Armando Sadiku facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Armando Durim Sadiku | ||
| Date of birth | 27 May 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Elbasan, Albania | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Goa | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1998–2007 | Fushë Mbreti | ||
| 2007–2008 | Turbina | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2009 | Turbina Cërrik | 40 | (10) |
| 2009–2010 | Gramozi Ersekë | 29 | (8) |
| 2010–2011 | Elbasani | 14 | (5) |
| 2011–2012 | Locarno | 40 | (28) |
| 2012–2013 | Lugano | 43 | (24) |
| 2014–2017 | Zürich | 55 | (15) |
| 2015–2016 | Zürich U21 | 8 | (2) |
| 2016 | → Vaduz (loan) | 16 | (7) |
| 2017 | → Lugano (loan) | 16 | (9) |
| 2017–2018 | Legia Warsaw | 17 | (2) |
| 2018–2020 | Levante | 6 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Lugano (loan) | 16 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | → Málaga (loan) | 36 | (13) |
| 2020–2021 | BB Erzurumspor | 5 | (0) |
| 2021 | Bolívar | 7 | (2) |
| 2021–2022 | Las Palmas | 24 | (4) |
| 2022–2023 | Cartagena | 28 | (8) |
| 2023–2024 | Mohun Bagan | 22 | (8) |
| 2024–2025 | Goa | 24 | (10) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2009 | Albania U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Albania U21 | 7 | (6) |
| 2012–2023 | Albania | 39 | (12) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:20, 14 April 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 May 2024 |
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Armando Durim Sadiku (born on May 27, 1991) is a professional football player from Albania. He plays as a striker, which means he's a forward who scores goals. He recently played for Indian Super League club Goa.
Sadiku started his senior career in Albania with Turbina. He then moved to Gramozi and later Elbasani. After some trouble in Albania, he moved to Switzerland. There, he became a top goalscorer for clubs like Locarno and Lugano.
He later joined Zürich, where he won the 2013–14 Swiss Cup. Sadiku also played for Vaduz and returned to Lugano on loan. He then played for Legia Warsaw in Poland and Levante in Spain. After that, he had spells with BB Erzurumspor in Turkey and Bolívar in Bolivia. He returned to Spain to play for Las Palmas and Cartagena. In 2023, he joined Mohun Bagan in India, and in 2024, he moved to Goa.
Armando Sadiku also plays for the Albanian national team. He has scored 12 goals for his country, making him one of their top goalscorers. He was part of the team that played in UEFA Euro 2016, where he scored Albania's first-ever goal in a UEFA European Championship.
Contents
Football Journey
Starting Out in Albania
Armando Sadiku was born in Cërrik, Elbasan, Albania. He started playing football at age 7 with a local club called Fushë Mbreti. Later, he joined the youth teams of his hometown club, Turbina. He made his professional debut for Turbina in Albania's second league, the Kategoria e Parë, playing for two seasons from 2007 to 2009.
In the summer of 2009, Sadiku moved to Gramozi, a team that had just been promoted to Albania's top league, the Kategoria Superiore. He played his first top-league game on August 23, 2009, at 18 years old. He scored his first goal for Gramozi on September 19 against Skënderbeu. A week later, he scored again when Gramozi got their first-ever win in the top league against Flamurtari. Sadiku scored 8 goals in 28 league games for Gramozi before the team was relegated after just one season.
Moving to Elbasani
After his time at Gramozi, Sadiku signed with his hometown club, Elbasani. During the first half of the 2010–11 season, he played 14 matches and scored 5 goals. He scored his first goal for Elbasani in his second game, a winning goal against Bylis.
However, on December 19, 2010, during a match against Laçi, Sadiku was sent off. He had scored a goal that was disallowed for offside, and he reacted badly towards the referee. Because of this, he was banned from playing football in Albania for two years. This incident led him to leave Albania and continue his career in Switzerland.
Success in Switzerland
Joining Locarno
In March 2011, Sadiku moved to Switzerland and joined Locarno, a team in the Swiss Challenge League (the second division). He made his debut on March 13, 2011. He scored his first goal in Switzerland on April 1, helping Locarno win 2–1 against Chiasso. This goal opened the door for him to score many more. He ended that season with 9 goals in 12 games, helping his team avoid relegation.
The 2011–12 season started strong for Sadiku. He scored two goals in the first game against Wohlen. He continued to score regularly, finishing the season with 19 goals in the league. This made him the top goalscorer in the 2011–12 Swiss Challenge League.
Playing for Lugano
On July 23, 2012, Sadiku signed a three-year contract with Lugano. He quickly made an impact, scoring two goals in his first game against Biel-Bienne. He continued his great form, scoring 20 goals in 32 league games during his first season with Lugano. This made him the top scorer for the second season in a row.
He started the 2013–14 season by scoring in a cup match. Before leaving Lugano in November 2013, he had scored 6 goals in 11 games.
Time at Zürich
On November 13, 2013, Sadiku moved to Zürich, a team in the top Swiss league, the Swiss Super League. He signed a contract until June 2018. He made his debut for Zürich on February 1, 2014, and scored his first goal for the club on February 16 against Thun.
Sadiku helped Zürich win the 2013–14 Swiss Cup. This was his first trophy in his career. However, in May 2014, he got a serious knee injury that kept him out of action for six months. He returned to play in November 2014.
Loan to Vaduz
In January 2016, Sadiku was loaned to Vaduz, another team in the Swiss Super League. He made a fantastic debut for Vaduz, scoring two goals and assisting two others in a 5–2 win against his former club, Lugano. He helped Vaduz stay in the top league.
Return to Lugano on Loan
In January 2017, Sadiku returned to Lugano on loan. He quickly found his scoring touch, scoring in five games in a row. He formed a strong partnership with teammate Ezgjan Alioski. On May 21, Sadiku scored against Vaduz, helping Lugano win 3–0 and qualify for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League. He scored 9 goals in 16 games during this loan spell.
Adventures Abroad
Playing in Poland
On July 12, 2017, Sadiku joined Polish club Legia Warsaw. He signed a three-year contract. He made his debut for Legia on July 15, scoring his team's only goal in a 3–1 loss. He also scored in his UEFA Champions League debut and his Polish Cup debut. He scored 7 goals in 25 official matches for Legia Warsaw.
Time in Spain with Levante
On January 31, 2018, Sadiku moved to Levante in La Liga, Spain's top league. He made his debut on February 26. However, he suffered a head injury in a match on March 4 and later a major knee injury in August 2018, which kept him out for a long time.
Loan Back to Lugano
On January 15, 2019, Sadiku returned to Lugano on loan until the end of the season. He was very motivated to play again.
Loan to Málaga
On September 2, 2019, Sadiku extended his contract with Levante until 2021 and was immediately loaned to Segunda División side Málaga.
Journey to Turkey and Bolivia
Sadiku then moved to the Turkish club BB Erzurumspor in the Süper Lig in 2020. He played in only five games without scoring and left after a year.
In January 2021, Sadiku made history by becoming the first Albanian player to play in Bolivia when he signed for Bolívar. Two months later, he also became the first Albanian to play in the 2021 Copa Libertadores, which is a very important club competition in South America.
Return to Spain
On July 29, 2021, Sadiku returned to Spain and signed with Las Palmas. The following year, on July 17, 2022, he moved to Cartagena, another team in the Spanish second division.
Playing in India
On June 25, 2023, Sadiku joined Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan. He made his debut in the Durand Cup and scored his first goal in an AFC Cup Play-off match. He scored the winning goal in the 2023 Durand Cup semi-final, helping his team reach the final. Mohun Bagan won the final, securing their first trophy of the 2023–24 season.
In July 2024, Sadiku joined another Indian Super League team, Goa. He scored a key goal for Goa in the 2024 Bandodkar Trophy. On April 14, 2025, it was announced that Sadiku had left FC Goa.
International Football
Youth Teams
Sadiku played for the Albania under-19 team in 2009. He also played for the Albania under-21 team. In 2011, he scored two goals against Moldova U21 and two more against Poland. He scored another two goals against Portugal, bringing his total to 6 goals in his first 5 games for the U21 team. He was the top goalscorer in his group for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification.
Senior National Team
Sadiku made his debut for the Albania senior team on February 29, 2012, in a friendly match against Georgia.
World Cup Qualifiers
For the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Sadiku was one of the young forwards brought into the team. On September 7, 2012, he scored his first international goal against Cyprus, helping Albania win 3–1.
UEFA Euro 2016
Sadiku was part of Albania's squad for UEFA Euro 2016. He made his first appearance in the tournament on June 11, 2016, against Switzerland. Eight days later, in the final group match against Romania, Sadiku scored a header in the first half. This goal led to a historic 1–0 win for Albania. It was Albania's first-ever win in a major football tournament and Sadiku became the first Albanian player to score a goal in the UEFA European Championship.
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More World Cup Qualifiers
For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, Sadiku was in the team for the opening match against Macedonia on September 5, 2016. He scored the first goal in a 2–1 win for Albania. He later scored two goals against Israel on June 12, 2017, helping Albania win 3–0.
Euro 2020 Qualifiers
On March 14, 2019, Sadiku was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying matches. On March 25, he started against Andorra and scored in the 21st minute, helping Albania win 3–0. This was his 12th international goal, making him one of Albania's top all-time goalscorers.
Achievements
Zürich
- Swiss Cup: 2013–14
Vaduz
- Liechtenstein Cup: 2015–16
Mohun Bagan
- Durand Cup: 2023
- Indian Super League Shield: 2023–24
- ISL Cup: runner-up: 2023–24
FC Goa
- Bandodkar Trophy: 2024
Individual
- Polish Cup top scorer: 2017–18
Personal Details
Armando Sadiku was born on May 27, 1991. His father is from Trebisht, Albania, and his mother is from Podujevo, Kosovo. Sadiku is related to football players Taulant and Granit Xhaka through his mother. His brother, Sherif Sadiku, is also a professional footballer. Sadiku looks up to Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović and is a fan of the Italian club Internazionale. He also has a Bulgarian passport.
In December 2016, Sadiku was named an "Honorary Citizen" of Elbasan for his contributions to sports. In January 2018, he got engaged to Elona, a dentist from Kosovo.
Career Stats
Club Games
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Turbina | 2007–08 | Kategoria e Parë | 10 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| 2008–09 | 30 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 10 | |||
| Total | 40 | 10 | 1 | 0 | — | 41 | 10 | |||
| Gramozi | 2009–10 | Kategoria Superiore | 29 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 32 | 8 | |
| Elbasani | 2010–11 | Kategoria Superiore | 14 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 5 | |
| Locarno | 2010–11 | Swiss Challenge League | 12 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 9 | |
| 2011–12 | 27 | 19 | 2 | 3 | — | 29 | 22 | |||
| 2012–13 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 40 | 28 | 2 | 3 | — | 42 | 31 | |||
| Lugano | 2012–13 | Swiss Challenge League | 32 | 20 | 2 | 2 | — | 34 | 22 | |
| 2013–14 | 11 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | 12 | 7 | |||
| Total | 43 | 26 | 3 | 3 | — | 46 | 29 | |||
| Zürich | 2013–14 | Swiss Super League | 15 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 17 | 2 | |
| 2014–15 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 3 | ||
| 2015–16 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Swiss Challenge League | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 6 | |
| Total | 55 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 66 | 20 | ||
| Zürich U21 | 2014–15 | Swiss Promotion League | 2 | 2 | — | — | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2016–17 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 8 | 2 | — | — | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Vaduz (loan) | 2015–16 | Swiss Super League | 16 | 7 | 2 | 2 | — | 18 | 9 | |
| Lugano (loan) | 2016–17 | Swiss Super League | 16 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 16 | 9 | |
| Legia Warsaw | 2017–18 | Ekstraklasa | 17 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 7 |
| Levante | 2017–18 | La Liga | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Lugano (loan) | 2018–19 | Swiss Super League | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 17 | 3 | |
| Málaga (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 36 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 13 | |
| BB Erzurumspor | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | |
| Bolivar | 2021 | Bolivian Primera División | 7 | 2 | — | 8 | 0 | 15 | 2 | |
| Las Palmas | 2021–22 | Segunda División | 24 | 4 | 2 | 2 | — | 26 | 6 | |
| Cartagena | 2022–23 | Segunda División | 28 | 8 | 3 | 0 | — | 31 | 8 | |
| Mohun Bagan | 2023–24 | Indian Super League | 22 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 35 | 11 |
| Goa | 2024–25 | Indian Super League | 13 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 9 |
| Career total | 435 | 159 | 37 | 20 | 25 | 3 | 491 | 181 | ||
International Games
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2012 | 7 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 9 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 39 | 12 | |
- . Albania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Sadiku's goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 September 2012 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | 4 |  Cyprus |
1–0 | 3–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 11 October 2015 | Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium, Yerevan, Armenia | 14 |  Armenia |
3–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualification |
| 3 | 29 March 2016 | Stade Josy Barthel, Route d'Arlon, Luxembourg | 18 |  Luxembourg |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 29 May 2016 | Stadion Hartberg, Hartberg, Austria | 19 |  Qatar |
3–1 | 3–1 | |
| 5 | 3 June 2016 | Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia, Bergamo, Italy | 20 |  Ukraine |
1–1 | 1–3 | |
| 6 | 19 June 2016 | Parc Olympique Lyonnais, Lyon, France | 23 |  Romania |
1–0 | 1–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 |
| 7 | 5 September 2016 | Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania | 25 |  Macedonia |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 11 June 2017 | Sammy Ofer Stadium, Haifa, Israel | 28 |  Israel |
1–0 | 3–0 | |
| 9 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 10 | 13 November 2017 | New Antalya Stadium, Antalya, Turkey | 32 |  Turkey |
1–0 | 3–2 | Friendly |
| 11 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 12 | 25 March 2019 | Estadi Nacional, Andorra la Vella, Andorra | 35 |  Andorra |
1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualification |
See also
In Spanish: Armando Sadiku para niños
