Olger Merkaj
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] | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Foggia | ||
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 | 50 | (11) |
2019–2020 | US Breno | 20 | (7) |
2020–2021 | Bra | 37 | (18) |
2021– | Foggia | 0 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 June 2021 |
Olger Merkaj (born 23 July 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger or forward for Italian club Foggia.
Early life and Youth career[]
Merkaj was born in Vlorë, Albania and moved to Italy at age of 8. He started his youth career at U.C. Sampdoria in 2012.[2][3]
Club career[]
Tuttocuoio[]
On 26 June 2016 Merkaj was loaned to Lega Pro side A.C. Tuttocuoio 1957 San Miniato.[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[]
On 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[]
On 9 July 2021, he signed with Serie C club Foggia.[8]
International career[]
Merkaj 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.[9] 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 of Czech Republic U17.[10]
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 21–28 January 2017.[11]
Career statistics[]
Club[]
- As of 21 January 2018 [3]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe[a] | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Tuttocuoio | 2016–17 | Lega Pro | 11 | 2 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 15 | 3 | ||
Casale | 2017–18 | Serie D | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 2 | ||
Chieri | 2017–18 | Serie D | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 5 | 2 | ||
Career total | 31 | 5 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 37 | 7 |
- ^ Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
References[]
- ^ 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). A.S.D. Calcio Chieri 1955. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
- ^ "Merkaj Olger è il primo acquisto rossonero" (in Italian). Foggia. 9 July 2021.
- ^ 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[]
- Olger Merkaj at Soccerway
- Olger Merkaj profile at Serie A TIM
- Olger Merkaj at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
- 1997 births
- Living people
- People from Vlorë
- Association football wingers
- Association football forwards
- Albanian footballers
- Albania youth international footballers
- Albania under-21 international footballers
- A.C. Tuttocuoio 1957 San Miniato players
- Casale F.B.C. players
- A.C. Bra players
- Calcio Foggia 1920 S.S.D. players
- Serie C players
- Serie D players
- Albanian expatriate footballers
- Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
- Expatriate footballers in Italy