So, after discovering that approximately half of the BIH players were born and or raised outside of BIH due to the war, I decided to do mini profiles. Mostly focusing on where they and their families went after the war began.
Asmir Begović (Goalkeeper, 1):
Asmir Begović was born in Trebinje, Yugoslavia to a Bosniak family. After the war broke out, his parents took him, then four, and the rest of the family to a small town outside of Stuttgart, Germany.
After their asylum ran out in Germany, the family moved on to Canada. After high school, Begović played at several clubs in the UK and other countries finally winding up in Stoke City in 2010, where he currently has a contract until 2016. He even has a goal for Stoke! In November 2013, while Stoke were playing Southampton, he punted the ball out from his area which was swept into the goal by the wind just 13 seconds after kick off. 97.5 yards!
He’s now married to an American woman, Nicolle (who is gorgeous) and has a little daughter. And looks really, really good in a suit.
(Photo via bolesni-sam-sanjar)
For his international career, Begović spent his youth playing for Canada. This was a decision that he appeared to be carrying over into his “adult” career too. However, he was called up for the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers for Bosnia.
Here is an article in which Begović speaks about his family’s escape from the war.
He’s also the teammate of Odemwingie who scored against him to send BIH out of the World Cup. Afterwards Begović tweeted this picture and congratulated him on his goal (pretty classy). His twitter handle is @asmir1 if you’d like to follow him, he seems to tweet/Instagram a lot.
http://instagram.com/p/pmOVzlKXAk/
And of course, if you want more information about him, check out his official website. And this good-looking man was HB & HB’s Drool for Bosnia. Check it out here.
– Mandi
Of Headbands and Heartbreak
watishistacorrespondents
He was the one pulling a downed player off the pitch in one of the WC games, no? He has flashes of brilliance in the Premier League but, I don’t know, something just bugs me in his attitude. Not that it matters in the least!
He is an amazing goalkeeper,one of the best in Europe.Just check his amazing saves against Ivory Coast,Mexico and mostly all clubs in Premier League.
Oh, I’ve watched him play many times over the past few years. Don’t doubt his ability. Just his attitude at times.