Valon Ethemi Explained

Valon Ethemi
Birth Date:1997 10, df=yes
Birth Place:Palatica, Macedonia
Height:1.79 m
Position:Midfielder
Clubnumber:72
Youthyears1:2010–2015
Youthclubs1:Renova
Youthyears2:2015–2016
Youthclubs2:Dinamo Tirana
Years1:2016–2017
Clubs1:Adriatiku Mamurras
Caps1:22
Goals1:4
Years2:2017–2021
Clubs2:Kukësi
Caps2:95
Goals2:9
Years3:2021–
Clubs3:İstanbulspor
Caps3:97
Goals3:20
Years4:2024–
Clubs4:Konyaspor (loan)
Caps4:15
Goals4:1
Nationalyears1:2018
Nationalteam1:Albania U21
Nationalcaps1:1
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2022–
Nationalteam2:North Macedonia
Nationalcaps2:4
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:25 June 2024
Nationalteam-Update:12 November 2023

Valon Ethemi (Macedonian: Валон Етеми; born 3 October 1997) is a Macedonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Süper Lig club Konyaspor on loan from İstanbulspor. A former youth international for Albania, he plays for the North Macedonia national team.

Club career

Early career

Ethemi was born in Palatica, Želino Municipality to ethnic Albanian parents but later moved to Albania where he joined the Dinamo Tirana academy as a 17-year-old, where he remained for one year before joining professional side Adriatiku Mamurras in the Albanian First Division, the second tier of football in Albania. He featured in 22 league games for the club during the 2016–17 campaign, scoring 4 goals in the process which landed him a move to Albanian Superliga champions Kukësi.

Kukësi

He officially joined Kukësi on 28 August 2017, penning a three-year contract and receiving squad number 27.[1] Later on 6 September, he was on the bench for his side's 2017 Albanian Supercup loss to Tirana.[2] He played his first Albanian Superliga match three days later on the opening league game of the season, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute for Ndriçim Shtubina in the 1–0 home win over newly promoted Kamza.[3] He scored his first league goal for the club on 16 October 2017 in a 4–2 home victory over KF Teuta Durrës. His goal, scored in the 31st minute, made the score 2–0 in favor of Kukësi. He was later subbed out, being replaced by Rauf Aliyev in the 78th minute.[4]

İstanbulspor

Ethemi helped İstanbulspor achieve promotion in the 2021–22 season for the first time in 17 years.[5] He started in İstanbulspor return to the Süper Lig in a 2–0 season opening loss to Trabzonspor on 5 August 2022.[6]

International career

On 28 May 2018 Ethemi made his debut with Albania U21 in a friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 after being named in the starting line-up.[7]

On 12 June 2022 Ethemi made his debut with North Macedonia in a match of UEFA Nations League against Gibraltar.

Career statistics

ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Adriatiku Mamurras2016–17Albanian First Division22400224
Kukësi2017–18Albanian Superliga3327100403
2018–19Kategoria Superiore3118440435
2019–20Kategoria Superiore316402110387
Total959195611012115
İstanbulspor2020–21TFF First League1610020181
2021–22TFF First League3562031407
2022–23Süper Lig3012203212
2023–24Süper Lig14100141
Total952040005110421
Career total21233235616124740

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Kukësi "peshkon" një talent, firmos mesfushori Valon Etemi. Kukësi “fishes” a talent midfielder Valon Ethemi signs. Panorama Sport. sq. 29 August 2017. 6 June 2018.
  2. News: Finalja e Superkupës, Tirana godet në fund. Supercup final, Tirana strikes at the end. Sport Ekspres. sq. 6 September 2017. 18 November 2017.
  3. News: Kukësi mposht Kamzën falë një penalltie, Bakaj debuton me gol (VIDEO). Kukësi defeats Kamza thanks to a penalty, Bakaj debuts with goal (VIDEO). Panorama Sport. sq. 9 September 2017. 9 September 2017.
  4. Web site: Kukesi vs. Teuta Durres – 16 October 2017 – Soccerway. int.soccerway.com. 28 June 2018.
  5. Web site: İstanbulspor, 17 yıl sonra Spor Toto Süper Lig’de. Pusula Haber.
  6. Web site: Trabzonspor lige galibiyetle başladı!. Haber7.
  7. News: Shqipëria U-21 humbet miqësoren me Bosnje-Hercegovinën. Albanian Football Association. sq. 28 May 2018. 28 May 2018.