Nahir Besara

Nahir Besara (born 25 February 1991) is a Swedish footballer of Assyrian descent, who plays for Hatta.[1]

Nahir Besara

Personal information
Full name	Nahir Besara
Date of birth	25 February 1991
Place of birth	Södertälje, Sweden
Height	1.82 m (5 ft 11 ^1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Hatta
Number	19
Youth career
	Assyriska
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2012	Assyriska	120	(17)
2013–2015	Hammarby	69	(16)
2015–2016	Göztepe	15	(1)
2016–2018	Örebro	73	(19)
2019	Al-Fayha	11	(3)
2019–2020	Pafos	22	(1)
2020–2021	Örebro	29	(12)
2021–	Hatta	1	(0)
National team
2007–2008	Sweden U17	11	(1)
2009–2010	Sweden U19	9	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 December 2020 (UTC)

Career

Assyriska

He started his career at the local team Assyriska, where he made his senior debut in 2008, aged 17.[2] He went on to play another four seasons with the side in Superettan, the Swedish second tier, as a regular. During this period, he also won several caps for the Swedish national U17's and 19's.[3]

Hammarby

Before the start of the 2013 season, he was transferred to fellow Superettan-club Hammarby.[4] Besara signed a three year-deal with the club, but enjoyed a rough first season at his new side, when then manager Gregg Berhalter opted to play him out of position as a striker.[5]

During the later stage of the 2014 season, Besara flourished under the new manager Nanne Bergstrand. He scored a hattrick on match day 28, in a 4–2 win against Östersund on home turf, which consolidated Hammarby's top position in the league.[6] A few weeks later, the club won their promotion to Allsvenskan.

During the 2015 season, Besara featured as a key player in his first ever Allsvenskan season. On match day 3, in a derby against Djurgårdens IF, he scored the decisive goal in a 2–1 victory. The goal was scored with his back heel, with football pundit Jens Fjellström comparing his move with those of the Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimović.[7]

Göztepe

In July 2015, he transferred to the newly promoted Turkish second tier club Göztepe.[8] During the following campaign he played 15 competitive games, scoring once, before terminating his contract by mutual consent in the summer of 2016.[9]

Örebro

Besara then opted to return to his native country, signing a two and a half-year deal with Örebro on 11 August 2016.[10] The following month he returned to Tele2 Arena with Örebro to face Hammarby, his former side. Besara scored the equalising goal in stoppage time, settling the score at 1-1. However, he chose not to celebrate the goal out of compassion for the supporters' of his old club.[11]

In 2017, Besara established himself as one of the most affluent offensive players in Allsvenskan. In 30 games, he scored 10 goals and provided 7 assists, thus gathering the third most points of all players in the league.[12]

Al-Fayha

On 25 January 2019, Besara signed for Al-Fayha in the Saudi Professional League.

Pafos

On 20 August 2019, Besara joined Pafos FC in the Cypriot First Division.

Örebro Return

On 3 June 2020, Besara returned to Örebro once again, one a free transfer.[13]

Statistics

As of 12 July 2020

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Assyriska	2008	Superettan	9	0	–		0	0	9	0
	2009		27	3	1	1	0	0	27	3
	2010		27	2	1	0	0	0	27	2
	2011		28	4	–		0	0	28	4
	2012		29	8	1	0	0	0	29	8
	Total		120	17	3	1	0	0	123	18
Hammarby	2013	Superettan	28	4	1	1	0	0	0	0
	2014		26	7	4	1	0	0	0	0
	2015	Allsvenskan	15	5	4	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		69	16	9	2	0	0	78	18
Göztepe	2015–16	TFF First League	15	1	0	0	0	0	15	1
	Total		15	1	0	0	0	0	15	1
Örebro	2016	Allsvenskan	13	4	1	0	0	0	14	4
	2017		30	10	3	1	0	0	33	11
	2018		30	5	5	4	0	0	35	9
	Total		73	19	9	5	0	0	82	24
Al-Fayha	2018–19	Saudi Professional League	11	3	0	0	0	0	11	3
	Total		11	3	0	0	0	0	11	3
Pafos	2019–20	Cypriot First Division	21	1	0	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	22	1
	Total		21	1	0	0	1	0	22	1
Örebro	2020	Allsvenskan	7	1	0	0	0	0	7	1
Career total			316	58	21	8	1	0	338	66

1. Appearance in Cypriot First Division Relegation Play-Offs

Honours

Club

Hammarby

• Superettan: 2014

References

1. "Nahir Besara". Svenskfotboll. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
2. "Inför BoIS - AFF med Nahir Besara". Svenskafans.com. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
3. "Landslagsdatabasen: Nahir Besara". SVFF. Retrieved 2017-02-14.
4. "Nahir Besara: "Jag kommer alltid att vara en Assyriska supporter"". Assyriska FF. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
5. "Upproret mot egna tränaren". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
6. "Hattrick av Besara i Hammarbys triumf". Expressen. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
7. "Besaras läckra klack: "Det är ett Zlatanmål"". Expressen. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
8. "Nahir Besara Imzaladi". Göztepe S.K. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
9. "Nahir Besara bryter sitt kontrakt med Göztepe". LT. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
10. "Nahir Besara klar för ÖSK". Örebro SK. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
11. "Besara: "Trodde jag skulle tillbaka till Hammarby"". Fotbollskanalen. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
12. "Nahir Besara: "Tog ett steg tillbaka för att ta två fram"". SVT. Retrieved 2018-06-07.
13. Fredriksson, Emelie (3 June 2020). "Klart: Besara gör comeback i Örebro". Sport Bladet. Retrieved 16 July 2020.

External links

• Nahir Besara at SvFF (in Swedish)