Olger Merkaj (born 23 July 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger or forward for Italian Serie D club Vado.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 July 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Vlorë, Albania | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Right winger, forward[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Vado | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2016 | Sampdoria | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2017 | Sampdoria | 0 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Tuttocuoio (loan) | 11 | (2) |
| 2017 | Casale | 16 | (2) |
| 2017–2019 | Chieri | 48 | (11) |
| 2019–2020 | US Breno | 20 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | Bra | 37 | (18) |
| 2021–2022 | Foggia | 17 | (2) |
| 2022 | Campobasso | 16 | (1) |
| 2022 | Trapani | 10 | (2) |
| 2022–2023 | Luparense | 13 | (1) |
| 2023 | Derthona | 14 | (2) |
| 2023– | Vado | 3 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 December 2023 | |||
Club career
editEarly life and Youth career
editMerkaj was born in Vlorë, Albania and moved to Italy aged 8. He started his youth career at Sampdoria in 2012.[2][3]
Tuttocuoio
editOn 26 June 2016 Merkaj was loaned to Lega Pro side Tuttocuoio.[4] He made it his club debut on 31 July 2016 in the 2015–16 Coppa Italia match against Casertana coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute in place of Irakli Shekiladze.[5]
Chieri
editOn 2 December 2017 Casale announced that Merkaj moved to fellow Serie D side Chieri.[6] Four days later Merkaj debuted for Chieri with a goal in the Coppa Italia Serie D 3 round against Unione Sanremo. Merkaj's goal came in the 31st minute, 4 minutes after the opening goal of the match scored by Unione Sanremo and served to end the match in the 1–1, where then advanced in the penalty shoot-out where Merkaj's side was defeated 4–2.[7]
Foggia
editOn 9 July 2021, he signed with Serie C club Foggia.[8]
Campobasso
editOn 21 January 2022, he moved to Campobasso.[9]
Trapani
editOn 14 September 2022, he joined Trapani.[10]
Luparense
editOn 5 December 2022, Merkaj left Trapani to join Luparense.[11]
International career
editMerkaj received his first international call up at the Albania national under-17 football team by coach Džemal Mustedanagić for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round.[12] However, due to health problems he was sent to a hospital in Czech Republic and was unable to participate in the tournament. He was visited at hospital by 4 Captains of all Group 4 youth national teams, Keidi Bare of Albania U17, Ryan Ledson of England U17, Filippo Romagna of Italy U17 and David Záleský of Czech Republic U17.[13]
Following a good season with Tuttocuoio in the 2016–17 Lega Pro's first-half he received his first call-up at the Albania national under-21 football team by coach Alban Bushi for a gathering from 21 to 28 January 2017.[14]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 24 April 2022 [3]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tuttocuoio | 2016–17 | Lega Pro | 10 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 12 | 2 |
| Casale | 2017–18 | Serie D | 16 | 2 | — | — | 16 | 2 | ||
| Chieri | 2017–18 | Serie D | 17 | 6 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 19 | 6 | |
| 2018–19 | Serie D | 31 | 5 | 1 | 0 | — | 32 | 5 | ||
| Total | 48 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 51 | 11 | ||
| US Breno | 2019–20 | Serie D | 20 | 7 | — | — | 20 | 7 | ||
| Bra | 2020–21 | Serie D | 37 | 18 | — | 1[b] | 0 | 38 | 18 | |
| Foggia | 2021–22 | Serie C | 17 | 2 | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||
| Campobasso | 2021–22 | Serie C | 16 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 164 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 170 | 43 | ||
References
edit- ^ Olger Merkaj at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "Olger Merkaj, shqiptari i radhës që synon Serinë A" [Olger Merkaj, the next Albanian who intends the Serie A] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ a b Olger Merkaj at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
- ^ Olger Merkaj huazohet në Lega Pro Archived 2017-05-10 at the Wayback Machine aSport.al
- ^ Casertana vs. Tuttocuoio - 31 July 2016 Soccerway
- ^ "Casale, è tornato Andrea Cardini!" [Casale, is returned back Andrea Cardini!] (in Italian). Casale News. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
- ^ "Rigori beffardi, il Chieri saluta la Coppa Italia" [Penalties mocking the Chieri salutes the Italian Cup.] (in Italian). Chieri. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Merkaj Olger è il primo acquisto rossonero" (in Italian). Foggia. 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Olger Merkaj nuovo attaccante rossoblù" (in Italian). Campobasso. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
- ^ "UFFICIALE, nuovo attaccante per il Trapani". www.trapanigranata.it (in Italian). 14 September 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
- ^ "UFFICIALE: Merkaj lascia il Trapani". www.trapanigranata.it (in Italian). 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
- ^ Kombëtarja U17 niset drejt Çekisë (orari i ndeshjeve) aSport.al
- ^ Operohet në Çeki i riu Merkaj, merr përkrahje nga kapitenët e “Elite Round” Sport Ekspres
- ^ Talenti shqiptar i Samdorias ftohet me Shqipërinë Shqiperia.ch
External links
edit- Olger Merkaj at Soccerway
- Olger Merkaj profile[dead link] at Serie A TIM
- Olger Merkaj at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)