Biography
Who is Asmir Begović?
Early life and background
Asmir Begović was born in Trebinje, which was part of Yugoslavia at the time. He grew up in a family of Bosnian origin and his father, Amir, was a professional goalkeeper who played for clubs like Leotar and Iskra Bugojno. His mother, Ajnija, comes from Stolac. During the Bosnian War, his family relocated to Germany when he was four years old. While living there, he began playing organized football with the youth club FC Kirchhausen in Heilbronn.
When he reached the age of 10, his family moved to Edmonton in Canada. Asmir attended St. Francis Xavier High School and played for their academy. He also competed in the Edmonton Minor Soccer Association with the Southwest Sting Soccer Club. These experiences in Canada helped him earn a call-up to the national under-17 squad.
Starting his professional career
In 2003, Asmir participated in trials with both Portsmouth and Tottenham Hotspur. Representatives paid for his travel to England, and after two days with Portsmouth, coaches David Hurst and Mark O'Connor offered him a contract. He signed a youth deal with the club that summer. Due to lacking a European Union passport, he spent two years on an education visa, which restricted him from participating in matches where tickets were sold at the gate.
He eventually gained a UK visa in 2006. This allowed him to go on loan to Macclesfield Town for the 2006 to 2007 season. He made his Football League debut in November 2006 during a match against Stockport County. His time there was shortened by a knee injury. Later, he had loan spells at AFC Bournemouth, Yeovil Town, and La Louvière in Belgium. He finally made his Premier League debut for Portsmouth in May 2009 against Sunderland.
Stoke City and the world record
Asmir signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with Stoke City in February 2010 for a fee of 3.25 million pounds. He made his debut for the club against Chelsea in April 2010. By the 2010 to 2011 season, he had established himself as the team's first-choice goalkeeper. His performance improved significantly, and he eventually earned the club's Player of the Year award for the 2012 to 2013 season.
On November 2, 2013, he achieved a unique milestone during a match against Southampton. He scored a goal from 97.5 yards away after only 13 seconds of play. This long kick bypassed the opposing goalkeeper, Artur Boruc, due to a strong bounce. This feat was officially recognized in the 2015 Guinness World Records as the longest goal scored in a professional football match.
Later career and international play
In July 2015, Asmir joined Chelsea for an 8 million pound transfer fee. He served as a second-choice goalkeeper before moving to AFC Bournemouth two years later. Following a period where he lost his starting position, he went on loan to Qarabağ and AC Milan. He subsequently signed with Everton. His career continued with appearances for Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City.
Internationally, Asmir initially represented Canada at the youth level, including participation in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2009, he changed his allegiance to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina, his native country. He became their primary goalkeeper and played a vital role in helping the team qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which marked their first appearance at a major international tournament.
Birthday and age
Asmir Begović was born on June 20, 1987, which makes Asmir 39 years old today. That birthday falls under the Gemini sign. Asmir shares the date with 62 other famous people.
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