Asmir Begovic

Football player infobox
playername = Asmir Begovic


fullname = Asmir Begovic
nickname =
height = height|meters=1.98
weight = 95 kg
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1987|6|20|df=y
cityofbirth = Trebinje
countryofbirth = SFR Yugoslavia
currentclub = Yeovil Town
position = Goalkeeper
clubnumber = 1
youthyears = –2003
2003–2005
youthclubs = FC Kirchhausen
Portsmouth
years = 2005–
2005
2006
2007
2008
2008–
clubs = Portsmouth
→ La Louviere (loan)
→ Macclesfield Town (loan)
→ Bournemouth (loan)
→ Yeovil Town (loan)
→ Yeovil Town (loan)
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
02 (0)
03 (0)
08 (0)
02 (0)
09 (0)
nationalyears = 2004–2007
2007–
nationalteam = Canada U-20
Canada
nationalcaps(goals) = 11 (0)
00 (0)
pcupdate = 5 April 2008
ntupdate = 17 August 2007

Asmir Begovic (born 20 June 1987 in Trebinje, Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Bosnian-Canadian footballer currently playing for Yeovil Town on loan from Portsmouth. He plays in the goalkeeper position.

Football career

Begovic signed a youth contract with Portsmouth in 2003 and spent time on loan at La Louviere in Belgium in 2005. Asmir has all the attributes, and has been touted by Portsmouth goalkeeping coach David Coles as being capable of becoming one of the best goalkeepers in the world.

He signed on loan for Macclesfield Town in the 2006-2007 season, making his Football League debut in the 1-1 draw at Stockport County on Saturday, 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. [cite news |title=Begovic ends Silkmen stay |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11674_2399002,00.html |publisher=skysports.com |date=2006-12-21 |accessdate=2007-08-19 ]

Begovic went on to make appearances for Canada in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, where he was regarded as one of the key players on the team. Begovic made several crucial saves for his team in a 3-0 loss to Chile. This led many people in Canada to gain great respect for him.

Late in the third round robin match of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Begovic 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 was forced to play in goal, as Canada had used up its three substitutes.

In August 2007, Begovic was loaned to AFC Bournemouth in League One of the English Football League in a deal lasting until January 2008. [cite news |title=Bournemouth sign quartet on loan |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/bournemouth/6939920.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2007-08-10 |accessdate=2007-08-19 ] He was recalled back from AFC Bournemouth on October 11, 2007 after what many bournemouth fans consider to be a run of poor performances.

On 14 August 2007 Begovic received his first call-up to the senior Canadian squad for the friendly match with Iceland. [cite news |title=Mitchell and Canada to face Iceland |url=http://www.tsn.ca/soccer/news_story/?ID=216145&hubname=soccer |publisher=Canadian Press |date=2007-08-14 |accessdate=2007-08-19 ]

On the 8 December, 2007, Begovic was named in Portsmouth's 16-man matchday squad for the first time in a Premiership game in a match against Aston Villa, although he has yet to make his debut.

In March 2008, he signed for Yeovil Town on loan for a month with Portsmouth having the right to recall him back when they like. On 29 March, Begovic made his debut for Yeovil Town, keeping a clean sheet against Bristol Rovers. [cite news |title= Begovic happy with Glovers debut |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/y/yeovil/7322342.stm |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2008-03-31 |accessdate=2008-04-14 ] He was subsequently recalled after making a total of 2 appearances.

In August 2008, Asmir joined Yeovil Town on loan again.

Outside of football

Asmir Begovic has recently appeared in an Adidas "Impossible is Nothing" commercial. In the commercial, like the others in the series, Begovic draws himself, the drawing moving through a series of motions. Begovic states "When I was young, it wasn't safe to play soccer outside because of the war. I had to learn to play inside, bouncing around on my bed. This taught me goalkeeping in a very unorthodox way. Impossible is only what you let it be…"

Asmir has yet to receive a senior cap for the Canadian men's national team, although he has been named in squads. As he has turned 21 he is now cap-tied to Canada, ending rumors of a switch to Bosnia.

Family

His father, Amer Begović, was a goalkeeper for FK Leotar from Trebinje and NK Iskra from Bugojno. His mother's name is Ajnija.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=45671|name=Asmir Begovic
* [http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/nationals/profile.asp?playerid=65 Profile Canadian Soccer Association]
* [http://www.edmonton.com/fifa2007/news_diary.asp Asmir's Adventures]