Albion Avdijaj

Albion Avdijaj
Personal information
Full name	Albion Qaush Avdijaj
Date of birth	12 January 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Zürich, Switzerland
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
0000–2003	Red Star Zürich
2003–2014	Grasshoppers
2005–2007	→ FC Zürich (loan)
2010–2011	→ 1899 Hoffenheim (loan)
2012–2013	→ VfL Wolfsburg (loan)
Senior career*
Years	Team
2011–2014	Grasshoppers U21
2013–2014	Grasshoppers
2014–2015	VfL Wolfsburg II
2015–2017	Vaduz
2017–2019	Grasshoppers
2017–2019	→ Grasshoppers U21
2018–2019	→ Debrecen (loan)
2019–2020	Viborg
2020	Tirana
2021	Vllaznia Shkodër
2021–2022	Kriens
International career
2011	Switzerland U17
2011–2012	Switzerland U18
2012–2013	Switzerland U19
2014	Kosovo
2015	Albania U21
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 May 2022

Albion Qaush Avdijaj (born 12 January 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward. Born in Switzerland, he represented that nation at youth international levels, appeared in two friendly matches for the Kosovo senior team, and played twice for Albania at under-21 level.

Club career

VfL Wolfsburg II

Avdijaj was born in Zürich. After failing to break to Grasshopper's first team, he joined the reserve team of VfL Wolfsburg for the 2015–16 season.^[1] He made his debut in the Regionalliga on 17 August, playing full-90 minutes in a 1–0 away win to Neumünster.^[2] Then Avdijaj scored his first goals with Wolves on 6 September in a 4–0 home hammering of Havelse.^[3] Avdijaj continued with his strong form, scoring against Eintracht Norderstedt, the winner against VfB Oldenburg, before scoring another brace in the 4–2 home win over Braunschweig, taking his tally up to 6 goals.^[4]

Vaduz

On 30 August 2015, on the deadline day, Avdijaj completed a transfer to Vaduz for an undisclosed fee, signing until June 2017.^[5] Upon signing, Avdijaj stated: "The transfer is successfully completed, I'm ready for the new challenge.^[5] He was allocated squad number 7, and made his competitive debut on 12 September in the opening Swiss Super League week against Young Boys, entering as a second-half substitute in an eventual 4–0 away crash.^[6] He opened his scoring account later on 31 October where he scored the opener against Basel, which turned out to be nothing as visitors bounced back to win 2–1.^[7] One week later, Avdijaj was again on the scoresheet, netting in the 72nd minute against FC Zürich but was sent-off two minutes later following a second yellow card; the match finished in a 1–1 draw.^[8]

Viborg FF

On 3 September 2019, Avdijaj joined Viborg FF in Denmark on a three-year deal.^[9] On 19 May 2020 the club confirmed, that Avdijaj's contract had been terminated, because he wanted to be closer to his family in Switzerland.^[10]

Kriens

On 1 July 2021, he signed with Kriens.^[11]

International career

Kosovo

In May 2014, Avdijaj accepted an invitation from Albert Bunjaku to play for Kosovo in the friendlies against Turkey and Senegal.^[12] He made his first appearance for Kosovo against Turkey on 21 May, appearing as a substitute in the 60th minute in an eventual 1–6 home defeat.^[13] Four days later he made his second appearance, his first as a starter, in another defeat, this time to Senegal at Stade de Genève.^[14] Those were his only appearances for Kosovo, as he switched to play for Albania.

Career statistics

Club

As of 13 April 2019^[15]^[16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe^[a]		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grasshoppers II	2011–12	1. Liga Promotion	22	6	—		—		—		22	6
	2013–14	1. Liga Classic	12	7	—		—		—		12	7
	Total		34	13	—		—		—		34	13
Grasshoppers	2013–14	Swiss Super League	0	0	—		—		—		0	0
VfL Wolfsburg II	2014–15	Regionalliga	26	11	—		—		—		26	11
	2015–16	Regionalliga	5	3	—		—		—		5	3
	Total		31	14	—		—		—		31	14
Vaduz	2015–16	Swiss Super League]	23	4	2	1	—		—		25	5
	2016–17	Swiss Super League]	23	3	2	6	3	0	—		28	9
	Total		46	7	4	7	3	0	—		53	14
Grasshoppers	2017–18	Swiss Super League	10	2	3	1	—		—		13	3
Grasshoppers II	2017–18	Swiss 1. Liga	1	0	—		—		—		1	0
Debrecen	2018–19	Nemzeti Bajnokság I	21	1	3	2	—		—		24	3
Career total			143	37	10	10	3	0	—		156	47

^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League

International

As of 25 May 2014

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Kosovo^[17]	2014	2	0
Total		2	0

Honours

Grasshoppers

Swiss Cup: 2012–13

FC Vaduz

Liechtenstein Football Cup: 2015-16, 2016-17

References

^ "Avdijaj në Wolfsburg II" [Avdijaj at Wolfsburg II] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 2 August 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "VfR Neumünster vs. VfL Wolfsburg 0 – 1". Soccerway. 17 August 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Wolfsburg II vs. Havelse 4 – 0". Soccerway. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Wolfsburg II vs. Branunschweig 4 – 2". Soccerway. 18 October 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ ^a ^b "Albion Avdijaj te Vaduz në Zvicër" [Albion Avdijaj at Vaduz in Switzerland] (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. 30 August 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Young Boys vs. Vaduz 4 – 0". Soccerway. 12 September 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Vaduz vs. Basel 1 – 2". Soccerway. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Avdijaj shënon gol dhe ndëshkohet me të kuq (Video)" [Avdijaj scores and gets red-carded (Video)] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Ny angriber på plads i VFF, vff.dk, 3 September 2019
^ VFF ophæver med Avdijaj, vff.dk, 19 May 2020
^ "Herzlich willkommen beim SCK, Albion Avdijaj" (in German). Kriens. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
^ "Dy miqësoret, Bunjaku shpall listën e Kosovës" [Two friendlies, Bunjaku announces the list of Kosovo] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Turqia shumë e fortë, mposht Kosovën në miqësore 6:1" [Turkey very strong, defeats Kosovo in friendly 6:1] (in Albanian). Kosovalive360.com. 21 May 2014. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ "Humbja e radhës, Kosova-Senegali 1:3" [Next defeat, Kosovo-Senegal 1:3] (in Albanian). albifo.ch. 25 May 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
^ Albion Avdijaj at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
^ "Albion Avdijaj". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
^ Albion Avdijaj - national football team player EU-Football.info