Bosnia's national soccer team goalkeeper Asmir Begovic signs autographs after a humanitarian match against the Bosnia U21 team in Gradacac, May 22, 2014. Bosnia will face Argentina, Iran and Nigeria in Group F of the World Cup finals in Brazil. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic (BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP)

Asmir Begovic doesn’t have many memories of Bosnia, the country of his birth. He was four when he and his family fled the southern town of Trebinje. The war had started. The machine-guns, the explosions, the bullet-holes. But fittingly, he does remember the impact it all had on his soccer.

“We got out at a good time but unfortunately were there for the beginning of everything,” Begovic said. “I used to play goalkeeper in my bedroom. It was for safety reasons because I wasn’t allowed outside.”

A child refugee, he used the upheaval as motivation. Before the war began, his father, Amir, had been a professional goalkeeper and his mother, Ajnija, was in law school. In an instant, everything changed. But Begovic absorbed it all and was heavily influenced by his parents’ attitude to the turmoil. The family moved to Germany where Amir worked in construction and Ajnija in a factory. Begovic, at a remarkably early age, figured out some principles that have since followed him throughout his personal and professional life.

“All the problems we had as a family taught me that if I stayed true to my beliefs and worked really hard, I’d overcome any difficulties I’d have in the future. That determination was instilled in me from very young and I went through things that many people never get to experience. Having to uproot my life two or three times, moving to different countries and continents made me grow up quicker than I should have and mature sooner, which helped me in the long run. It helped shape the person I am today and I take great pride in my past.”

The past is the reason why he’ll be competing at this summer’s World Cup.

View photos Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, center, deflects a head ball away from Ivory Coast's Lacina Traore (18) as Bosnia's Toni Sunjic (15) watches during the first half in an international friendly soccer match Friday, May 30, 2014, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson) More

In 1999, Begovic and his family relocated to Edmonton and three years later became Canadian citizens. He remembers the city vividly. “It was a little bit overwhelming. I didn’t know what to think. It was a new country, a new beginning. But it was filled with fun, easy-going people and once we settled in we really enjoyed life there.”

Quickly, he made friends and rapidly developed as a goalkeeper, his father proving an inspirational coach. He received a call-up to the Canadian Under-17 team. In early 2004, he went from writing his biology finals to a two-year contract with Portsmouth’s youth academy in a matter of days. Upon being granted a UK visa, Begovic was farmed out on loan to a number of lower-league English clubs like Macclesfield, Yeovil and Bournemouth. With his reputation on the rise, he represented Canada at the Under-20 World Cup in 2007. And then came a messy divorce.

“I went through every age group with Canada and it was a huge part of my development - getting to play at those different levels, traveling the world, playing against some good teams. But once I started getting into a professional setup, especially in England, I got to see how things were done the proper way. Every time I’d go back to Canada, something used to happen that I didn’t quite agree with or didn’t quite work for me. Going forward I just didn’t see the future being that great for Canadian soccer. I wasn’t sure if the people running it were the right people.”

In the summer of 2008, Begovic’s grandfather died. He traveled to Bosnia for the funeral, It was his first time back there since he had been forced to leave as a child. He met relatives and heard their stories, their struggles, their war. It was emotional. It was family. It was catharsis. Begovic knew what he had to do. He wanted to play for Bosnia. His decision was helped by what he saw as a slow-moving Canadian Soccer Association – the stewards for a national team program that has failed to qualify since making its lone World Cup appearance in 1986.

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