Armando Sadiku facts for kids

Armando Durim Sadiku (born on May 27, 1991) is a professional footballer from Albania. He plays as a striker for the Indian Super League club Goa.

Armando started his career in Albania's second-tier league with Turbina. In 2009, he moved to Gramozi in Albania's top league, where he scored eight goals. This success led him to join another top-tier team, Elbasani. After some trouble, he moved to Switzerland to play for Locarno.

In Switzerland, Sadiku became a great goalscorer. He was the top scorer in the 2011–12 Swiss Challenge League and again in the 2012–13 Swiss Challenge League with 20 goals for Lugano. In 2013, he joined Zürich, a top-flight team, and even won the 2013–14 Swiss Cup with them. He also played for Vaduz and returned to Lugano on loan.

Later, Sadiku played for Legia Warsaw in Poland and Levante in Spain. He also had loan spells with Lugano and Málaga. He then played for BB Erzurumspor in Turkey and Bolívar in Bolivia, becoming the first Albanian to play in South America's biggest club competition, the Copa Libertadores. He returned to Spain to play for Las Palmas and Cartagena.

In 2023, he joined Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan Super Giant and helped them win the 2023 Durand Cup. He is now playing for Goa.

Armando Sadiku is also an important player for the Albanian national team. With 12 goals, he is one of Albania's top active goalscorers. He played for Albania's under-19 and under-21 teams, scoring 6 goals in just 7 games for the U21 team. He made his senior team debut in 2012. He was part of the UEFA Euro 2016 squad and scored Albania's first-ever goal in a UEFA European Championship.

Club Journey

Starting Out in Albania

Armando Sadiku was born in Cërrik, Elbasan. He started playing football at age 7 with a local team 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 (2007–08 and 2008–09).

Playing for Gramozi

In the summer of 2009, Sadiku moved to Gramozi. This was a new team in Albania's top league, the Kategoria Superiore. He played his first top-league game on August 23, when he was 18 years old. It was against Shkumbini, and the game ended in a 0–0 draw. Sadiku came on as a substitute in the second half.

He scored his first goal on September 19 against Skënderbeu. He scored again a week later when Gramozi got their first win in the Kategoria Superiore, beating Flamurtari.

Sadiku scored 8 goals in 28 league games during his only season with Gramozi. The team was relegated after just one year in the top league.

Time at Elbasani

After Gramozi, Sadiku signed with his hometown club, Elbasani. In the first half of the 2010–11 season, he played 14 matches and scored 5 goals. He debuted for Elbasani on August 22, 2010, in a 1–1 draw against Tirana. He scored his first goal for them six days later, helping his team win 2–1 against Bylis.

On December 19, 2010, during a match against Laçi, Sadiku was sent off. He had some trouble with a referee and was suspended from playing in Albanian football for two years. This was his last game in Albania, as he decided to move to Switzerland to continue his career. Elbasani also finished last that season and was relegated.

Moving to Locarno

In March 2011, Sadiku moved to Switzerland and joined Swiss Challenge League team Locarno. He made his debut on March 13, playing for 82 minutes in a 2–1 loss. He scored his first goal in Switzerland in his third game, helping Locarno win 2–1 against Chiasso on April 1.

This goal started a scoring streak for him. He scored two goals against Kriens and also found the net against Aarau and Winterthur. He ended that half-season with 9 goals in 12 games, helping his team avoid relegation.

Sadiku started the 2011–12 season strongly, scoring twice on the first day against Wohlen. He scored another two goals on August 20 in Locarno's 3–0 win over Étoile Carouge. He also scored in the Swiss Cup, but Locarno was knocked out. Sadiku finished his second season with Locarno as the top scorer in the league, with 19 goals.

Joining Lugano

On July 23, 2012, Lugano announced they had signed Sadiku on a three-year contract. He made his first game for Lugano a week later, scoring two goals in a 4–0 home win against Biel-Bienne. He scored another two goals on August 19 in a 4–1 win over Wohlen.

Sadiku scored 20 goals in 32 league games in his first season with Lugano, becoming the top scorer again. The team finished 7th in the league. He also scored 2 goals in 2 cup matches.

He started the new season by scoring in a 1–3 loss to St. Gallen in the Swiss Cup, which saw Lugano eliminated. In the first part of the 2013–14 season, Sadiku scored 6 goals in 11 games, including two goals in a 3–1 win over Schaffhausen, before he left in November.

Playing for Zürich

On November 13, 2013, Sadiku moved to Zürich. He signed a contract until June 2018 and took the number 11 jersey. At Zürich, he played alongside his Albanian teammate Burim Kukeli.

Sadiku played his first Swiss Super League game on February 1 against Sion. He scored his first top-league goal on February 16 in a 3–1 home win against Thun.

He also played in the Swiss Cup semi-final against Thun. The game went to penalties, and Sadiku scored his penalty, helping his team win 5–4. He also played in the final against Basel, which Zürich won after extra time, earning Sadiku his first trophy.

On May 10, 2014, Sadiku got injured during a league match against St. Gallen. This injury kept him out of action for about six months.

He returned to play on November 30, 2014, in a 2014–15 Swiss Super League match against Basel. He scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season in a 5–0 win over Cham in the Swiss Cup. He finished the 2014–15 season with 3 goals in 14 league games and 1 goal in 1 cup match.

Loan to Vaduz

In the first part of the 2015–16 season, Sadiku didn't play much for Zürich. He asked to be loaned to another team so he could play more and be ready for UEFA Euro 2016 with Albania. On January 12, 2016, he was loaned to Vaduz until the end of the season.

Sadiku played his first game for Vaduz on February 6, scoring two goals and helping with two assists in a 5–2 win against Lugano. On February 28, he scored again in a 1–1 draw against Grasshopper.

On April 6, he scored two goals in the 2015–16 Liechtenstein Cup semi-final, helping Vaduz win 2–1 and reach the final. Four days later, Sadiku scored his fourth league goal for Vaduz and helped with an assist in a 3–0 win against St. Gallen. He scored his tenth league goal of the season in a 5–4 loss to Young Boys. Vaduz finished 8th, which was enough to stay in the top league.

Loan to Lugano (Again!)

In January 2017, Paolo Tramezzani, who was an assistant coach for the Albanian national team, became the head coach of Lugano. Soon after, Sadiku joined Lugano on loan, returning to his former club after three years. He played his first game back on February 4 in a 4–0 loss to Basel. After that, he scored in five league matches in a row, helping Lugano compete for a spot in European competitions. Sadiku and Ezgjan Alioski worked well together, scoring 25 goals combined. He finished the second part of the 2016–17 season with 9 goals in 16 games.

Legia Warsaw Adventure

On July 12, 2017, Sadiku joined Polish team Legia Warsaw. He signed a three-year contract. He was given the number 99 jersey. He said he was happy to join such a great club and hoped they would qualify for the Champions League group stage.

Sadiku played his first game for Legia on July 15, scoring his team's only goal in a 3–1 loss. Eleven days later, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, scoring in a 3–1 loss to Astana. He also scored in his Polish Cup debut on August 8 in a 4–1 win.

He scored 7 goals in 25 official matches for Legia Warsaw before moving to Spain.

Playing in Spain with Levante

On January 31, 2018, Sadiku signed with Levante in La Liga, Spain's top league. He signed a contract until June 2020. After being out with a knee injury, Sadiku made his debut on February 26 in a 0–2 loss to Real Betis. This made him only the second Albanian player ever to play in La Liga. On March 4, he had a head injury during a match and needed surgery on his nose.

He played only six league games in the second part of the 2017–18 season and didn't score any goals. In August 2018, Sadiku got another serious injury to his left knee during a friendly game. This kept him out for the entire first part of the 2018–19 season.

Back to Lugano (Again!)

On January 15, 2019, Lugano announced that Sadiku was returning to the club on loan from Levante until the end of the 2018–19 season. The club president was very happy, saying Sadiku was motivated to join them.

Loan to Málaga

On September 2, 2019, Sadiku extended his contract with Levante until 2021 and was immediately loaned to Segunda División team Málaga CF.

Time in Turkey with Erzurumspor

Sadiku moved to the Turkish club BB Erzurumspor in the Süper Lig and signed a one-year contract. He didn't play much there, appearing in only five games without scoring. He left the club after a year.

Making History in Bolivia with Bolívar

After his time in Turkey, Sadiku went to South America. He made history as the first Albanian to play in Bolivia when he signed for Club Bolívar, a big team in Bolivian football, on January 23, 2021. Two months later, he became the first Albanian to play in the 2021 Copa Libertadores, which is the most important club competition in South America. His team won 5–0 against Montevideo Wanderers.

Back to Spain: Las Palmas and Cartagena

On July 29, 2021, Sadiku returned to Spain and signed a one-year contract with Las Palmas. On July 17 of the next year, he moved to another second-division team, Cartagena, on a one-year deal.

Joining Mohun Bagan in India

On June 25, 2023, Sadiku joined Indian Super League club Mohun Bagan Super Giant. He played his first game in the Durand Cup against East Bengal FC. He scored his first goal in a 3–1 win against Abahani Limited Dhaka in the AFC Cup Play-off round. In the 2023 Durand Cup semi-final against FC Goa, he scored the winning goal, a long-range shot, to send his team to the final. In the final, Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat their rivals East Bengal FC to win their first trophy of the 2023–24 season.

Playing for FC Goa

Sadiku joined another Indian Super League team, FC Goa, in July 2024. He scored the winning goal for his new club against A-League Men team Brisbane Roar in a group stage match of the 2024 Bandodkar Trophy.

International Career

Playing for Youth Teams

Armando Sadiku was called up to the Albania national under-19 football team for friendly matches in October 2009. He played as a starter in both games. He was also part of the Albania U19 squad for the 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification.

Sadiku played for the Albania under-21 team in the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification. On September 7, 2011, he scored two goals as a substitute against Moldova U21, helping Albania win 4–3. He scored two more goals against Poland on October 11 and another two against Portugal in November. He scored 6 goals in his first 5 games, making him the top scorer in the group for Albania.

Playing for the Senior Team

The new coach for the Albania senior team, Gianni De Biasi, called up Sadiku for his first match as coach, a friendly against Georgia on February 29, 2012. Sadiku made his senior international debut in that game, coming on as a substitute. He was also called up for Albania's next two friendly matches against Qatar and Iran in May 2012, both of which Albania won.

2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

For the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, coach Gianni De Biasi brought in young forwards like Sadiku to compete for spots on the team. In the first match against Cyprus on September 7, 2012, Sadiku started the game and scored his first international goal. His goal came in the 36th minute and was the first goal of the game, helping Albania win 3–1.

UEFA Euro 2016 Journey

Sadiku was not always called up for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying games. When he was in the squad, he was often the third choice striker. He played his first game in Group I on September 4, 2015, against Denmark. In the final match against Armenia on October 11, Sadiku came on as a substitute and scored 17 minutes later, making the score 3–0. This win secured Albania's second place in their group, which meant they qualified for UEFA Euro 2016, their first time ever in a major football tournament!

Sadiku (player with the ball) playing for Albania at the EURO 2016

On May 21, 2016, Sadiku was chosen for Albania's team for UEFA Euro 2016. He played his first UEFA European Championship game on June 11, 2016, against Switzerland. In the final group match against Romania eight days later, Sadiku scored with a header in the first half, leading his team to a historic 1–0 win. By doing this, he became the first Albanian player to score a goal in the UEFA European Championship! This was also Albania's first win over Romania since 1948. Albania finished third in their group.

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification, Albania was in Group G with strong teams like Spain and Italy. On August 29, 2016, Sadiku was in the team for a friendly against Morocco and the first qualifying match against Macedonia. On September 5, in the match against Macedonia, Sadiku scored the first goal with a shot from outside the box, and Albania won 2–1. Sadiku missed some later matches due to injury.

He returned to the national team in March 2017 for matches against Italy and Bosnia and Herzegovina. On June 12, 2017, in the match against Israel, Sadiku started the game and scored two goals in the first half, both long-range shots. Albania won 3–0.

UEFA Euro 2020 Qualifiers

On March 14, 2019, Sadiku was called up for the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying matches against Turkey and Andorra. On March 22, he played as a substitute against Turkey. Three days later, he started the game against Andorra and scored in the 21st minute, helping Albania win 3–0. This was his 12th international goal, making him Albania's fourth all-time top scorer.

Personal Life

Armando Sadiku was born on May 27, 1991, in the Elbasan Country area. His father is from Trebisht, Albania, and his mother is from Podujevo, Kosovo. Sadiku is related to famous footballers Taulant and Granit Xhaka through his mother's side of the family. His brother, Sherif Sadiku, is also a professional footballer. Sadiku looks up to the Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimović and is a fan of the Italian club Internazionale.

On December 30, 2016, Sadiku was named an "Honorary Citizen" of Elbasan for his contributions to sports. On January 9, 2018, Sadiku got engaged to Elona, a dentist from Kosovo, whom he met on Facebook.

Career Statistics

Club

International

International Goals

Here are the goals Armando Sadiku has scored for the Albanian national team:

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition

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

Trophies and Awards

Zürich

• Swiss Cup: 2013–14

Vaduz

• Liechtenstein Cup: 2015–16

Mohun Bagan

• Durand Cup: 2023
• Indian Super League premiership: 2023–24

FC Goa

• Bandodkar Trophy: 2024

Individual Awards

• Polish Cup top scorer: 2017–18

See Also

In Spanish: Armando Sadiku para niños