Andi Zeqiri

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Andi Zeqiri
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-06-22) 22 June 1999 (age 22)
Place of birth Lausanne, Switzerland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-forward
Club information
Current team
 FC Augsburg
(on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion)
Number 21
Youth career
2008–2011 Stade Lausanne-Ouchy
2011–2017 Lausanne
2016–2017 → Juventus (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2020 Lausanne 94 (28)
2020– Brighton & Hove Albion 9 (0)
2021– → FC Augsburg (loan) 1 (0)
National team‡
2013–2014 Switzerland U15 3 (1)
2014–2015 Switzerland U16 7 (3)
2014–2016 Switzerland U17 13 (4)
2016–2017 Switzerland U18 7 (3)
2015–2017 Switzerland U19 13 (5)
2018 Switzerland U20 2 (2)
2018– Switzerland U21 16 (11)
2021– Switzerland 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 September 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 8 September 2021

Andi Zeqiri (born 22 June 1999) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a striker for Bundesliga side FC Augsburg on loan from Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, and also plays for the Swiss national team.

Club career[]

Early career and Lausanne[]

At the age of 9, Zeqiri started playing football for local team Stade Lausanne-Ouchy, where after three years he was transferred to Lausanne,[1] playing with the youth teams in 24 matches and scoring 15 goals. On 22 May 2015, Zeqiri made his professional debut in a 2–1 away defeat against Le Mont, coming on as a substitute in the 71st minute in place of Anđelko Savić.[2]

Loan at Juventus[]

On 30 August 2016, Zeqiri joined Campionato Primavera 2 side Juventus Youth, on a season-long loan with an option to buy.[3] On 1 October 2016, he made his debut in a 2–0 home win against Sassuolo after coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute in place of Moise Kean.[4]

Return from loan[]

On 1 July 2017, Zeqiri returned to Swiss Super League side Lausanne. On 12 August 2017, he played the first game after the return in the 2017–18 Swiss Cup first round against NK Pajde Möhlin after coming on as a substitute at 89th minute in place of Gabriel Torres.[5]

Brighton & Hove Albion[]

On 1 October 2020, Zeqiri signed a four-year contract with Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.[6][7] He made his debut for The Seagulls in a 1–1 home draw against Sheffield United on 20 December coming on as a substitute in the 72nd minute.[8] He made his first start for The Seagulls on 10 January 2021 in a third round FA Cup tie away at Newport County where Brighton eventually won on penalties with Zeqiri being replaced in the 63rd minute.[9] Zeqiri came on as a substitute in Brighton's 1–0 away victory over defending champions Liverpool on 3 February claiming their first league win at Anfield since 1982.[10] A few months later, he came on as a substitute in another huge win, Brighton's 3–2 home victory over champions Manchester City on 18 May, with fans returning to football, in which The Seagulls went from 2–0 down to beat The Sky Blues for the first time since 1989.[11]

Zeqiri scored his first Brighton goal in his first game of the 2021–22 season scoring Albions' second in the 2–0 EFL Cup second round away win over Cardiff City in what was also his League Cup debut.[12]

FC Augsburg (loan)[]

On 30 August 2021, it was announced that Zeqiri had signed for Bundesliga side FC Augsburg on loan for the 2021–22 season.[13] He made his debut on 11 September, coming on as a substitute in the 0–0 away draw at Union Berlin.[14]


International career[]

Youth career with Switzerland[]

Since 2013, Zeqiri is part of Switzerland at youth international level, respectively part of the U15, U16, U17, U18, U19, U20 and U21 teams and he with these teams played 61 matches and scored 29 goals.

Proposed Kosovo switch[]

On 17 June 2020, Zeqiri's father confirmed that he has obtained the Kosovan passport and he will start the process of completing the necessary documents, which would allow him to play for Kosovo immediately after the end of the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship with Switzerland U21's.[15]

European U21 Championships[]

On 15 March 2021, Zeqiri was named as part of the Switzerland U21's squad for 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.[16] He played in all three of Switzerland's group matches, including playing the whole match of the 1–0 victory over England U21's as they finished third in Group D and not qualifying for the knockouts as a result.[17]

Pledging Future with Switzerland[]

Euro 2020 call-up[]

Zeqiri pledged his international career to Switzerland after he was named in Switzerland's 29-man preliminary squad for Euro 2020 on 19 May 2021, this also being his first call-up for the Swiss senior side.[18][19] The tournament which is taken place in the summer of 2021 due to the previous year's postponement as a result of Coronavirus.[20] He featured on the bench where he remained an unused substitute in his first match day squad appearance in a 2–1 friendly win at home against the United States on 30 May, in a warm up match for the Euros.[21] A day later he was one of three players cut from the squad for the finals.[22]

He made his national debut on 1 September 2021, coming on as a substitute in the 2–1 friendly victory over Greece at home.[23]

Personal life[]

Zeqiri was born in Lausanne, Switzerland to Kosovan Albanian parents from the village Talinoc i Muhaxhirëve of Ferizaj.[24]

Career statistics[]

Club[]

As of 11 September 2021[25]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Lausanne 2014–15 Swiss Challenge League 3 0 0 0 — — 3 0
2015–16 14 2 2 1 — — 16 3
2016–17 Swiss Super League 0 0 1 0 — — 1 0
2017–18 19 2 2 0 — — 21 2
2018–19 Swiss Challenge League 24 7 1 1 — — 25 8
2019–20 33 17 4 5 — — 37 22
2020–21 Swiss Super League 1 0 0 0 — — 1 0
Total 94 28 10 7 0 0 0 0 104 35
Brighton & Hove Albion 2020–21 Premier League 9 0 3 0 0 0 — 12 0
2021–22 Premier League 0 0 0 0 1 1 — 1 1
Total 9 0 3 0 1 1 0 0 13 1
FC Augsburg (loan) 2021–22 Bundesliga 1 0 0 0 — — 1 0
Career total 104 28 13 7 1 1 0 0 118 36

International[]

As of match played 8 September 2021
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Switzerland 2021 3 0
Total 3 0

References[]

  1. ^ "Andi Zeqiri (17) ist das nächste Schweizer Supertalent" [Andi Zeqiri (17) is the next Swiss super talent] (in German). Blick. 13 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Le Mont vs. Lausanne-Sport 2–1". Soccerway. Retrieved 22 May 2015.
  3. ^ "Le Lausannois Zeqiri fait le grand saut à la Juventus" [Lausanne's Zeqiri takes the plunge to Juventus]. Swiss Football League (in French). 30 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Juventus Primavera–Sassuolo 2–0". Juventus Club Malta (in Maltese). 1 October 2016.
  5. ^ "NK Pajde – FC Lausanne-Sport 1:3". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Albion sign Zeqiri". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 1 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Zeqiri: Potter's faith in young players a big pull". Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. 1 October 2020.
  8. ^ "Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Sheffield United: Danny Welbeck saves late point against ten men". BBC Sport. 20 December 2020.
  9. ^ "Newport County 1–1(3–4 pens) Brighton & Hove Albion". BBC Sport. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Liverpool 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Steven Alzate scores in shock win". BBC Sport. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Brighton 3-2 Man City: Albion come back from two down to beat 10-man champions - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 18 May 2021. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Cardiff City 0-2 Brighton & Hove Albion: Seagulls into Carabao Cup third round - BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Andi Zeqiri joins FC Augsburg on loan". Brighton & Hove Albion FC. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Bundesliga 2021/2022 1.FC Union Berlin gegen FC Augsburg - Starting XI". FC Augsburg. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  15. ^ "Ekskluzive: Flet babai i Andi Zeqirit; Andi e ka zgjedhur Kosovën!" [Exclusive: Andi Zeqiri's father speaks; Andi has chosen Kosovo!]. Futbolli.info (in Albanian). 17 June 2020.
  16. ^ "Mauro Lustrinelli nominiert Kader für die U-21-EM" [Mauro Lustrinelli nominates the squad for the U-21 European Championship] (in German). Swiss Football Association. 15 March 2021.
  17. ^ "England U21 0-1 Switzerland U21: Young Lions lose opening game at Euro U21 finals - BBC Sport#". BBC Sport. 25 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Mit 29 Spielern Richtung UEFA EURO" [With 29 players towards UEFA Euro]. Swiss Football Association (in German). 19 May 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  19. ^ "Andi Zeqiri could make final Switzerland squad for Euro 2020". The Argus. 19 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  20. ^ "Resolution of the European football family on a coordinated response to the impact of the COVID-19 on competitions". UEFA.com. Union of European Football Associations. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
  21. ^ "Schweizerischer Fussballverband - Statistik und Resultate". SFV/ASF. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2021.
  22. ^ "Swiss Football Association - The swiss national team squad for UEFA EURO is known". SFV/ASF. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  23. ^ "EPO - Hellenic Football Federation - Switzerland-Greece 2-1". EPO. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  24. ^ "ZYRTARE: Talenti 17 vjeçar nga Ferizaji prezantohet te Juventusi (FOTO)" [OFFICIAL: 17-year-old talent from Ferizaj is presented to Juventus (PHOTO)]. Lajmi.net (in Albanian). 30 August 2016.
  25. ^ Andi Zeqiri at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata

External links[]

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