Valmir Sulejmani Explained

Valmir Sulejmani
Upright:1.1
Fullname:Valmir Bajram Sulejmani
Birth Date:1 February 1996
Birth Place:Großburgwedel, Germany[1]
Height:1.85 m
Position:Forward
Youthyears1:2001–2005
Youthclubs1:SC Wedemark
Youthyears2:2005–2013
Youthclubs2:Hannover 96
Years1:2013–2018
Clubs1:Hannover 96 II
Caps1:90
Goals1:13
Years2:2014–2016
Clubs2:Hannover 96
Caps2:11
Goals2:0
Years3:2015
Clubs3:Union Berlin (loan)
Caps3:6
Goals3:0
Years4:2018–2020
Clubs4:Waldhof Mannheim
Caps4:50
Goals4:24
Years5:2020–2022
Clubs5:Hannover 96
Caps5:33
Goals5:3
Years6:2022–2023
Clubs6:Ingolstadt 04
Caps6:27
Goals6:3
Years7:2023–2024
Clubs7:1860 Munich
Caps7:13
Goals7:0
Nationalyears1:2012–2013
Nationalteam1:Germany U17
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2017–2018
Nationalteam2:Kosovo U21
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2015–
Nationalteam3:Kosovo
Nationalcaps3:5
Nationalgoals3:0
Club-Update:22 May 2024
Nationalteam-Update:1 June 2021

Valmir Bajram Sulejmani (born 1 February 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward. Born in Germany, he plays for the Kosovo national team at international level.

Club career

Hannover 96

Youth career

Sulejmani started his youth career at Hannover 96's academy at age nine. During the 2012–13 season he played for Hannover U-19 youth team in the Under 19 Bundesliga making seven appearances and scoring one goal in 5–2 win against Holstein Kiel U-19 team on 12 May 2013.[2] He started the 2013–14 season on 11 August 2013, playing against Rot-Weiss Erfurt U-19 in the loss 3–1.[3] He managed to score two goals that season: the first came a week after the season's opening match, on 18 August 2013 in 4–2 win against St. Pauli U-19[4] the second on 1 September 2013 in a 4–1 win against Hamburger SV U-19.[5] Sulejmani finished playing the 2013–14 season with total of six appearances and two goals scored and made his debut with Hannover 96 II on 19 October 2013 against Victoria Hamburg playing as a starter in a 2–0 away victory.[6]

First team

Sulejmani played on 26 October 2013 in the 9–2 defeat by Hannover 96 II of Werder Bremen II[7] before he was called up to Hannover 96's first team for the match against Werder Bremen on 3 November 2013, where he was an unused substitute.[8] He made his debut for Hannover 96 at age 17, on 14 December 2013, in the match against Nürnberg, replacing Artur Sobiech in the 74th minute. Hannover came back from 3–0 down to draw 3–3, with Sulejmani assisting on Hannover's second goal scored by Mame Diouf in 87th minute.[9] In the next fixture against SC Freiburg on 21 December 2013, Sulejmani was included in the starting line up, playing the first half of the match before being substituted off for Artur Sobiech, as the match finished in a 2–1 loss.[10]

Loan to Union Berlin

On 29 January 2015, Sulejmani was loaned to the 2. Bundesliga side Union Berlin until the end of the 2014–15 season as a replacement for long injured Maximilian Thiel, rejoining head coach Norbert Düwel, who had previously been assistant coach at Hannover 96.[11]

1860 Munich

On 17 July 2023, Sulejmani joined 1860 Munich in 3. Liga.[12] He started the 2023–24 season with a goal against 1. FC Stockheim in the Bavarian Cup.[13]

International

Germany

Under-17

Between 2012 and 2013, Sulejmani has played five matches for the Germany U17.[14]

Albania

Under-21

Sulejmani revealed to the Albanian sports media that he had been in contact with FSHF and was available for selection by the Albania, given his Albanian background, despite having played for Germany at the youth level.[15] On the other hand, Albania's coach, Gianni de Biasi, declared that Sulejmani is in his plans.[16]

On 1 August 2014, the Albania national under-21 football team's coach Skënder Gega declared that he has invited Sulejmani to join the Albania national U21 team for the friendly match on 6 August 2014 against Qatar U-20.[17] Two days later, on 3 August 2014, the media reported that his club Hannover 96 had not given him permission to play for the Albania U-21, but Sulejmani himself declared that he would be part of the team in future matches.[18] On 1 October 2014, Sulejmani received another call-up from Albania under-21 for the friendly match against Romania U21,[19] but declined the invitation.

Kosovo

Senior

On 7 October 2015, Sulejmani received a call-up from Kosovo for a friendly match against Equatorial Guinea[20] coming on as a substitute in the 57th minute for Mërgim Brahimi.

Under-21

On 5 June 2017, Sulejmani received his first call-up from the Kosovo U21 team when he was named to the starting line-up for a 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against the Norwegian U21 team.[21]

Career statistics

Club

[22]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hannover 96 II2013–1410000100
2014–1516000160
2015–1623400234
2016–1728400284
2017–1813500135
Total9013009013
Hannover 962013–14Bundesliga600060
Union Berlin (loan)2014–152. Bundesliga60001[23] 070
Hannover 962015–16Bundesliga400040
2016–172. Bundesliga100010
Total5000180
Waldhof Mannheim2018–19Regionalliga Südwest3218003218
2019–203. Liga18612198
Total5024125126
Hannover 962020–212. Bundesliga29320313
2021–2240101[24] 060
Total3333010373
FC Ingolstadt2021–222. Bundesliga14200142
2022–233. Liga1311021162
Total2731021304
1860 Munich2023–243. Liga1100043153
Career total22843528424149

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Kosovo
201520
201620
202110
Total50

Notes and References

  1. News: Valmir Sulejmani – Hannover 96. https://web.archive.org/web/20150723173138/http://www.hannover96.de/CDA/profis/portraits/details/valmir-sulejmani.html. de. Hannover 96. 23 July 2015.
  2. Web site: Hannover 96 U19 vs. Holstein Kiel U19 - 12 May 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 12 May 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  3. Web site: Rot-Weiß Erfurt U19 vs. Hannover 96 U19 - 11 August 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 11 August 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  4. Web site: Hannover 96 U19 vs. St. Pauli U19 - 18 August 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 18 August 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  5. Web site: Hannover 96 U19 vs. Hamburger SV U19 - 1 September 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 1 September 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  6. Web site: Victoria Hamburg vs. Hannover 96 II - 19 October 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 19 October 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  7. Web site: Hannover 96 II vs. Werder Bremen II - 26 October 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 26 October 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  8. Web site: Werder Bremen vs. Hannover 96 - 3 November 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 3 November 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  9. Web site: Hannover 96 vs. Nürnberg - 14 December 2013 - Soccerway . Soccerway . 14 December 2013 . 27 December 2013.
  10. Web site: Freiburg vs. Hannover 96 - 21 December 2013 - Soccerway . Int.soccerway.com . 21 December 2013 . 30 November 2016.
  11. Web site: 1. FC Union Berlin leiht Valmir Sulejmani von Hannover 96 aus . 1. FC Union Berlin loans Valmir Sulejmani from Hannover 96. 30 January 2015. 11 March 2015. de. 1. FC Union Berlin.
  12. Web site: TSV 1860 Munich. VALMIR SULEJMANI WIRD EIN LÖWE.. VALMIR SULEJMANI BECOMES A LION.. 17 July 2023. 19 July 2023. de.
  13. Web site: Streicher . Christoph . Schwere Beine, schwere Kost: TSV 1860 müht sich im Toto-Pokal gegen den 1. FC Stockheim weiter . abendzeitung-muenchen.de . Abendzeitung . 2 August 2023 . German . 2 August 2023.
  14. Web site: U 17-Junioren: Valmir Sulejmani. U 17-juniors: Valmir Sulejmani. 11 March 2015. de. DFB.
  15. News: Asport. 17-vjeçari Sulejmani : Krenar të luaj në klubin e Altin Lalës. Kombëtarja? Kurrë mos thuaj kurrë. 28 January 2014. Asport. 6 November 2013. Është e vërtetë që kam pasur kontakt me Federatën Shqiptare të Futbollit, respektivisht me Jetmir Salihun (red. përfaqësues i FSHF-së në Kosovë). Por në atë kohë unë kisha ftesë nga Kombetarja Gjermane, ftesë të cilën s’mund ta refuzoja. Ama kjo nuk do të thotë që unë një ditë të mos bëhem pjesë e Shqipërisë, pasi nuk mund të harroj origjinën time..
  16. News: Gazeta Start. De Biazi: Valmir Sulejmani është në planet e mia. 28 January 2014. 1 August 2013. Sulejmani? Po, e njoh shumë mirë. E kam ndjekur prej kohësh, madje e kam parë me kujdes në takimin me Fraiburgun. Nuk ka dyshime që është futbollist shumë interesant dhe në planet e mia. Nuk diskutohet që ai mund të luajë me ekipin U-21, por edhe më shumë, mund të jetë një alternativë e mirë për Ekipin A..
  17. Web site: Gega "vesh" kuq e zi Sylejmanin e Paqaraden . aSport.al . 30 November 2016.
  18. Web site: Hannoveri e ndalon Sylejmanin ti bashkohet Shqipërisë për ndeshjen me Katarin . aSport.al . 30 November 2016.
  19. Web site: U-21 ben gati miqesoren kunder Rumanise . Fshf.org . 30 November 2016.
  20. Web site: Bunjaku bënë publike listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjen kundër Guinesë Ekuatoriale . sq. Botapress. 7 October 2015.
  21. Web site: Kombëtarja U21 filloi përgatitjet për sfidën me Norvegjinë. sq. Football Federation of Kosovo. 5 June 2017.
  22. News: Valmir Sulejmani. Soccerway.
  23. One appearance with Union Berlin II
  24. One appearance with Hannover 96 II