Oliver KahnOliver Rolf Kahn is a former German football goalkeeper. He started his career in the Karlsruher SC Junior team. He had his debut game in the professional squad in 1987...
as his inspiration. He also attend matches at his local club VfB StuttgartVerein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
.
Individual
- Canadian U-20 Player of the Year: 2007
- Stoke City young player of the year: 2011
External links
{{Navboxes colour
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{{Canada Squad 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship}}
{{Canada Squad 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup}}
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{{Stoke City F.C. squad}}
{{Persondata
|NAME= Begović, Asmir
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES= Begović, Asmir
|SHORT DESCRIPTION=Professional footballer
|DATE OF BIRTH= June 20, 1987
|PLACE OF BIRTH= TrebinjeTrebinje is the southernmost municipality and town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is administratively part of the Republika Srpska entity and is located in southeastern Herzegovina, some from the Adriatic Sea....
, SFR YugoslaviaThe Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
|DATE OF DEATH=
|PLACE OF DEATH=
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Begovic, Asmir}}
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