Background and career
Miralem Pjanić (born 2 April 1990) is a Bosnian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and represented the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team.
Pjanić was raised in Luxembourg after his family fled there following the outbreak of the Bosnian War. He started his professional career at Metz in France, playing there for one season. He signed for fellow French side Lyon in 2008, before joining Roma in 2011. During his time in Rome, Pjanić came to be recognized as one of the best midfielders in Serie A. In 2016, Pjanić joined Juventus, and was considered an integral player for the team, winning four league titles, two Coppa Italias, and being named in the Serie A Team of the Year for 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2018–19 seasons. He was also named in the 2016–17 UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season, for his role in Juventus's run to the final. Pjanić joined Barcelona in September 2020, also spending a year on loan at Beşiktaş in 2021. He signed with UAE Pro League club Sharjah in 2022. In 2024, he joined Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow, following his departure from Sharjah. After leaving CSKA Moscow, he retired in 2025.
Pjanić initially represented Luxembourg as a youth international, appearing for them at under-17 and under-19 level, before switching to Bosnia and Herzegovina at senior level. He made his debut for them in 2008, and would earn 115 caps and score 18 goals before his retirement from international football in 2024. He represented the nation at their first major tournament, the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Pjanić was ranked 55th in The Guardian's list of "The 100 best footballers in the world" in 2015. In 2019, he was ranked 50th in the same list. He has also been cited as one of the greatest free-kick takers of all time.
