Biography
Who is Miralem Pjanić?
Early life
Miralem Pjanić was born on April 2, 1990, in Tuzla, Bosnia and Herzegovina, to father Fahrudin and mother Fatima. His father was a former third division footballer in Yugoslavia, which sparked Miralem's early interest in the sport. Following the outbreak of the Bosnian War, his family fled to Luxembourg, where he grew up and began playing football. At the age of seven, he joined local club FC Schifflange 95.
While playing in Luxembourg, Miralem Pjanić drew interest from several European clubs before agreeing to join French club Metz in 2004. He joined the club's academy at age 14 and spent approximately three years developing his skills. In the 2005 to 2006 season, he played on the under-16 team that won the Championnat National des 16 ans and signed an élite contract with the club.
Club career
Miralem Pjanić made his professional football debut for Metz at age 17 in August 2007 against Paris Saint-Germain. He scored his first professional goal against Sochaux in December 2007. After Metz suffered relegation, he transferred to Olympique Lyonnais in June 2008 on a five-year contract. During his time at Lyon, he scored important goals in the UEFA Champions League, including against Real Madrid and Anderlecht.
In August 2011, Miralem Pjanić agreed to a four-year deal with Italian club Roma. Under coach Rudi Garcia, he played a key role in the team's record ten-win start to the 2013 to 2014 Serie A season. He joined Juventus in 2016, where he won four league titles and two Coppa Italias. He later played for Barcelona, spent a year on loan at Beşiktaş, and played for Sharjah and CSKA Moscow before retiring in 2025.
International career
Miralem Pjanić initially represented Luxembourg at the youth international level, appearing for the under-17 and under-19 teams. He later switched his allegiance to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the senior level and made his debut in 2008. He represented the nation at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was their first major tournament.
Over the course of his international career, Miralem Pjanić earned 115 caps and scored 18 goals for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He announced his retirement from international football in 2024, concluding a long and well-known career representing his home country on the global stage.
Player profile and honors
Miralem Pjanić was recognized as one of the best midfielders in Serie A during his time in Rome and Turin. He was named in the Serie A Team of the Year for four consecutive seasons from 2015 to 2019 and featured in the 2016 to 2017 UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season. He was also cited as one of the greatest free-kick takers of all time.
In addition to his team success, Miralem Pjanić was ranked 55th in The Guardian's list of the 100 best footballers in the world in 2015 and 50th in 2019. He was nominated for the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year award during his time at Metz and finished his club career with numerous domestic titles.
Birthday and age
Miralem Pjanić was born on April 2, 1990, which makes Miralem 36 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Miralem shares the date with 37 other famous people.
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