Asmir Begović facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Asmir Begović

Begović with Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Asmir Begović
Date of birth	(1987-06-20) 20 June 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Trebinje, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia
Height	1.99 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1994–1997	FC Kirchhausen
1998–2003	Southwest Sting Edmonton
2003–2005	Portsmouth
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2010	Portsmouth	11	(0)
2005	→ La Louvière (loan)	2	(0)
2006	→ Macclesfield Town (loan)	3	(0)
2007	→ AFC Bournemouth (loan)	8	(0)
2008	→ Yeovil Town (loan)	2	(0)
2008	→ Yeovil Town (loan)	14	(0)
2009	→ Ipswich Town (loan)	6	(0)
2010–2015	Stoke City	160	(1)
2015–2017	Chelsea	19	(0)
2017–2021	AFC Bournemouth	107	(0)
2019–2020	→ Qarabağ (loan)	10	(0)
2020	→ AC Milan (loan)	2	(0)
2021–2023	Everton	4	(0)
2023–2024	Queens Park Rangers	45	(0)
2024–2025	Everton	0	(0)
International career
2004–2007	Canada U20	11	(0)
2009–2020	Bosnia and Herzegovina	63	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:48, 26 April 2024 (UTC)

Asmir Begović (born on June 20, 1987) is a professional footballer from Bosnia. He plays as a goalkeeper. Currently, he is a free agent, meaning he is not signed to any club.

Begović began his professional career at Portsmouth in 2003. After playing for several clubs on loan, he made his first appearance in the Premier League in May 2009. In February 2010, he moved to Stoke City. During the 2012–13 season, he played in every league match and won the club's Player of the Year award. In November 2013, Begović made history by scoring a goal from 97.5 yards (about 89 meters) against Southampton. This goal, scored just 13 seconds into the game, set a World Record for the 'longest goal scored in football'.

In July 2015, he joined Chelsea, who were then the Premier League champions. He was a backup goalkeeper there until he moved to AFC Bournemouth two years later. After a period at Bournemouth, he was loaned to Qarabağ and A.C. Milan before joining Everton.

Begović played for Canada's youth teams, including the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2009, he decided to play for his home country, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He became their main goalkeeper and helped them reach the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was their first major tournament.

Club Football Journey

Starting Out in Football

Asmir Begović was born in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, when it was part of Yugoslavia. His family is Bosniak. His father, Amir, was also a goalkeeper. When Asmir was four, his family moved to Germany to escape the Bosnian War. There, he started playing football with a local youth club called FC Kirchhausen.

When he was 10, his family moved to Edmonton, Canada. He played for the St. Francis Xavier High School academy and the Southwest Sting Soccer Club. In 2003, he got a chance to try out for English clubs Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur. Portsmouth coaches were very impressed and offered him a contract before he could even try out for Tottenham.

Playing for Portsmouth

Begović signed a youth contract with Portsmouth in 2003. Because he didn't have a European Union passport, he couldn't play in certain matches for two years. He spent some time on loan at La Louvière in Belgium in 2005, playing two games.

In 2006, he got his UK visa and was loaned to Macclesfield Town. He made his first Football League appearance in November 2006. However, his loan ended early due to a knee injury. In August 2007, he was loaned to AFC Bournemouth in League One.

In March 2008, he joined Yeovil Town on loan for a month. He played two games and kept a clean sheet in his debut. He returned to Yeovil for another three-month loan in August 2008, playing 14 league games.

Begović made his first team debut for Portsmouth in the Premier League on May 18, 2009, in a 3–1 win against Sunderland. He was very happy about this moment. He then joined Ipswich Town on loan in October 2009, playing six matches before being called back to Portsmouth. He played 15 first-team games for Portsmouth during the 2009–10 season.

Time at Stoke City

Begović playing for Stoke City in 2011

On February 1, 2010, Begović signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Stoke City for £3.25 million. The manager, Tony Pulis, said they had been watching Begović for a while and believed he was one of the best young goalkeepers. Begović chose Stoke over Tottenham because he felt it was better for his football career. He was also glad to leave Portsmouth due to their money problems at the time.

He played his first game for Stoke against Chelsea on April 25, 2010. He got his first clean sheet for Stoke in a 0–0 draw with Everton on May 1, 2010.

For the 2010–11 season, Begović was given the number one jersey. He became Stoke's main goalkeeper and made up with manager Tony Pulis after a misunderstanding about a League Cup match. He signed a new contract with Stoke in December 2011, keeping him at the club until 2016.

Begović continued as Stoke's main goalkeeper in the 2012–13 season. He started the season in great form, letting in only 12 goals in the first 15 games. Even though Stoke had a tough second half of the season, Begović played well and won the Player of the Year Award.

In the 2013–14 season, Begović remained the first-choice goalkeeper under new manager Mark Hughes. On November 2, 2013, he scored a goal after just 13 seconds against Southampton. His long kick from his own penalty area bounced over the opposing goalkeeper, Artur Boruc, and into the net. This goal, from 97.5 yards away, earned him a place in the Guinness World Records for the 'longest goal scored in football'.

Begović missed some games in December 2013 due to a broken finger but returned in January 2014. He played 33 games for Stoke that season. In the 2014–15 season, he played 36 matches as Stoke finished ninth. He left Stoke in July 2015, after playing 172 games for the club.

Joining Chelsea

Begović playing for Chelsea in 2015

On July 13, 2015, Chelsea signed Begović on a four-year deal for £8 million. He made his debut for Chelsea in a pre-season game. His first official game was on August 8, when he came on as a substitute after the main goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was sent off. Begović made his first start for Chelsea on August 16. He kept his first clean sheet for Chelsea in a UEFA Champions League match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.

In his second season with Chelsea, Begović did not play as much. Despite only playing in two league games, he received a winner's medal as Chelsea won the 2016–17 Premier League.

Moving to AFC Bournemouth

On May 30, 2017, Begović joined AFC Bournemouth on a long-term contract. He played his first game for them on August 12. He kept his first clean sheet for Bournemouth on September 30. On January 31, 2018, he played in a 3–0 win against his old club Chelsea. He played all 38 league games for Bournemouth that season.

In January 2019, Begović was dropped from the team for the first time, with Artur Boruc taking his place.

On September 2, 2019, Begović was loaned to Qarabağ for six months. He made his debut 13 days later. On January 13, 2020, he was loaned to Serie A club A.C. Milan for the rest of the season. He played two games for AC Milan.

Begović played 45 Championship games for Bournemouth in the 2020–21 season, keeping 15 clean sheets.

Time at Everton

On July 20, 2021, Begović joined Everton on a one-year contract. He made his debut on August 24 in the EFL Cup. He was the second-choice goalkeeper behind Jordan Pickford. He played three Premier League games in his first season.

He left Everton in June 2023 after turning down a new contract.

Playing for Queens Park Rangers

On July 17, 2023, Begović signed for Championship club Queens Park Rangers. He left the club when his contract ended in June 2024.

Returning to Everton

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

International Football Journey

Playing for Canada

Begović was the main goalkeeper for Canada in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. He made some great saves in the tournament. In one match, he received a red card, and a midfielder had to play in goal because Canada had no more substitutes.

In August 2007, Begović was called up to the senior Canada team for the first time but did not play. In November 2008, he was called up again for a World Cup qualifier but remained on the bench.

FIFA changed a rule on June 3, 2009, allowing players with dual nationality to switch national teams even if they had played for a country's youth team after turning 21.

Playing for Bosnia and Herzegovina

Begović lining up for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015

Less than two months after saying he wanted to stay with Canada, Begović changed his mind. On August 21, 2009, he accepted a call-up for two Bosnia World Cup qualifiers. He said that Bosnia and Herzegovina was his homeland.

In October 2009, Begović made his debut for Bosnia in a World Cup qualification match against Estonia, coming on as a substitute. On March 3, 2010, he played the second half of a friendly game against Ghana and did not let in any goals. He played his first full game for Bosnia against Sweden in May.

In August 2012, Begović became the first-choice goalkeeper for the national team. On October 16, 2013, Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Lithuania 1–0 to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This was their first major tournament. In June 2014, Begović was part of Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the World Cup and played all three matches.

About Asmir's Life

On June 18, 2011, Begović married Nicolle Howard. They have two daughters, Taylor and Blair Rose. In April 2011, he joined FC Edmonton's 'Kicks for Kids Program', which is a charity.

Asmir was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina and moved to Germany when he was four. Growing up, he supported Bayern Munich and looked up to the famous goalkeeper Oliver Kahn. He can speak four languages: Bosnian, German, English, and French. In October 2013, he started his own charity, the Asmir Begović Foundation. As a Muslim, Begovic follows a customized meal plan when training during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

Asmir's younger brother, Denis, also played as a goalkeeper for Bristol City's under-18 team for a short time.

In April 2020, Begović played a football video game against another professional player, Alphonso Davies. They did this to raise money for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, which helps refugees.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Awards and Achievements

Chelsea

• Premier League: 2016–17
• FA Cup runner-up: 2016–17

Qarabağ FK

• Azerbaijan Premier League: 2019–20

Canada U23

• CONCACAF Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament third place: 2008

Individual Awards

• Canadian U–20 Player of the Year: 2007
• Bosnian Footballer of the Year: 2012
• EFL Championship Team of the Season: 2020–21

More to Explore

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

See also

In Spanish: Asmir Begović para niños