Flamur Kastrati
{{Short description|Kosovar footballer (born 1991)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Flamur Kastrati
| image = Flamur Kastrati 20121 (cropped).jpg
| upright = 1.2
| caption = Kastrati with MSV Duisburg in 2012.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|11|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Oslo, Norway
| height = 1.80 m
| position =
| currentclub =
| clubnumber = 9
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2006 | youthclubs1 = Grei
| youthyears2 = 2006–2007 | youthclubs2 = Skeid
| years1 = 2008 | clubs1 = Skeid | caps1 = 20 | goals1 = 6
| years2 = 2009–2011 | clubs2 = FC Twente | caps2 = 0 | goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2011 | clubs3 = → VfL Osnabrück (loan) | caps3 = 16 | goals3 = 4
| years4 = 2011–2012 | clubs4 = MSV Duisburg | caps4 = 21 | goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2011–2012 | clubs5 = MSV Duisburg II | caps5 = 3 | goals5 = 2
| years6 = 2013 | clubs6 = Erzgebirge Aue | caps6 = 10 | goals6 = 0
| years7 = 2013–2016 | clubs7 = Strømsgodset | caps7 = 61 | goals7 = 7
| years8 = 2016 | clubs8 = Aalesund | caps8 = 3 | goals8 = 1
| years9 = 2016–2018 | clubs9 = Sandefjord | caps9 = 42 | goals9 = 14
| years10 = 2018–2021 | clubs10 = Kristiansund | caps10 =59 | goals10 = 8
| years11 = 2021–2022 | clubs11 = Odd | caps11 =18 | goals11 =0
| nationalyears1 = 2009 | nationalteam1 = Norway U-18 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2010 | nationalteam2 = Norway U-19 | nationalcaps2 = 5 | nationalgoals2 = 3
| nationalyears3 = 2011–2013 | nationalteam3 = Norway U-21 | nationalcaps3 = 10 | nationalgoals3 = 2
| nationalyears4 = 2014–2020 | nationalteam4 = Kosovo | nationalcaps4 = 5 | nationalgoals4 = 0
| club-update = 29 May 2022
| nationalteam-update = 13 January 2020
}}
Flamur Kastrati (born 14 November 1991) is a Kosovar{{Cite web|url=http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/stroemsgodset/kastrati-vraker-norge-debuterer-for-kosovo-i-mars/a/10145330/|title = Kastrati vraker Norge - debuterer for Kosovo i mars| date=21 February 2014 }} retired professional footballer who recently played as a forward for Eliteserien club Odd.
Kastrati is of Kosovar-Albanian descent and grew up in Norway. He has represented Norway at youth international level from under-15 to under-21 level, but has stated that he wants to represent Kosovo at international level.
Hailing from Oslo, Kastrati started his senior career in Skeid at the age of 16, before he moved to Dutch side FC Twente. After two seasons at the club's reserve team, he spent time on loan with German side VfL Osnabrück, before he joined MSV Duisburg permanently in 2011. After a brief spell at Erzgebirge Aue in 2013, Kastrati joined Strømsgodset in August 2013.
Club career
Kastrati, who is of Kosovo-Albanian descent,{{cite news |url=http://fotball.aftenposten.no/kommentar/ola_bernhus_kommentar/article273517.ece |language=no |title=Norges stolthet ble rundspilt i Spania |publisher=Aftenposten |first=Ola |last=Bernhus |date=21 March 2013 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130325062834/http://fotball.aftenposten.no/kommentar/ola_bernhus_kommentar/article273517.ece |archive-date=25 March 2013 |url-status=dead }} was born in Oslo where he grew up in Groruddalen and played for Grei during his youth.{{cite web |url=http://www.groruddalen.no/tilbake-paa-greibanen.4603577-19209.html |language=no |title=Tilbake på Greibanen |work=groruddalen.no |first=Kay Grue |last=Thorsen |date=4 June 2009 |access-date=8 April 2013}} He transferred to Skeid in 2006, and was at the age of 15 invited on a trial with English club Chelsea together with fellow Albanian-Norwegian youngsters Valon Berisha and Mërgim Hereqi.{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/artikkel.php?artid=194734 |language=no |title=Fra Norway Cup til Chelsea |publisher=Verdens Gang |first=Gunnhild |last=Baade |date=2 August 2007 |access-date=8 April 2013}} Kastrati made his debut for Skeid's first-team in the 2. divisjon at the age of 16, and scored six goals in the 2008 season{{cite web |url=http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/2442--takker-skeid-for-den-jeg-er |language=no |title=– Takker Skeid for den jeg er |publisher=Skeid |first=Anders |last=Vindegg |date=22 December 2009 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616021343/http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/2442--takker-skeid-for-den-jeg-er |archive-date=16 June 2013 |url-status=dead }} when the team won promotion to Adeccoligaen.
File:Flamur Kastrati 01.jpg with Skeid.]]
The former FC Twente and Norway international player Hallvar Thoresen, Twente's head-scout in Scandinavia was impressed by Kastrati's talent in 2008, and invited the player for a trial with Twente in November 2008.{{cite web |url=http://gammel.josimar.no/2009/12/22/i-hallvar-thoresens-fotspor/ |language=no |title=I Hallvar Thoresens fotspor |work=Josimar |first=Lars |last=Johnsen |date=22 December 2009 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616021358/http://gammel.josimar.no/2009/12/22/i-hallvar-thoresens-fotspor/ |archive-date=16 June 2013 |url-status=dead }} Kastrati was sold to Twente in January 2009, and signed a two-year contract with the club.{{cite news |url=http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/adeccoligaen/skeidtalent-til-twente-2533039.html |language=no |title=Skeid-talent til Twente |publisher=TV 2 |first=Lasse Bjarte |last=Hove |date=28 January 2009 |access-date=8 April 2013}} He was playing for the reserves team, but was one of four players that were training regularly with the first team. After Twente won the 2009–10 Eredivisie, Kastrati was played several matches with the first team in the pre-season,{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/ligaer/nederland/artikkel.php?artid=10004999 |language=no |title=- Har aldri sett en by gjøre så mye for klubben sin |publisher=Verdens Gang |first=Jamel |last=Rake |date=2 May 2010 |access-date=8 April 2013}} and was included in the squad for the Champions League match against Werder Bremen in November 2011{{cite web |url=http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/4335-kastrati-i-champions-league-troppen |language=no |title=Kastrati i Champions League-troppen |publisher=Skeid |first=Anders |last=Vindegg |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616021351/http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/4335-kastrati-i-champions-league-troppen |archive-date=16 June 2013 |url-status=dead }}
Kastrati was loaned out to German 2. Bundesliga side VfL Osnabrück on loan for the second half of the 2011–12 season. He scored in his debut in the 1–4 loss against MSV Duisburg on 16 January 2011.{{cite web |url=http://www.msv-duisburg.de/main.asp?reiter=aktuelles_p&mode=aktuell&aid=3359 |language=de |title=MSV verpflichtet Stürmer Flamur Kastrati |publisher=MSV Duisburg |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-date=29 June 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160629133008/http://www.msv-duisburg.de/main.asp?reiter=aktuelles_p&mode=aktuell&aid=3359 |url-status=dead }} In a match against Energie Cottbus on 13 March 2011, Kastrati fell to the ground unconscious after an apparently harmless clash with Markus Brzenska. The match was stopped while Kastrati received treatment on the pitch, before he was taken to the hospital by an ambulance. After the match was restarted, both teams stopped playing, simply passing the ball from side to side during the 12 minutes of stoppage time.{{cite news | url = http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14032011/58/bundesliga-footballer-collapses-pitch-germany.html | title = Bundesliga footballer collapses at pitch in Germany | publisher = eurosport.yahoo.com |agency=Reuters |date=13 March 2011 |access-date=14 March 2011}}{{cite news |url=http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/fotball/article3109813.ece |language=no |title=Norsk spiller kollapset i Tyskland |publisher=Nettavisen |first=Per Møller |last=Pettersen |date=13 March 2011 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315023015/http://www.nettavisen.no/sport/fotball/article3109813.ece |archive-date=15 March 2011 |url-status=dead }}{{cite news |url=http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/tyskland/begge-lagene-sluttet-aa-spille-fotball-etter-kastratiskaden-3441402.html |language=no |title=Begge lagene sluttet å spille fotball etter Kastrati-skaden |publisher=TV 2 |first=Anders |last=Eid |date=14 March 2011 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714220104/http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/tyskland/begge-lagene-sluttet-aa-spille-fotball-etter-kastratiskaden-3441402.html |archive-date=14 July 2014 |url-status=dead }} The doctors feared that Kastrati's neck was broken, and that his footballing career was over. He did however only injure a nerve, and was expected to return to the pitch within two weeks.{{cite news |url=http://www.nrk.no/sport/fotball/fotballtalent-fryktet-nakkebrudd-1.7554118 |language=no |title=– Jeg visste verken hva som skjedde eller hvor jeg var |publisher=NRK |first1=Anders Rove |last1=Berntsen |first2=Olav |last2=Traaen|author-link2=Olav Traaen|date=17 March 2011 |access-date=8 April 2013}} He scored a goal in his first match after the injury, against Karlsruher SC on 1 April 2011.
VfL Osnabrück was relegated from the 2011–12 2. Bundesliga and Kastrati joined MSV Duisburg in June 2011 on a free transfer, where he signed a three-year contract.{{cite news |url=http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/ovrig/flamur-kastrati-til-duisburg-3519062.html |language=no |title=Flamur Kastrati til Duisburg |publisher=TV 2 |first=Mats |last=Wederwang |date=16 June 2011 |access-date=10 April 2013}} Kastrati joined Erzgebirge Aue on a free transfer in January 2013 and signed a contract lasting till June 2015 and was given shirt number 9.{{cite web |url=http://www.fc-erzgebirge.de/index.php?shlink=1659&artins=by_number&artval=8075 |language=de |title=Kastrati-Wechsel perfekt |publisher=FC Erzgebirge Aue |date=10 January 2013 |access-date=8 April 2013}} Kastrati struggled to become a regular in Erzgebirge Aue's first team,{{cite news |url=http://dt.no/godset/ny-sif-spiller-snart-klar-1.7992981 |language=no |title=Ny SIF-spiller snart klar |publisher=Drammens Tidende |first=Eivind Brennhovd |last=Holth |date=27 July 2013 |access-date=3 September 2013}} and in August 2013 he signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Tippeligaen side Strømsgodset.{{cite news |url=http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/norsk/artikkel.php?artid=10105801 |language=no |title=Kastrati klar for Godset |publisher=Verdens Gang |first1=Knut Espen |last1=Svegaarden |first2=Hanne |last2=Skjellum |date=2 August 2013 |access-date=3 September 2013}} Kastrati stated that he was wanted by other Norwegian clubs, but that he wanted to join Godset because he considered Ronny Deila the best head coach in Norway. Kastrati made his debut for Strømsgodset in the Tippeligaen match against title contenders Rosenborg on 11 August 2013. He played 11 minutes in the 2–2 draw, and could have become match-winner two minutes into stoppage time, but his goal was disallowed for offside.{{cite news |url= http://dt.no/godset/kunne-blitt-kampens-store-helt-1.8014130|language=no |title=Kunne blitt kampens store helt |work=Drammens Tidende |first=Simen Næss |last=Hagen |date=11 August 2013 |access-date=3 September 2013}}
In August 2016 Kastrati joined Aalesunds FK, a few months before his contract with Strømsgodset would have expired.{{cite news |language=no |title=Kastrati til Aalesund|work=Drammens Tidende |first=Simen Næss |last=Hagen |date=19 August 2016|page=34}}
In August 2018 Kastrati joined Kristiansund.{{cite news |url= http://www.kristiansundbk.no/nyheter/bamba-ut-kastrati-inn|language=no |title=Bamba ut, Kastrati inn |work=kristiansundbk.no |date=15 August 2018 |access-date=15 August 2018}}
In August 2021, Kastrati joined Odd.{{ cite news |url=https://www.ta.no/odd-har-kjopt-fri-kastrati-kan-bli-klar-allerede-til-sondag/s/5-50-1208635?&session=87c26324-74e7-4016-a258-9ddeb82d495a| title=(+) Odd har kjøpt fri Kastrati – Kan bli klar allerede til søndag | date=12 August 2021 }}
International career
Kastrati first represented Norway in 2007 when he played three matches for the under-16 team. He played five matches and scored for the under-17 team in 2008, before he the next year scored one goal in five matches for the under-18.{{cite web |url=http://www.fotball.no/Community/Profil/?fiksId=2340927 |language=no |title=Flamur Kastrati's profil |work=fotball.no |publisher=Football Association of Norway |access-date=8 April 2013}} He became a regular for the under-19 team in 2010{{cite web |url=http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/2892--det-blir-veldig-moro |language=no |title=– Det blir veldig moro |publisher=Skeid |first=Anders |last=Vindegg |date=12 March 2010 |access-date=8 April 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130616021426/http://www.skeid.no/a-laget/nyhetsarkiv-a-laget/2892--det-blir-veldig-moro |archive-date=16 June 2013 |url-status=dead }} and scored three goals in five matches for the team.
Kastrati made his debut for Norwegian under-21 team in the match against Greece U-21 on 17 November 2010 In the first match of the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification, Kastrati assisted Joshua King's goal when Norway U-21 won 2–0 against Iceland U-21.{{cite news |url=http://fotball.aftenposten.no/landslaget/article209099.ece |language=no |title=God kvalik-åpning av U21-laget |publisher=Aftenposten |agency=Norwegian News Agency |date=6 September 2011 |access-date=9 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111009032212/http://fotball.aftenposten.no/landslaget/article209099.ece |archive-date=9 October 2011 |url-status=dead }} He made a total of three appearances for the under-21 team in the qualification campaign, when they qualified for the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.{{Soccerway|flamur-kastrati/134172|accessdate=9 April 2013}} Kastrati scored his first goal for the under-21 in a friendly match against Spain U-21 on 21 March 2013, and scored another goal against Netherlands U-21 four days later.{{cite news |url=http://www.nrk.no/sport/fotball/u21-laget-raknet-mot-nederland-1.10963820 |language=no |title=U21-gutta raknet mot Nederland: – Det ble en rar kamp |publisher=NRK |first1=Pedja |last1=Kalajdzic |first2=Mads |last2=Håby |date=25 March 2013 |access-date=8 April 2013}} Kastrati was a part of the Norwegian squad that won bronze at the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where he made one appearance as a substitute.{{cite news |url=http://beta.aftenposten.no/100Sport/fotball/eliteserien/U21-landslagsspiller-klar-for-Godset-385065.snd |language=no |title=U21-landslagsspiller klar for Godset |publisher=Aftenposten |agency=Norwegian News Agency |date=2 August 2013 |access-date=3 September 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130903102832/http://beta.aftenposten.no/100Sport/fotball/eliteserien/U21-landslagsspiller-klar-for-Godset-385065.snd |archive-date=3 September 2013 |url-status=dead }}
In April 2013, Kastrati told the Albanian media that he would welcome a call from Albania to play for them.{{cite news|publisher=Sportnet|title=De Biasi kërkon Amir Abrashin në kombëtare|url=http://www.sportnet.al/lajm.php?nr=13526|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130410011616/http://www.sportnet.al/lajm.php?nr=13526|url-status=dead|archive-date=10 April 2013|access-date=3 April 2013|newspaper=Sport Net|date=2 April 2013|language=sq}}{{cite news|publisher=Gazeta Start|title=Tjetër afrim në Kombëtare, Kastrati: Dua Shqipërinë|url=http://www.gazetastart.com/index.php?p=hg&hid=8883|access-date=3 April 2013|date=1 April 2013|language=sq}} In February 2014, Kastrati announced that he would play for Kosovo.[http://www.vg.no/sport/fotball/norsk/landslaget/artikkel.php?artid=10145330 Kastrati vraker Norge - debuterer for Kosovo i mars] {{in lang|no}} VG. Retrieved 21 February 2014
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 16 May 2022}}{{cite web|title=Flamur Kastrati|url=http://www.altomfotball.no/element.do?cmd=player&personId=207107&tournamentId=1&seasonId=340&teamId=411&useFullUrl=false|website=altomfotball.no|publisher=TV 2|access-date=3 November 2018|language=no}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| VfL Osnabrück (loan)
|16 | 4 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 16 | 4 | |||
| rowspan="3"|MSV Duisburg
|rowspan="2"|2. Bundesliga |18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 20 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13
|3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 4 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Erzgebirge Aue
|2. Bundesliga |10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 10 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="5"|Strømsgodset
|2013 |rowspan="4"|Tippeligaen |11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2014
|18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 21 | 2 | ||
| 2015
|21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 29 | 2 | ||
| 2016
|11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | 16 | 2 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!61 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 | 7 | |
| Aalesund
|2016 |Tippeligaen |3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 3 | 1 | |||
| rowspan="3"|Sandefjord
|2017 |rowspan="2"|Eliteserien |26 | 10 | 1 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 27 | 10 | |||
| 2018
|16 | 4 | 2 | 2 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 18 | 6 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!42 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 16 | |
| rowspan="5"|Kristiansund
|2018 |rowspan="4"|Eliteserien |8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 8 | 4 | |||
| 2019
|19 | 4 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 21 | 5 | |||
| 2020
|23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 23 | 0 | |||
| 2021
|9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 9 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!59 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 55 | 9 | |
| rowspan="3"|Odd
|2021 |rowspan="2"|Eliteserien |13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2022
|5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|– | colspan="2"|– | 7 | 1 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!18 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!230 | 34 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 256 | 38 |
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
{{col-end}}
Honours
Strømsgodset
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{WorldFootball.net|flamur-kastrati}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kastrati, Flamur}}
Category:Footballers from Oslo
Category:Norwegian people of Kosovan descent
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Kosovan men's footballers
Category:21st-century Kosovan sportsmen
Category:Kosovo men's international footballers
Category:Norwegian men's footballers
Category:Norway men's youth international footballers
Category:Norway men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Skeid Fotball players
Category:VfL Osnabrück players
Category:FC Erzgebirge Aue players
Category:Strømsgodset Toppfotball players
Category:Sandefjord Fotball players
Category:Kristiansund BK players
Category:2. Bundesliga players
Category:Kosovan expatriate men's footballers
Category:Norwegian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands
Category:Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Norwegian expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
Category:Kosovan expatriate sportspeople in Germany