Asmir Begovic: QPR keeper on playing under Mourinho at Chelsea and scoring for Stoke

Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Asmir Begovic has seen everything in his career. As part of an hour-long conversation with Transfermarkt, the 36-year-old goalkeeper spoke about a career that had its roots in Canada and Germany but accelerated in England, where he reached legendary status after scoring a record goal for Stoke City. In this interview, Begovic spoke about his time at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho and what it was like playing with Eden Hazard, Zlatan Ibrahimović, and Marko Arnautovic. 

Transfermarkt: You had to fight to get to the very top. About ten years ago, you confirmed that you met your wife, Nicolle, who is a horseback rider, amidst a pub brawl in Portsmouth. She fell literally into your arms? 

Asmir Begovic: You are well informed. It was a funny moment at a pub in Portsmouth, which perhaps didn’t have the best reputation (laughs). The entry fee was one pound. But it became a nice story, and we are still together today. 

Transfermarkt: You have played 256 games in the Premier League and competed for ten different clubs. Not many people realize that your career started in Germany at the U9 level at FC Kirchhausen in the outskirts of Heilbronn. That was in 1992, after your family had to flee the war in Bosnia. How did you get adjusted to your new home?

Begovic: It was undoubtedly difficult having to flee at the age of four, both for me and my family. I can’t remember much but a few moments. I didn’t realize at the time what my parents had to do. That awareness didn’t come until I had my own kids. I am fortunate to have a strong family. Germany opened the door for us, and at FC Kirchhausen, playing for the bambinis opened the door for a long football career. 

Transfermarkt: Then, at the age of ten, you moved on to Canada because your visa wasn’t renewed in Germany. Is it true that you were supposed to join the Stuttgarter Kickers academy?

Begovic: Yes. I played for six years for FC Kirchhausen. My father, Amir, was also a goalkeeper back in Yugoslavia and gave me private coaching sessions. That was very important; he gave me many tips. I wouldn’t have received that much help in typical team practice sessions. I played with the older age groups, and because of that, there was some interest from clubs in Germany. At the time, the Stuttgarter Kickers were the best club for young players in the area. But then, unfortunately, my family had to move, and it didn’t work out. But it motivated me even further to reach my goal of becoming a professional goalkeeper. 

Begovic never had “a Plan B” – Via Portsmouth to the Premier League

Transfermarkt: Your father later coached German youth goalkeepers. What was the most important thing you learned from him? 

Begovic: There were two things I learned as early as five or six. The fundamental technical aspects of goalkeeping—aspects that I still orient myself on 30 years later. Those aspects haven’t changed even as the expectations for modern goalkeepers shifted. I also learned from him that playing goalkeeper is very difficult and comes with significant pressure. One mistake will lead to a goal. I always tell young goalkeepers today: you need a goalkeeper coach as early as possible. Because you can’t manage on your own. I was fortunate to have my father. Without him, I wouldn’t have coped when I was young. 

Transfermarkt: In 2004, you joined Portsmouth when you were only 17. Was that your choice or the choice of your family? 

Howe, Mourinho & Co. Begovic’s career statistics under each coach Overview Begovic: It was mostly my decision. My dream to become a professional goalkeeper in Europe didn’t change in Canada. When I was in Germany, I mostly paid attention to the Bundesliga and Premier League because maybe they weren’t that far away from me. But now I was a ten-hour flight away at the other end of the world. Furthermore, Canada didn’t have a strong football culture. Hockey is the number one sport. That’s when I asked myself: How can I reach the top? I broke into the Canadian national junior team. Agents started calling my parents and spoke about all sorts of possibilities. That’s when I got the chance to go to England. I just accepted the first offer and didn’t really think much about it. But my parents had many questions. My mother wasn’t happy about me leaving, but it was my dream. There was no Pan B.   

Transfermarkt: You were on your own and left your family behind. 

Begovic: Yes. I spent the summer of 2003 on trial at Portsmouth. After that, it became clear that I would sign there. It was a family-oriented club, which was great for me. I lived with a guest family in a beautiful city. Portsmouth’s youth director traveled to Canada to meet my parents and introduce them to the club’s plans. The plan changed a thousand times, but at that moment, I decided on it (laughs). 

Transfermarkt: To receive more playing time, you went on loan to several clubs: La Louviere, Macclesfield, Bournemouth, Yeovil Town, and Ipswich Town—and in between you played a bit for Portsmouth. Did you feel at home anywhere, or was that impossible? 

Begovic: (thoughtful) Portsmouth was the center of my life, but it was impossible to feel 100% at home or comfortable considering all the moves. But as a young player, that was my path. It felt like I spent one month there two months over there, and 15 years ago, it was very different for young players. The step from the youth teams to the Premier League was huge, and you had to make many steps in between. But I not only learned things on the pitch but also about life. In my guest family, there was a bit of an older woman who became like a second mother to me by cooking and taking care of me. When I was 18, I moved to Belgium and suddenly was alone. Every loan move was a step towards becoming an adult. 

Transfermarkt: You made the final step to the Premier League at Stoke City. The club bought you for around €4 million, and you quickly became the no.1 and stayed until 2015. 

Begovic: Stoke was a big part of my career and, for me, the right step in my development. The transfer was completed three or four months after I had my breakthrough at Portsmouth. Portsmouth had financial difficulties, which is why they wanted to sell me. I had a few other offers, including from Tottenham. But Stoke was almost a 100% fit for me. The second Premier League season for the club felt like the true start of my career. We managed to stabilize one another. Now, everyone in the world knows Stoke City. Many big names moved there for big money. While I was there, the club managed to grow significantly. You know, that’s been a lovely part of my career…  

Transfermarkt: Yes?

Begovic: Everything came or grew organically without problems or conflicts with presidents or sporting directors. We managed to play in Europe with Stoke, were in the top 10 in the Premier League, and I was the player of the year on several occasions. But at some point, as a player, it was time to take the next step, which became a possibility. 

Begovic’s golden goal: 100-yard record against Southampton

Transfermarkt: More on that in a moment. But first, we have to talk about the famous moment against Southampton on Nov. 2, 2013, when you scored against Artur Boruc from 100.6 yards after just 13 seconds, thanks to some favorable weather conditions. But instead of celebrating, you shook your head. What happened?

Begovic: Nothing much (laughs). It would have been silly to run across the entire pitch after just 13 seconds to celebrate with the fans. I didn’t know what to do with myself. Plus, I wanted to show respect towards the other goalkeeper. You constantly dream of scoring and wonder how it could happen. Perhaps a header in the final second. But I never thought it would happen this way. I was a little shocked. When the dust settled, we managed to get one point from the match. 

Transfermarkt: You were the fifth Premier League goalkeeper to score. What was the reaction like after the match? 

Begovic: My cellphone exploded that night; I received messages from all over the world. It was a nice reaction. It doesn’t happen every day that a goalkeeper scores a goal like this. It is a big part of my football history, a cool moment. Now, ten years later, I still think fondly back to that moment. 

Transfermarkt: Was the goal better or worse than you previously imagined? 

Begovic: Of course, it was better than I had imagined (laughs). But honestly, saving balls and making parries is nicer for a goalkeeper than scoring goals. 

Transfermarkt: You held the Guinness Book record for scoring the goal from the longest distance for seven years until Tom King (Newport County) broke it. Are you mad at him? 

Begovic: I thought my record would hold a bit longer. I was surprised but not mad about it (smiles). 

Transfermarkt: During the 2015/16 season, you joined Chelsea for €11m as the club needed a backup for Thibaut Courtois, and Petr Cech joined city rival Arsenal. How did the transfer come together, and what role did José Mourinho play?

Stoke, Chelsea, Milan, ... Begovic’s career in numbers click here Begovic: I was 28, and it was the most significant transfer in my career joining a club with a top coach and top players. The expectations, the pressure—it was utterly different than Stoke. It had been 100% clear for months that I would leave the club. One day, I received a message: ‘Chelsea wants you!’ And the next day I was on the phone with José Mourinho, the goalkeeper coach and the sporting director. They told me: ‘You are our first choice. There is no other.’ At that point, Mourinho was perhaps the best coach in the world. So, I only had one question: ‘Okay, where can I sign?’ (laughs). It was that easy. It was a big challenge, and I was very happy about the transfer. You don’t receive such an opportunity every day, and I wanted to make the most of it.

Transfermarkt: Because Courtois suffered a long-term injury, you managed to play 19 games under Mourinho. 

Begovic: Mourinho expected to have two world-class players for every position. It was an honor to be a part of that team. I managed to play more often than I thought. And I had an essential role off the pitch as well. The team spirit and character of the team were sensational in my second season there. We had an actual winner mentality. With a bit of luck, we could have won the double.  

Transfermarkt: How did you get along with Mourinho? 

Begovic: Our relationship was always good. He was always easy going but he also sees everything. All the best coaches are like this: they register everything. It is incredible. I think they have six or eight eyes. They always knew where you were the previous night, and I always asked myself: ‘How do you know this?’ They have their people everywhere and are always informed about what we do in our private lives. We had fun together. But Mourinho only got to know me when I was already 28, and at that point I was already a bit calmer (smiles). 

Begovic on teammates Hazard, Ibrahimović and Arnautovic

Transfermarkt: During your best time, you belonged to the Premier League goalkeepers with the most parries. Was Chelsea the best and most exciting part of your career? 

Begovic: My best time was at Chelsea, AC Milan and Stoke. Perhaps I left Chelsea after just two years a bit too early. In hindsight, that is easy to say. But that’s football. You make a decision, and you have to live with it. I was 30 years old and felt too good to sit on the bench. The project in Bournemouth sounded interesting. And the episode at AC Milan was a special time. It is a fantastic club, plus the city. I felt that the people had red and black blood; they live for this club. When you move to such a club then it is like a different world and opens your eyes. You realize how big the world of football is. I was proud to be part of the rebuild. Nowadays, Milan is back where it belongs. 

Transfermarkt: One more question about Chelsea. Eden Hazard, who later joined Real Madrid for €115m, recently admitted in an interview that fun was the most important part for him and that he didn’t like training. How did you experience him?

Begovic: Perhaps he could have done a bit more during practice sessions. But Eden was a present from heaven, from God. He could do everything with the ball and was exceptionally talented. When we won the title, he was perhaps our most important player. As a personality, he was a good friend of mine. With a little more luck in terms of injuries, he could have achieved more at Real Madrid. Eden needs to enjoy football. That’s why I am not surprised that he finished his career this early. 

Transfermarkt: In September 2019, you joined Qarabağ on loan from Bournemouth. You spent four months in Azerbaijan. How did that move come together? 

Begovic: In England, I knew every stadium and referee. I just wanted some change and see something new. So why not? Everybody thought: “Why are you going there?’ I could have stayed at Bournemouth and sat on the bench. The club preferred other goalkeepers. I felt like I was born again after I joined Qarabağ. I was remotivated, experienced a new culture, and met great people. Because of Qarabağ, the door was opened to join Milan. I am thankful for that time, and still follow the results and have contact with people at the club.  

Transfermarkt: Aside from you, the club also signed a certain Zlatan Ibrahimović at the start of 2020. 

Begovic: Great guy! We were among the experienced players brought on to help the younger players. But we couldn’t do it alone—together, we worked well as a team. The balance was right. Zlatan is a great person, and we were close friends. As a footballer? What a machine! Incredible what he managed to do at 38.

Transfermarkt: Among the players you played most often with at Stoke City is Marko Arnautovic (56 times). 

Begovic: A good guy. He always wanted to do cool things, enjoyed expensive cars and haircuts, and wanted to show the world his personality. But I experienced him as a very quiet personality. And what a player! Stoke was a great story for him. The club helped him to become a better professional. The way Zlatan and Marko presented themselves to the outside world was just a tiny part of the real person. John Terry at Chelsea was also a great player—and Seamus Coleman, what a captain and person at Everton. I am proud to have shared the dressing room with all of them.

Transfermarkt: You have a Canadian passport, and you were called up to the Canadian men’s national team. But instead, you played the first of your 63 national team games for Bosnia in October 2009. What was behind that choice? 

Begovic: I grew up in Canada for six years, but Bosnia was always in the back of my head. The question was whether it would come to it or not. I wasn’t able to nominate myself. The moment finally arrived in 2009. And I hadn’t played an official game for the Canadian men’s national team. My entire family was born in Bosnia. The footballing perspective was very different there, so I opted to play for Bosnia. 

Begovic on a dream come true in 2014 and his exit from the national team

Transfermarkt: In 2012/13 you succeeded Edin Dzeko by being voted the idol of the nation. In 2014, you were part of the first Bosnian national team to qualify for a World Cup, where you faced Argentina, Nigeria, and Iran. 

Begovic: That was a dream come true. Before that, we never managed to qualify for a major tournament. Thank God we managed to do it with our golden generation. The first game was at the Maracanã against Argentina and Lionel Messi. It was a perfect and proud moment, the best in my career. Or rather 95% perfect because we lost the game.

Transfermarkt:  The Bosnian national team is now in a worse place than in 2014. In the fall of 2020, your national team career came to an end. Why? 

Begovic: It was decided by other people. It is often about politics and corruption in Bosnia, and football isn’t the priority. Everyone has their own interests. That’s not nice to see but embarrassing. Because we have the potential and possibilities in football, it isn’t realistic to be in the top 15 in the world, but we should be among the top 35. But that isn’t possible when the best players aren’t part of the squad. It is sad to see that it has ended for me, but life goes on.

Transfermarkt:  Queens Park Rangers are currently 22nd and threatened by relegation. Your contract will expire in the summer. What will be next? 

Begovic: I feel excellent and have played over 30 games this season. We want to stay in the Championship, and after that we will see what is possible. I would like to continue if my body allows it and my family is okay with it. 

Transfermarkt: Only three Bosnian players—Miralem Pjanic, Edin Dzeko, and Elvir Baljic—generated more in transfer fees than you did. You yielded €26.4m in transfer fees. 

Begovic: The amount of money paid in global football is insane. It is a bit like Monopoly. The players are worth up to five times more than when I started my career. They aren’t better, but that’s what the market has decided. It is a bit crazy that for me, as a goalkeeper, clubs paid this much money. Usually, nobody would pay this much money for a goalkeeper (laughs). But it is what it is. Perhaps Financial Fair Play will find a way to control football. I have experienced it in Portsmouth: it is dangerous when a club lives beyond its means.

Interview: Philipp Marquardt