# Muhamed Bešić

Muhamed Bešić (pronounced; born 10 September 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Serbian SuperLiga club Spartak Subotica. Born in Germany, he played for the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.
Bešić started his professional career at Hamburger SV, playing mainly in its reserve team, before joining Ferencváros in 2012. Two years later, he moved to Everton, who loaned him to Middlesbrough in 2018 and to Sheffield United in 2019. He went back to Ferencváros in 2021. In 2025, he signed with Spartak Subotica.
A former youth international for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bešić made his senior international debut in 2010, earning over 40 caps until 2022. He represented the nation at their first major championship, the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

## Club career
### Hamburger SV

Bešić started playing football at local clubs, before joining Hamburger SV's youth academy in 2009. In November 2010, he signed his first professional contract with the team. He made his professional debut against Borussia Dortmund on 12 November at the age of 18.

### Ferencváros

In August 2012, he moved to Hungarian side Ferencváros on a one-year deal. He made his official debut for the club on 14 September against Haladás. On 5 May 2013, he scored his first professional goal in a triumph over Paks.
In July, he prolonged his contract with the squad until June 2016.

### Everton

In July 2014, Bešić was transferred to English outfit Everton for an undisclosed fee. He made his competitive debut for the team on 30 August against Chelsea.
In February 2016, he signed a new five-year deal with the side.
In August, he suffered a severe knee injury, which was diagnosed as an anterior cruciate ligament tear and was ruled out for at least six months. Over eight months after the injury, on 10 April 2017, he returned to the pitch.
In February 2018, he was loaned to Middlesbrough for the remainder of the campaign. In August, his loan was extended for an additional season.
In August 2019, he was sent on a season-long loan to Sheffield United.

### Return to Ferencváros

In September 2021, Bešić returned to Ferencváros on a three-year contract. On 22 September, he played his first official game for the squad since coming back against Fehérvár. He won his first trophy with the club after returning on 24 April 2022, when they were crowned league champions. On 29 April, he scored first goal for Ferencváros since his comeback in a defeat of Paks.
Bešić appeared in his 100th match for the team against Honvéd on 13 November.
In February 2023, he suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament again and was expected to be sidelined for at least half a year. Over seven months after the injury, on 16 September, he made his return to action and managed to score a goal.

### Later stage of career

In January 2025, Bešić joined Serbian side Spartak Subotica.

## International career

Bešić was a member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina under-21 team for several years.
In November 2010, he received his first senior call-up, for a friendly game against Slovakia, and debuted in that game on 17 November.
In June 2014, Bešić was named in Bosnia and Herzegovina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, country's first major competition. He made his tournament debut in the opening group match against Argentina on 15 June.

## Style of play

During his career, Bešić has been deployed as a right-back and as a centre-back, although his natural position in his own words is defensive midfielder.
He was described by then Everton manager Roberto Martínez as a "very complete footballer", who "has got a very natural balance about knowing that he can be strong and aggressive but in the same way he's a technical player on the ball."

## Personal life

Bešić has three children with his long-time girlfriend Jessica, two daughters and one son.
He is a practising Muslim; together with international teammates Ibrahim Šehić, Armin Hodžić, Izet Hajrović, Sead Kolašinac, Edin Višća and Ervin Zukanović he visited a mosque in Zenica during the national team's concentration.
Bešić has many tattoos, his first being the word Bosanac (Bosnian). Some of many are also names of his parents and brother.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 9 February 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Hamburger SV II | 2010–11 | Regionalliga Nord | 23 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 23 | 0 |
| Hamburger SV II | 2011–12 | Regionalliga Nord | 15 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 15 | 0 |
| Hamburger SV II | Total | Total | 38 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 38 | 0 |
| Hamburger SV | 2010–11 | Bundesliga | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 0 |
| Ferencváros | 2012–13 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 27 | 1 |
| Ferencváros | 2013–14 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 25 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 0 |
| Ferencváros | Total | Total | 47 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 60 | 1 |
| Everton | 2014–15 | Premier League | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 31 | 0 |
| Everton | 2015–16 | Premier League | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 17 | 0 |
| Everton | 2016–17 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 0 | 0 |
| Everton | 2017–18 | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | – | 8 | 0 |
| Everton | Total | Total | 37 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | – | – | 56 | 0 |
| Middlesbrough (loan) | 2017–18 | Championship | 15 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 |
| Middlesbrough (loan) | 2018–19 | Championship | 37 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 39 | 2 |
| Middlesbrough (loan) | Total | Total | 52 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 56 | 3 |
| Sheffield United (loan) | 2019–20 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 13 | 1 |
| Ferencváros | 2021–22 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 20 | 1 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | – | – | 22 | 1 |
| Ferencváros | 2022–23 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 0 | – | – | 24 | 0 |
| Ferencváros | 2023–24 | Nemzeti Bajnokság I | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | – | – | 4 | 0 | – | – | 14 | 1 |
| Ferencváros | Total | Total | 44 | 1 | 5 | 1 | – | – | 11 | 0 | – | – | 60 | 2 |
| Spartak Subotica | 2024–25 | Serbian SuperLiga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 231 | 5 | 15 | 2 | 18 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 287 | 7 |
* ↑ Includes Magyar Kupa, FA Cup
* ↑ Includes Ligakupa, EFL Cup
* 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in Championship play-offs
* ↑ One appearance in UEFA Champions League; six appearances in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Conference League

### International

Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2010 | 1 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2011 | 4 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2012 | 2 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2014 | 10 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2015 | 6 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2016 | 3 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2017 | 2 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2018 | 8 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2019 | 7 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2020 | 2 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2021 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 2022 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 47 | 0 |

## Honours

Ferencváros
* Nemzeti Bajnokság I: 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24
* Magyar Kupa: 2021–22
* Ligakupa: 2012–13