Altin Zeqiri

Altin Zeqiri
Personal information
Full name Altin Zeqiri
Date of birth (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Espoo, Finland[1]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Çaykur Rizespor
Number 77
Youth career
0000 EBK[1]
0000–2016 Honka[2]
2016–2018 Espoo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 Espoo 30 (11)
2019–2023 Lahti 87 (18)
2023– Çaykur Rizespor 45 (5)
International career‡
2021–2022 Kosovo U21 11 (0)
2023– Kosovo 3 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 November 2023

Altin Zeqiri (born 18 July 2000) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Turkish Süper Lig club Çaykur Rizespor. Born and raised in Finland, Zeqiri represents the Kosovo national football team.

Early life

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Born in Espoo, Finland, Zeqiri started to play football in the youth sectors of local clubs EBK, FC Honka and FC Espoo.[1][2]

Club career

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Zeqiri started his senior career in 2017 with FC Espoo, playing in the third-tier Kakkonen.[3]

Lahti

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On 23 July 2019, Zeqiri signed a two-year contract with Veikkausliiga club Lahti and received squad number 24.[4] Eighteen days later, he made his debut in a 4–0 away defeat against HJK after coming on as a substitute at 85th minute in place of Josu.[5] On 5 October 2021, he extended his contract with Lahti until the end of the 2023 season.[6][7]

Çaykur Rizespor

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On 9 August 2023, Zeqiri was acquired by Turkish club Çaykur Rizespor on a three-year deal, with an option for an additional year, for an undisclosed fee.[8] He debuted in Süper Lig on 13 August 2023, after being named in the starting line up in a 2–1 away loss against Adana Demirspor, playing full 90 minutes in the match.[9] Zeqiri scored his first goal in the league on 21 October 2023, in a 3–1 away loss against Kayserispor.[10]

International career

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On 15 March 2021, Zeqiri received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for the friendly matches against Qatar U23.[11] Eleven days later, he made his debut with Kosovo U21 in first match against Qatar U23 after being named in the starting line-up.[12]

In August 2023, Zeqiri received his first call-up to the Kosovo senior national team by head coach Primož Gliha, for two UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Switzerland and Romania.[13][14] He scored a goal in his full international debut for Kosovo on 12 October 2023, in a 0–3 away win against Andorra.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 2 November 2024[15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Espoo 2017 Kakkonen 2 3 0 0 — — 2 3
2018 Kakkonen 18 3 0 0 — — 18 3
2019 Kakkonen 10 5 0 0 3 0 — 13 5
Total 30 11 0 0 3 0 0 0 33 11
Lahti 2019 Veikkausliiga 7 1 0 0 — — 7 1
2020 Veikkausliiga 20 2 3 1 — — 23 3
2021 Veikkausliiga 18 7 3 0 — — 21 7
2022 Veikkausliiga 27 4 5 0 2 3 — 34 7
2023 Veikkausliiga 15 4 3 1 5 3 — 23 8
Total 87 18 14 2 7 6 0 0 108 26
Çaykur Rizespor 2023–24 Süper Lig 35 5 1 0 — — 36 5
2024–25 Süper Lig 10 0 0 0 — — 10 0
Total 45 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 46 5
Career total 162 34 15 2 10 6 0 0 187 42
  1. ^ Includes Suomen Cup and Turkish Cup
  2. ^ Includes Kakkonen Cup and Finnish League Cup

International

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As of match played on 18 November 2023.
National team Year Competitive Friendly Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kosovo 2023 3[a] 1 0 0 3 1
Total 3 1 0 0 3 1
  1. ^ Appearances in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualification.

International goals

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As of match played on 18 November 2023. Scores and results list Kosovo's goal tally first.
No Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 12 October 2023 Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra 1.  Andorra 3–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2024 qualification

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Altin Zeqiri | FC Lahti" (in Finnish). FC Lahti. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b Tulospalvelu Palloliitto, A.Zeqiri, Finnish FA/ Palloliitto
  3. ^ Altin Zeqiri siirtyy Turkin pääsarjaan, fclahti.fi, 10 August 2023
  4. ^ "Nuori Altin Zeqiri FC Lahteen" [Young Altin Zeqiri to FC Lahti] (in Finnish). FC Lahti. 23 July 2019.
  5. ^ "HJK vs. Lahti 4–0". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  6. ^ Altin Zeqiri jatkaa Lahdessa, fclahti.fi, 5 October 2021
  7. ^ FC Lahti teki jatkosopimuksen Altin Zeqirin kanssa, Etelä-Suomen Sanomat, 5 October 2023
  8. ^ "FC Lahden Altin Zeqiri siirtyy Joel Pohjanpalon ex-seuraan Turkin pääsarjaan". YLE. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  9. ^ ADANA DEMIRSPOR VS. RIZESPOR 2-1, soccerway
  10. ^ KAYSERISPOR VS. RIZESPOR 3-1, soccerway
  11. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Nees publikon listën e futbollistëve për dy miqësoret kundër Katarit" [Selector Nees publishes the list of footballers for the two friendlies against Qatar] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 15 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Kosova U21 pëson humbje në miqësoren e parë kundër Katarit U23" [Kosovo U21 loses in the first friendly against Qatar U23] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 26 March 2021.
  13. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Gliha publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjet e shtatorit" [Selector Gliha publishes the list of footballers for the September matches] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  14. ^ "Publikohet lista e Kombëtares së Kosovës për ndeshjet e shtatorit". Kosova Press (in Albanian). 31 August 2023. Retrieved 2 September 2023.
  15. ^ "Altin Zeqiri". flashscore.
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