Valon Behrami facts for kids
Behrami with Switzerland in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valon Behrami | ||
| Date of birth | 19 April 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Titova Mitrovica, Yugoslavia | ||
| Height | 1.83 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1997 | Stabio | ||
| 1997–2000 | Chiasso | ||
| 2000–2002 | Lugano | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2003 | Lugano | 2 | (0) |
| 2003–2005 | Genoa | 24 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → Hellas Verona (loan) | 33 | (3) |
| 2005–2008 | Lazio | 65 | (4) |
| 2008–2011 | West Ham United | 58 | (4) |
| 2011–2012 | Fiorentina | 48 | (0) |
| 2012–2014 | Napoli | 54 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | Hamburger SV | 22 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Watford | 43 | (0) |
| 2017–2019 | Udinese | 39 | (2) |
| 2019 | Sion | 4 | (0) |
| 2020–2022 | Genoa | 53 | (0) |
| 2022 | Brescia | 5 | (0) |
| Total | 450 | (13) | |
| National team | |||
| 2005–2018 | Switzerland | 83 | (2) |
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Valon Behrami (born 19 April 1985) is a Swiss former professional footballer. He played as a midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defense.
Behrami played for the Swiss national team 83 times. He took part in four FIFA World Cup tournaments and two UEFA Euro tournaments between 2005 and 2018.
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Early Life and Family Background
Valon Behrami was born in Mitrovica, Kosovo. At that time, it was part of Yugoslavia. His parents were Kosovar Albanian.
When Valon was five years old, his parents lost their jobs. His family then moved to Stabio, a village in Ticino, Switzerland. This area of Switzerland speaks Italian. Valon's mother said he was always full of energy. She mentioned that "running was Valon's favourite pastime – he just never got tired."
Valon Behrami's Club Career
Valon Behrami played for many different football clubs during his career. He started in Switzerland before moving to Italy and England.
Starting Out in Football
Behrami began his football journey with Swiss clubs like FC Stabio, FC Chiasso, and FC Lugano. He played very well for Lugano.
In 2003, he joined the Italian team Genoa. He played for them in Serie B, which is Italy's second-highest football league. Later, he was loaned to Verona for the 2004–05 season.
Playing for Lazio
After a good season with Verona, Lazio, a big club in Italy, signed him in 2005. He became a key player for them.
One famous moment for Behrami at Lazio was in March 2008. He scored a winning goal in the 92nd minute against their rivals Roma. This win helped Lazio and stopped Roma from winning the league title.
Time with West Ham United
In July 2008, Valon Behrami moved to England to play for West Ham United. He signed a five-year contract. He made his first appearance for West Ham in August 2008.
Behrami was a very useful player because he could play in different positions in the midfield. He scored his first goal for West Ham in November 2008 against Sunderland.
In March 2009, he got a serious knee injury during a game against Manchester City. This injury ended his season early. He returned to play in September 2009.
Later Club Teams
After West Ham, Behrami returned to Italy. He played for Fiorentina starting in January 2011.
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In July 2012, he joined Napoli. He then moved to Germany to play for Hamburg in July 2014.
In July 2015, Behrami came back to England to play for Watford. He signed a three-year deal with them.
He returned to Italy again in August 2017, signing with Udinese. In July 2019, he played for Sion in Switzerland for a short time.
In January 2020, Behrami joined Genoa for a second time in his career. He played his first game back with Genoa in a win against Sassuolo. His last club was Brescia in Serie B, where he signed in January 2022.
International Career for Switzerland
Valon Behrami played for the Swiss national team at different age levels before joining the main team. He played in four FIFA World Cup tournaments: 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
World Cup Appearances
In 2005, Behrami scored an important goal against Turkey in a qualifying game for the 2006 World Cup. During the 2006 tournament, he had a groin injury. This meant he missed the first two group games.
He played in all three matches for Switzerland at the 2008 UEFA European Championship.
At the 2010 World Cup, Behrami was sent off with a red card in a game against Chile. He was the first Swiss player ever to get a red card in a World Cup match.
Behrami was part of the Swiss team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. In their first game, a 1–1 draw with Brazil, he played very well. He was known for constantly bothering Brazil's star player, Neymar. He also made history by becoming the first Swiss player to play in four World Cups in a row.
Personal Life
In July 2018, Valon Behrami married Swiss alpine ski racer Lara Gut.
Career Statistics
Valon Behrami played a total of 450 club games and scored 13 goals. For the Swiss national team, he played 83 games and scored 2 goals.
International Goals
Here are the goals Valon Behrami scored for Switzerland:
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 November 2005 | Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland | 2 |  Turkey |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 24 May 2008 | Stadio Cornaredo, Lugano, Switzerland | 14 |  Slovenia |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
Football Achievements
Club Honours
- Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2013–14 (This is a major Italian football cup competition.)
Records Set
- Valon Behrami is the only Swiss player to have played in four World Cups in a row: 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018.
See also
In Spanish: Valon Behrami para niños
