Ermal Krasniqi (born 7 September 1998) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Czech First League club Sparta Prague and the Kosovo national team.
![]() Krasniqi with CFR Cluj in 2023 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 7 September 1998 | ||
Place of birth | Malisheva, FR Yugoslavia | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Winger | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Sparta Prague | ||
Number | 29 | ||
Youth career | |||
2016–2017 | Feronikeli | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2017–2018 | Malisheva | ||
2018–2019 | Llapi | 1 | (0) |
2019 | Ferizaj | 10 | (6) |
2019–2023 | Ballkani | 88 | (34) |
2023–2024 | CFR Cluj | 30 | (4) |
2024 | Rapid București | 17 | (6) |
2024– | Sparta Prague | 2 | (1) |
International career‡ | |||
2020 | Kosovo U21 | 1 | (0) |
2022– | Kosovo | 4 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 July 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 November 2023 |
Club career
editEarly career and Ballkani
editKrasniqi spent the last part of his youth career at Feronikeli,[1] before returning to his hometown club Malisheva in 2017.[1] There, he finished his first season as a senior on the third place in the Kosovo Second League.[2] In the summer in 2018, Krasniqi was transferred to Kosovo Superleague side Llapi,[3] but in January 2019 moved to fellow league team Ferizaj due to a lack of play time.[4] He amassed six goals from ten games for the latter, aiding it to a middle-table finish.[5]
On 7 August 2019, Krasniqi signed a two-year contract with top flight club Ballkani.[6] In the 2021–22 season, he scored 15 league goals as Ballkani won its first national title.[7] On 5 July 2022, he made his European competitions debut by starting in a 1–1 home draw to Žalgiris in the first qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[8]
Three weeks later, following his team's elimination from the Champions League, Krasniqi scored in a 6–0 home thrashing of La Fiorita in the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League. He made five appearances in the group stage of the latter competition, scoring one goal each against Slavia Prague (2–3 away loss) and Sivasspor (4–3 away win).
CFR Cluj
editOn 10 January 2023, Krasniqi signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with his former Europa Conference League opponent CFR Cluj, being assigned the number 7 jersey.[9] The fee was reported as €200,000 and 15% interest on a potential future transfer, plus €100,000 in conditional bonuses.[10][11] He made his debut 13 days later in a Liga I match against eventual champions Farul Constanța, scoring and assisting in the 3–0 away win.[12]
Krasniqi amassed five goals from 22 appearances in all competitions during the remainder of the 2022–23 season, but fell out of favour after Andrea Mandorlini replaced Dan Petrescu as the head coach of the club in the summer of that year.
Rapid București
editOn 28 December 2023, fellow Liga I club Rapid București signed Krasniqi on a two-and-a-half-year deal with the option of another year,[13] for a transfer fee rumoured to be worth €1 million plus 25% interest.[14] On 19 January 2024, he scored on debut in a 4–3 home league win over FC U Craiova.[15]
On 9 March 2024, Krasniqi scored and assisted compatriot Albion Rrahmani as their team thrashed rivals FCSB 4–0 in the last fixture of the regular season.[16] He scored once more against FCSB in a 2–2 away draw in the championship play-offs, on 20 April. On 5 May, he opened the scoring away at his former team CFR Cluj in a 2–3 league loss.
Sparta Prague
editOn 7 June 2024, Krasniqi signed a contract with Czech First League club Sparta Prague.[17]
International career
editUnder-21
editOn 29 August 2020, Krasniqi received a call-up from the Kosovo national under-21 team for the 2021 UEFA European Championship qualification match against England,[18] and made his debut after coming on as a 57th-minute substitute for Valmir Veliu in the 0–6 loss.[19]
Senior
editOn 11 November 2022, Krasniqi was called up by the Kosovo national team for the friendly matches against Armenia and the Faroe Islands.[20] His made his full debut eight days later by starting in a 1–1 draw against the latter opponent.[21]
After his debut for Kosovo, there were reports that Krasniqi would switch his allegiance to Albania.[22] However, on 19 June 2023 he made his competitive debut for Kosovo in a 1–2 defeat to Belarus counting for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.[23]
Career statistics
editInternational
edit- As of match played 12 November 2023[24]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Kosovo | |||
2022 | 1 | 0 | |
2023 | 3 | 0 | |
Total | 4 | 0 |
Honours
editBallkani[25]
- Kosovo Superleague: 2021–22
- Kosovar Cup runner-up: 2019–20
References
edit- ^ a b "Ermal Krasniqi, futbollisti që gjeti rehatinë dhe shpërthimin te Ballkani" [Ermal Krasniqi, the footballer who found comfort and explosion in Ballkani] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 4 October 2020.
- ^ "Kosovo 2017/18". RSSSF. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
- ^ "Ermal Krasniqi, sulmuesi 19-vjeçar nënshkruan me Llapin" [Ermal Krasniqi, the 19-year-old striker signed with Llapi]. Llapi.info (in Albanian). 17 August 2018.
- ^ "Ferizaj transferon gjashtë futbollistë" [Ferizaj transfers six footballers]. Llapi.info (in Albanian). 31 January 2019.
- ^ "Ermal Krasniqi, talenti që shpërtheu në pranverë te Ferizaj: I lumtur me golat dhe formën e mirë, ëndërroj ftesë nga Kosova U-21" [Ermal Krasniqi, the talent that exploded in the spring at Ferizaj: Happy with the goals and good form, I dream of an invitation from Kosovo U-21] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 13 May 2019.
- ^ "Ballkani marrëveshje dy vjeçare me Krasniqin" [Ballkani two-year agreement with Krasniqi] (in Albanian). Epoka e Re. 7 August 2019.
- ^ "Golashenuesit FFK Superliga".
- ^ "Ballkani - Žalgiris 1–1". UEFA.com. 5 July 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Bine ai venit, Ermal Krasniqi!" [Welcome, Ermal Krasniqi!] (in Romanian). CFR Cluj. 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Ermal Krasniqi: Ballkani do të ketë një vend special në zemrën time" [Ermal Krasniqi: Ballkani will have a special place in my heart] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Detajet e transferimit të Ermal Krasniqit te Cluj, Ballkani me fitime të mëdha dhe përqindje nga shitja e ardhshme" [Transfer details of Ermal Krasniqi to Cluj, Ballkani with huge profits and percentage of future sale] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 10 January 2023.
- ^ "Începem anul cu o victorie importantă!" [We start the year with an important victory!] (in Romanian). CFR Cluj. 23 January 2023.
- ^ "Ermal Krasniqi este noul jucător al Rapidului" [Ermal Krasniqi is the new player of Rapid] (in Romanian). FC Rapid București. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ "Cât a plătit Rapid pe Ermal Krasniqi! Dan Șucu a dat lovitura cu o sumă pe care Nelu Varga o voia mai mare. EXCLUSIV" [How much did Rapid pay for Ermal Krasniqi! Dan Șucu hit the jackpot with an amount that Nelu Varga wanted to be higher. EXCLUSIVE] (in Romanian). Pro Sport. 27 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
- ^ "VIDEO Ermal Krasniqi, gol la debut pentru Rapid! Cum a marcat atacantul kosovar" [VIDEO Ermal Krasniqi, goal on debut for Rapid! How did the Kosovan attacker score] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 19 January 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ "Nelu Varga, l-ai văzut? Ermal Krasniqi, gol senzațional pentru 3-0 în Rapid – FCSB, după o cursă în care l-a făcut de râs pe Dawa și l-a "executat" pe Târnovanu" [Nelu Varga, have you seen him? Ermal Krasniqi, sensational goal for 3–0 in Rapid – FCSB, after a race in which he made a laughing stock of Dawa and "executed" Târnovanu] (in Romanian). ProSport. 9 March 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ "Sparta hlásí posilu, přichází Kosovan. Pomůže s rychlostí, těší se Rosický". Blesk (in Czech). Czech News Center. Czech News Agency. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
- ^ "Prekazi publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjen kundër Anglisë" [Prekazi publishes the list of footballers for the match against England] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
- ^ "Kosovo U21 vs. England U21 0–6". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- ^ "Giresse publikon listën e futbollistëve për miqësoret e nëntorit" [Giresse publishes the list of footballers for the November friendlies] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 11 November 2022.
- ^ "Kosovë – Ishujt Faroe, formacionet zyrtare: Giresse me shumë ndryshime" [Kosovo – Faroe Islands, official lineups: Giresse with many changes] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 19 November 2022.
- ^ "Po shkëlqen te Cluj/Krasniqi lë në pritje ftesën e Kosovës pasi po pret Shqipërinë?" [Is he shining in Cluj/Krasniqi puts Kosovo's invitation on hold as he is waiting for Albania?]. CNA.al (in Albanian). 19 February 2023.
- ^ "Zëvendësim i detyrueshëm te Kosova/Largohet Paqarada, debuton Krasniqi" [Mandatory substitution for Kosovo/Paqarada leaves, Krasniqi debuts] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 19 June 2023.
- ^ "Ermal Krasniqi". European Football. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
- ^ Ermal Krasniqi at Soccerway. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
External links
edit- Ermal Krasniqi at Soccerway
- Ermal Krasniqi – Romanian league stats at LPF (in Romanian)