Haris Medunjanin

At 39 years old, Haris Medunjanin has this physical status:

Haris Medunjanin (born 8 March 1985) is a Bosnian professional footballer who plays for FC Cincinnati, Bosnia's national team. He began his work in Arizona and moved him to Sparta Rotterdam in 2006.

He joined Valladolid in 2008 before signing with Maccabi Tel Aviv two years later.

In 2012, he was loaned to Gaziantepspor for a definite basis; the following season, he returned to Maccabi and then to Philadelphia Union one year later. Medunjanin played for the Netherlands under 21 years, but as a senior, he moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

His international career spanned 2008, with the exception being his appearance at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Personal life

Medunjanin was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Yugoslavia's Socialist Federal Republic. He and his mother and sister went to the Netherlands at the age of seven, but his father was unable to return, resulting in his death later in life. He obtained dual citizenship, Bosnian, and Dutch because of his life in the former world.

Moran Rahimi, an Israeli model, was married by Medunjanin in July 2019.

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Club career

Medunjanin made his Eredivisie debut on 20 February 2005, with AZ Alkmaar. During his three-year spell, however, opportunities were scarce.

For the 2006–07 season, he was loaned to Sparta Rotterdam, being essential as the modest club finished 13th by scoring seven league goals.

After another unassuming campaign in Alkmaar, Medunjanin was acquired by Spain's Real Valladolid in August 2008, being relatively used in his first year (mainly as a substitute).

In 2009–10, Medunjanin netted all of his five La Liga goals as a late substitute. In January 2010, he and other teammates were fined €6,000 for breaching club discipline by "engaging in untimely nocturnal activities", and the team was also eventually relegated.

Medunjanin signed a four-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv F.C. in Israel in July 2010, for €1.8 million. He made his official debut for his new team on the 15th in a UEFA Europa League second qualifying round against FK Mogren, and scored in the 2–0 home win.

On 31 August 2012, Medunjanin signed with Turkish side Gaziantepspor on loan from Maccabi. The move was made permanent before the start of the following season, on a three-year deal.

On 12 August 2014, after a successful medical, free agent Medunjanin joined Deportivo de La Coruña. On 29 January 2016, having been deemed surplus to requirements by new manager Víctor Sánchez, he terminated his contract, and agreed to a one-and-a-half-year deal with his former club Maccabi Tel Aviv two days later.

Medunjanin helped Maccabi qualify to the Europa League group stage in his second season.

On 31 January 2017, Major League Soccer club Philadelphia Union signed Medunjanin to a two-year deal with an option for a third. He made his debut in the season opener, in a 0–0 away draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. He scored his first goal for his new team on 14 May 2017, contributing to a 4–0 victory at D.C. United; on 27 November, he was named their Player of the Year after contributing 12 assists and two goals.

Becoming one of the Union's core midfielders, Medunjanin's contract option was picked up for the 2019 campaign. He helped the side earn their best season to date by playing every minute in the league, also leading all MLS players in total passes (2,571), total completed passes (2,182), passes in the opponent's half (1,521) and completed passes in the opponent's half (1,217) according to Opta.

On 20 November 2019, Medunjanin was released. During the MLS waiver draft, his rights were selected by FC Cincinnati.

On 5 December 2019, aged 34, Mendunjanin joined FC Cincinnati. He scored his first goal for his new team the following 19 September, with a game-winning olympic corner kick against the New York Red Bulls.

Medunjanin left FC Cincinnati in August 2022, by mutual consent.

On 9 August 2022, Medunjanin returned to the Netherlands after 14 years, on a one-year contract at PEC Zwolle.

International career

Medunjanin was part of the Netherlands under-21 team that won the 2006 tournament of the UEFA European Championship. He was also called by coach Foppe de Haan for his squad in the 2007 tournament, held in the Netherlands; the nation went on to retain its title by beating Serbia 4–1 in the final, and in the process qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.

In a 2009 interview, Medunjanin expressed strong desire to play for his native Bosnia and Herzegovina. In August of the same year, his paperwork for change of footballing citizenship was submitted to FIFA and, on 31 October 2009, national coach Miroslav Blažević invited the player for the 2010 FIFA World Cup playoff games against Portugal. He made his debut – as a starter – in the decisive second leg, a 0–1 loss in Zenica (0–2 on aggregate).

Medunjanin scored his first international goal on 17 November 2010, in a friendly with Slovakia. In the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, he contributed three goals against Albania (2–0, home), Belarus (2–0, away) and Luxembourg (5–0 at home), helping Bosnia to the second place in their group and to qualify for play-offs.

On 2 June 2014, Medunjanin was named in the squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup. He made his debut in the tournament 14 days later, playing the last 16 minutes of a 2–1 group stage loss to Argentina.

On 13 October 2015, Medunjanin scored a crucial brace against Cyprus to help Bosnia and Herzegovina reach the Euro 2016 play-offs after the 3–2 away win. In 2016, he captained the nation during the Kirin Cup winning campaign, the first match being against Denmark on 3 June.

Medunjanin announced his retirement from international football on 27 March 2018, after playing in a friendly with Senegal which marked his 60th cap.

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