Esmir Bajraktarević(pronounced[ěsmirbajraktâːreʋitɕ];born 10 March 2005) is a professionalfootballerwho plays as awingerforMajor League SoccerclubNew England Revolution.Born in the United States, he plays for theBosnia and Herzegovina national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 10 March 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Appleton, Wisconsin,United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | New England Revolution | ||
| Number | 47 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| SC Wave | |||
| 2019–2020 | Chicago Fire | ||
| 2020–2021 | SC Wave | ||
| 2021 | New England Revolution | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2023 | New England Revolution II | 36 | (7) |
| 2022– | New England Revolution | 45 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | United States U19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2023–2024 | United States U23 | 6 | (1) |
| 2024 | United States | 1 | (0) |
| 2024– | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 6 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024 | |||
Bajraktarević started his professional career atNew England Revolution,playing first in itsreserve team.
A former American youth international, Bajraktarević also made his senior international debut for theUnited States,before switching his allegiance to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024.
Club career
editNew England Revolution
editBajraktarević started playing football at a local club SC Wave, before joiningChicago Fire's youth setupin 2019. The following year, he returned to SC Wave. A year later, he switched toNew England Revolution's youth academy.In May 2022, he signed his first professional contract with the team. He made his professional debut playing forNew England Revolution's reserve squadagainstTormentaon 22 August 2021 at the age of 16. On 11 September, he scored his first professional goal againstNorth Carolina.[2]
Bajraktarević made his first-team debut in aU.S. Open Cupgame againstNew York Cityon 26 May 2022 at the age of 17. Three months later, he made his league debut againstToronto.[3]On 8 August 2023, he scored his first goal for the side in aLeagues Cupmatch againstQuerétaro.[4]Ten months later, he scored his first league goal for the club in a triumph overNashville.[5]
International career
editAfter representing theUnited Statesat various youth levels, Bajraktarević made his senior international debut in afriendlygame againstSloveniaon 20 January 2024. However, in July, he decided that he would play forBosnia and Herzegovinain the future.[6]
In August, his request to change sports citizenship from American to Bosnian was approved byFIFA.[7]Later that month, he received his first senior call-up, for2024–25 UEFA Nations Leaguegames against theNetherlandsandHungary.[8]He debuted against the former on 7 September.[9]
Personal life
editBorn in the United States, Bajraktarević is ofBosniandescent; his family is fromSrebrenica.[10]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 19 October 2024[11]
| Club | Season | League | U.S. Open Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| New England Revolution II | 2021 | USL League One | 11 | 1 | – | – | – | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 17 | 0 | – | – | – | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 8 | 6 | – | – | 1[a] | 2 | 9 | 8 | |||
| Total | 36 | 7 | – | – | 1 | 2 | 37 | 9 | ||||
| New England Revolution | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | Major League Soccer | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |
| 2024 | Major League Soccer | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8[c] | 1 | – | 37 | 4 | ||
| Total | 45 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 5 | ||
| Career total | 81 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 94 | 14 | ||
- ^Appearance inMLS Next Pro Playoffs
- ^Appearance inLeagues Cup
- ^Six appearances, one goal inCONCACAF Champions Cup;two appearances in Leagues Cup
International
edit- As of match played 19 November 2024[12]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | |||
| 2024 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | |||
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 6 | 0 | |
| Career total | 7 | 0 | |
References
edit- ^"Esmir Bajraktarevic".revolutionsoccer.net.Retrieved1 January2023.
- ^"New England Revolution sign 17-year-old Esmir Bajraktarević as Homegrown Player".soccerwire.23 May 2022.Retrieved23 May2022.
- ^"The Story of Esmir Bajraktarevic, A Rising Star In American Soccer".theblazingmusket.12 February 2024.Retrieved13 February2024.
- ^"Esmir Bajraktarevic nets first goal, but Revolution fall in PKs during Leagues Cup".masslive.8 August 2023.Retrieved8 August2023.
- ^"Esmir Bajraktarevic scores first goal to help Revolution snap Nashville's shutout streak".masslive.1 June 2024.Retrieved1 June2024.
- ^"Esmir Bajraktarević poslao jasnu poruku Amerikancima: Jako sam ponosan što sam Bosanac".faktor.ba(in Bosnian). 4 July 2024.Retrieved7 July2024.
- ^"Barbarez: Đakovac i Bajraktarević bi trebali donijeti novu dinamiku u reprezentaciji BiH".avaz.ba(in Bosnian). 16 August 2024.Retrieved17 August2024.
- ^"Barbarez je promijenio spisak u odnosu na Englesku i Italiju, na raspolaganju je sedam novih imena".reprezentacija.ba(in Bosnian). 16 August 2024.Retrieved18 August2024.
- ^"Slabašna BiH primila pet golova od Nizozemske, Bajraktarević jedini svijetla tačka".fokus.ba(in Bosnian). 7 September 2024.Retrieved8 September2024.
- ^"INTERVJU/ Bosansko čudo iz SAD-a: Moji su iz Srebrenice, u meni je BiH, a Džeku gledam od pete godine".
- ^"E. Bajraktarević".soccerway.Retrieved19 October2024.
- ^"Esmir Bajraktarević".eu-football.info.Retrieved19 November2024.
External links
edit- Esmir Bajraktarevićat National-Football-Teams
- Esmir Bajraktarević–UEFAcompetition record (archive)
