Labinot Kabashi (born 28 February 2000) is a footballer who plays as a midfielder. He last played for Spanish team Villarreal C. Described as a technical player, Kabashi can operate as either a midfielder or a winger. Born in Finland, he had opted to play for Kosovo internationally. He has drawn comparisons to Spanish player Andrés Iniesta.[2][3]

Labinot Kabashi
Personal information
Full name Labinot Kabashi
Date of birth (2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 24)[1]
Place of birth Vantaa, Finland
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2008–2010 Gimnàstic
2010–2020 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Barcelona B 0 (0)
2020–2022 Villarreal C 13 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 September 2022

Club career

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Barcelona

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Kabashi joined FC Barcelona's youth setup from Gimnàstic when he was 10 years old.[4] In November 2016, he suffered an ACL injury that kept him on the sidelines for a year and a half.[5] He once again suffered the same injury in March 2018, keeping him out for almost a year.[6] On 9 February 2019, it was announced that he would return with the U19's in a match against CE Europa. Upon his return he injured himself again, seven minutes after coming off the bench.[7][8] The following 15 February, he renewed with the club until 30 June 2021.[9][10]

On 30 January 2020, he was promoted to Barcelona B.[11] Barcelona terminated his contract the following 5 October.[12]

Villarreal C

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On 28 October 2020, Villarreal CF published the squad list for Villarreal C for the 2020–21 season, and Kabashi was included.[13] Three days later, he made his debut in a 3–3 away draw against Atlético Saguntino after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Richard Franco.[14] On 3 February 2021, Kabashi scored his first goal for Villarreal C in his fourth appearance for the club in a 1–2 away win over Acero in Tercera División.[15]

International career

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He was eligible for Kosovo and Spain internationally, as well as Finland, his birthplace.[16][17] On 2 October 2016, Kabashi was called up to the Kosovo national team at only 16 years of age.[18][19][20] He was an unused substitute in the World Cup qualifying matches against Croatia,[21] and Ukraine,[22] due to Barcelona indirectly sending a request through Kabashi's father to ask the national team not to play Kabashi in the matches, because there could be problems after activation.[23]

Personal life

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Kabashi was born in Vantaa, Finland,[1] to a Kosovo Albanian father and a Finnish mother.[24][16][17] He has dual citizenship of Finland and Kosovo,[25] and his cousins Armend, Elbasan and Astrit Kabashi are also footballers who mainly play in the lower categories of Finnish football.[26][27]

Honours

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Barcelona

References

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  1. ^ a b "10. Labinot". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Labinot Kabashi, con la magia de Iniesta" [Labinot Kabashi, with the magic of Iniesta] (in Spanish). Sport. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Barcelona-Juwel Labinot Kabashi: Der Andres Iniesta des Kosovo" [Barcelona jewel Labinot Kabashi: The Andrés Iniesta of Kosovo] (in German). Goal. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Un hijo de la Guerra de Kosovo" [A child of the Kosovan War] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Labinot, el prodigio emergente" [Labinot, the emerging prodigy] (in Spanish). Vavel. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  6. ^ "El Barça espera a Labinot Kabashi" [Barça awaits Labinot Kabashi] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Labinot se vuelve a lesionar el día de su retorno" [Labinot is injured again on the day of his return] (in Spanish). Sport. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Labinot pasará otra vez por el quirófano" [Labinot will have to go under the knife again] (in Spanish). Sport. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. ^ "El Barça renueva a Labinot Kabashi tras lesionarse de gravedad" [Barça renew Labinot Kabashi after he seriously injures himself] (in Spanish). Sport. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ^ "El Barça renueva a Labinot tras su grave lesión" [Barça renews Labinot after his serious injury] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Labinot, el último 'refuerzo' para el Barça B" [Labinot, the last "reinforcemnet" for Barça B] (in Spanish). Sport. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Oficial: El Barça rescinde el contrato de Labinot Kabashi" [Official: Barça terminates Labinot Kabashi's contract] (in Spanish). Sport. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Villarreal C's big jump". Villarreal CF C. 28 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Saguntino vs. Villarreal III 3–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  15. ^ "VIDEO/La pas dëmtimet horror dhe Rei Manajn, Labinot Kabashi shënon golin e parë me Vijareal" [VIDEO/Left behind horror injuries and Rey Manaj, Labinot Kabashi scores the first goal with Villarreal] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Kush është Labinot Kabashi, i cili po konsiderohet Iniesta i Kosovës (Foto)" [Who is Labinot Kabashi, who is being considered Iniesta of Kosovo (Photo)] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Who is Labinot Kabashi? Meet Barcelona's 16-year-old wonderkid refugee compared to Iniesta". Goal. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Bunjaki shpalli listën për ndeshjet me Kroacinë e Ukrainën" [Bunjaki announces the list of players for the matches with Croatia and Ukraine] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  19. ^ "16-year-old Labinot Kabashi gets surprise call-up for senior Kosovo squad". FC Barcelona. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Kosovo convoca a Labinot Kabashi, a un juvenil de 16 años del Barça" [Kosovo calls-up Labinot Kabashi, a 16-year-old youth from Barça] (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Kosovo vs Croatia – FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I". Sky Sports. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Ukraine vs Kosovo – FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I". Sky Sports. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Barcelona kishte kërkuar që Labinot Kabashi të mos luaj për Kosovën" [Barcelona had asked that Labinot Kabashi not to play for Kosovo]. Indeksonline (in Albanian). 26 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  24. ^ Jelena Leppänen (3 October 2016). "Takaisku Huuhkajille – Vantaalla syntynyt FC Barcelonan teinitähti valitsi toisen maajoukkueen" [Backfire for Owls – FC Barcelona-born teen star chooses second national team] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 16 August 2021. Kabashilla on suomalainen äiti ja kosovolainen isä. Futislupaus on syntynyt vuonna 2000 Vantaalla
  25. ^ Labinot Kabashi at WorldFootball.net  
  26. ^ "13-vuotias vantaalaispoika dominoi Barcelonan junnuissa – katso video" [A 13-year-old boy from Vantaa dominates Barcelona's juniors – watch the video] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2021. Myös Kabashin serkut Elbasan, Astrit ja Armend ovat jalkapalloilijoita
  27. ^ Niko Toiskallio (12 June 2013). "Suomalaissyntyisen keskikenttäpelaajan vuosikymmen Barcelonassa päättyi" [The decade of a Finnish-born midfielder in Barcelona is over]. SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Sport Statistics FC. Retrieved 30 December 2021. kolme serkkua jalkapalloilee yhä Suomessa (Elbasan ja Astrit Espoon Palloseurassa, Armend Kabashi KPV:ssä)
  28. ^ "Barcelona get back on top". UEFA. Retrieved 24 April 2018.
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