Kerim Alajbegović (born September 21, 2007 in Cologne, Germany) is a young Bosnian footballer who plays in the position of winger (Winger). He is currently wearing the jersey of the Austrian giants RB Salzburg (number 27), and has already made appearances for all the younger selections of Bosnia and Herzegovina and made his debut for the A national team in September 2025. He is 1.86 m tall and attracts attention with his technique, fast dribbling and experience of the game.
Fast facts about Kerim Alajbegović:
- Born: 21.09.2007. in Cologne (Germany)
- height: 1.86 m
- Position: Left winger / Playmaker
- Clubs: 1. FC Köln (youth), Bayer Leverkusen (youth drives), since 2025 RB Salzburg
- Representation: BiH (younger selections and seniors, debuted in September 2025)
Early life and youth career
Kerim Alajbegović’s career began in his hometown. He was in Cologne in 2011-2013. Performed for a local small club, and at the age of 6 joined the youth facility 1. fc Cologne. He spent eight years there, playing with significant success in the younger categories. The Germans spotted him early – at only 14 years old, he had to choose between offers from big clubs like Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. He decided on Leverkusen and showed that he made the right choice.
He made rapid progress in Bayer Leverkusen. Already at the age of 14 years and 7 months, he made his debut for the Bayer U-17 team in April 2022. He often played with the younger ones for his age, and he ‘driven the opposing defenders’ with spectacular goals – the German portal Sky Sports shared his goals from the semi-finals and finals of the youth cup on social networks. With this, he drew a lot of attention to himself and became a recognizable talent in Leverkusen.
Club career (summary in numbers):
- 2013–2021: 1. FC Köln (youth selections)
- 2021–2025: Bayer Leverkusen (youth drives; signed the first professional contract in January 2025)
- 2025–: Red Bull Salzburg (professional debut, Austrian Bundesliga)
Professional career and Salzburg
In January 2025, Alajbegović put his signature on the first professional contract with Bayer Leverkusen. The Croatian media wrote that ‘Bayer showed confidence’ in this young national team player, because they extended their cooperation with him until 2028. He played for Bayer in junior competitions, where he scored 13 goals and 12 assists in 26 games in the 2024/25 season for the U-19 team.
In the summer of 2025, Alajbegović made a big step forward – he joined the Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg. At the beginning of July 2025, the transfer was confirmed for around 2 million euros, and the young attacker immediately took on new challenges. In his debut in the Champions League qualifiers against Brann Norway, he showed the potential of his age. In July, he also scored his first professional goal – in the Austrian Cup against Union Dietach – and at the beginning of August he also scored his first league goal (against Grazer AK).
In the 2025/26 season. He made 13 appearances for RB Salzburg and scored 4 goals. The club very quickly ‘recognized his achievement and potential’ – already in September 2025, Salzburg extended his contract until June 2029. As Alajbegović himself said: ‘I was well received here… The fact that my contract was extended so quickly is a huge sign of trust.’
Representative successes
Alajbegović has been wearing the jersey of Bosnia and Herzegovina from an early age. He played for the BiH national team in all junior categories, including U-15, U-17, U-19 and U-21. He was also the captain of the U-17 selection under the leadership of coach Nedim Jusufbegović. In total, he made 28 appearances with 11 goals and 5 assists in the younger selections of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He made his debut in the BiH senior national team in September 2025 in the match against San Marino (world qualifiers) – he immediately scored for the lead, and assisted Edina Džeka with the second goal. Shortly after his debut, the first call in the qualification for the EP 2026 (December 2025) arrived, which confirms that in the future he will develop even more as an important member of the ‘dragons’.
Statistics in numbers (state 11/2025):
- Bayer Leverkusen (youth selections): A total of 67 appearances, 32 goals and 14 assists. In the 2024/25 season for U-19, Tim Bayer scored 13 goals and 12 assists.
- Red Bull Salzburg (Austrian Bundesliga 2025/26): 13 appearances, 4 goals.
- BiH national team (younger categories): 28 appearances, 11 goals, 5 assists.
- BiH national team (a selection): debuted on September 6, 2025, 6 appearances, 1 goal (against San Marino).
Game style and recognition
Kerim Alajbegović plays primarily as left wing striker, but it can also function as an offensive midfielder or center forward. He is known for his excellent technique, quick movement with the ball and the ability to perform a break. Transfermarkt describes him as a player with ‘great technique, who dribbles very well and has a good shot’, emphasizing his football intelligence and leadership qualities on the field.
His abilities were also recognized by the professional world: German media write about him as a “Wonderkid”, the successor of Florian Wirtz and the greatest talent of Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the analysis Cies football observatory, Alajbegović was in first place in September 2025 among the best U-20 strikers outside the five strongest European leagues, with an impressive index of 79.4 points. That analysis especially highlights his goal against San Marino and the assist of Džeki, which confirms that he is a real reinforcement for the ‘dragons’.
Conclusion
Kerim Alajbegović grew into one of the most promising footballers of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the younger generation in a short time. He has already left his mark in Bayer and Red Bull Salzburg, and calls to the national team confirm great potential. With the support of the club and fans, a bright future awaits him – many already consider him a candidate to break the records of the best BiH players. Follow this one talented star And be with him in his further development, both in the club and in the national team.
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Sources: Credible sports media and databases, including Wikipedia and football portals, are the basis for this information.
Cover photo: Werner100359, CC BY-SA 4.0, Via Wikimedia Commons
