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Drilon Cenaj

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Albanian footballer

Drilon Cenaj
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-09-12) 12 September 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Gjakova, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team Feronikeli
Number 34
Youth career
2001–2013 Sarajevo
2013–2015 Puskás Akadémia
2015–2016 Chievo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Salernitana 0 (0)
2017 Velež Mostar 1 (0)
2017–2018 Novigrad 16 (2)
2018–2019 Pandurii Târgu Jiu 31 (1)
2019 Botev Vratsa 0 (0)
2019 Viitorul Târgu Jiu 13 (0)
2019–2020 Nyíregyháza 5 (0)
2020 Čelik Zenica 3 (0)
2020 Tuzla City 0 (0)
2020–2022 Szentlőrinc 32 (1)
2022–2023 Prishtina 2 (0)
2023–2024 Fushë Kosova 28 (0)
2024– Feronikeli 4 (0)
International career
2013 Albania U17 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 February 2013

Drilon Cenaj (born 12 September 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kosovo Superleague club Feronikeli.

Club career

Early career and Salernitana

Cenaj is a product of youth team systems of the different Bosnian and Hungarian sides. On 15 September 2015, he signed with under-19 team of Chievo after agreeing to a multiyear deal.

On 2 August 2016, Cenaj signed his first professional contract with Serie B side Salernitana after agreeing to a one-year deal. Five days later, he was named as a Salernitana substitute for the first time in the 2016–17 Coppa Italia second round against Benevento, but was an unused substitute in that match.

Velež Mostar

On 10 March 2017, Cenaj joined First League of FBiH side Velež Mostar. On 8 April 2017, he made his debut in a 3–0 away defeat against Budućnost Banovići after being named in the starting line-up.

Novigrad

On 1 August 2017, Cenaj joined Croatian Second League side Novigrad. His debut with Novigrad came eighteen days later in a 1–1 home draw against Varaždin after coming on as a substitute at 56th minute in place of Nemanja Belaković.

Pandurii Târgu Jiu

On 19 February 2018, Cenaj joined Romanian Liga II side Pandurii Târgu Jiu. On 10 March 2018, he made his debut in a 2–1 home win against Mioveni after coming on as a substitute at 83rd minute in place of Brian Lemac.

Botev Vratsa and Viitorul Târgu Jiu

On 9 January 2019, Cenaj joined Bulgarian First Professional League side Botev Vratsa. A month later, he joined Romanian Liga II side Viitorul Târgu Jiu. On 23 February 2019, he made his debut in a 0–2 away defeat against Universitatea Cluj after being named in the starting line-up.

Nyíregyháza

On 12 July 2019, Cenaj joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Nyíregyháza. On 18 August 2019, he made his debut in a 3–0 home win against Békéscsaba after being named in the starting line-up.

Čelik Zenica

On 17 February 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Čelik Zenica after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal. His debut with Čelik Zenica came six days later in a 0–2 away defeat against Zrinjski Mostar after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Marko Perišić.

Tuzla City and Szentlőrinc

On 26 June 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Tuzla City. However, less than two months later, on 18 August, he suddenly left the club. On 22 October 2020, he joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Szentlőrinc. His debut with Szentlőrinc came three days later in a 3–0 away win against Békéscsaba after coming on as a substitute at 72nd minute in place of Alexander Torvund.

Prishtina

On 21 January 2022, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Prishtina after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal. On 7 April 2022, he was named as a Prishtina substitute for the first time in the 2021–22 Kosovar Cup semi-finals against Llapi. His debut with Prishtina came on 4 May in a 5–0 home win against Feronikeli after being named in the starting line-up.

Fushë Kosova

In August 2023, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Fushë Kosova. His debut with Fushë Kosova came on 19 August in a 1–6 away defeat against Malisheva after being named in the starting line-up.

International career

During the 2012–13 period, Cenaj represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U15, and U17 level. In February 2013, he becomes part of Albania U17 with which he made his debut in a 1–1 away draw against Italy after being named in the starting line-up. On 15 March 2014, Cenaj returned to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina again by accepting their call-up from the under-17 team for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round, but due to injury, could not be part of the national team. In addition to Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has the right to represent his homeland, Kosovo at the international level.

References

  1. "Drilon Cenaj, ylli i ri 18 vjeçar shqiptar në Serie A" [Drilon Cenaj, the 18-year-old Albanian new star in Serie A] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 3 November 2015. Cenaj filloj te luaj prej moshes 4 vjeqare ne shkollen e futbollit te Sarajeves, aty u stervit per 9 vite radhazi dhe ne vitin 2013 u largua nga klubi i Sarajeves dhe u bashkua me akademinë e Puskas, dhe qe nga atehere u hetua nga klubet e lartepermendura italiane si talent i madh
  2. "Drilon Cenaj signed for Chievo Verona". SarajevoTimes. 15 September 2015.
  3. "Një tjetër shqiptar luan në Itali, Cenaj firmos për Salernitanën" [Another Albanian plays in Italy, Cenaj signs for Salernitana] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 2 August 2016.
  4. "Benevento vs. Salernitana 0–0". Soccerway. 7 August 2016.
  5. "Novigrad vs. Varaždin 1–1". Soccerway. 19 August 2017.
  6. "Pandurii Târgu Jiu vs. Mioveni 2–1". Soccerway. 10 March 2018.
  7. "Bivši igrač Sarajeva karijeru nastavlja u Bugarskoj" [The former Sarajevo player continues his career in Bulgaria]. life.ba (in Bosnian). 10 January 2019.
  8. "Viitorul P. Târgu Jiu vs. Universitatea Cluj 0–2". Soccerway. 10 March 2018.
  9. "Iz Rumunije u Mađarsku: Drilon Cenaj potpisao za Nyíregyháza Spartacus" [From Romania to Hungary: Drilon Cenaj signs for Nyíregyháza Spartacus]. SCSport.ba (in Bosnian). 12 July 2019.
  10. "Nyíregyháza Spartacus vs. Békéscsaba 3–0". Soccerway. 18 August 2019.
  11. "Drilon Cenaj narednu godinu i po stanovnik Bilinog polja" [Drilon Cenaj is a resident of Bilino Polje for the next year and a half]. SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). 17 February 2020.
  12. "NK Čelik - HŠK Zrinjski (0:1) 0:2" (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 23 February 2020.
  13. "Cenaj potpisao za Tuzla City" [Cenaj signed for Tuzla City]. SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). 26 June 2020.
  14. "Drilon Cenaj napustio Tuzla City" [Cenaj left Tuzla City]. Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 18 August 2020.
  15. "Békéscsaba vs. Szentlőrinc SE 0–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  16. "Zyrtare: Prishtina nënshkruan me Drilon Cenaj" [Official: Prishtina signed Drilon Cenaj] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 21 January 2022.
  17. FC Prishtina (7 April 2022). "FC Prishtina VS FC Llapi" – via Instagram.
  18. "Formacionet zyrtare: Prishtina – Feronikeli" [Official lineups: Prishtina – Feronikeli]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 4 May 2022.
  19. "Fushë Kosova afër transferimit të Drilon Cenajt, mungon vetëm firma" [Fushë Kosova is close to the transfer of Drilon Cenaj, only the signature is missing]. Gazeta Blic (in Albanian). August 2022.
  20. "Malisheva – Fushë Kosova, 11-shet startuese" [Malisheva – Fushë Kosova, the starting 11]. TopSporti. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  21. "Od sutra selekcija U-15 u kampu" [Starting tomorrow, the U-15 selection is in the camp] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  22. "Prijateljske utakmice "U-17" reprezentacije" [Friendly matches of the "U-17" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  23. "Zimski kamp "U-17" i "U-15" reprezentacija" [Winter camp "U-17" and "U-15" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  24. "Miqësorja, Shqipëria U-17 "shtanget" në limit nga sllovenët" [The friendly, Albania U-17 "stunned" in the limit by the Slovenians] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 20 February 2013.
  25. ""U-17" reprezentacija" ["U-17" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  26. "Okupila se "U-17" reprezentacija" [The "U-17" national team gathered] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 18 March 2014.

External links

FC Feronikeli 74 – current squad
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