Leon Avdullahu
{{Short description|Swiss footballer (born 2004)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leon Avdullahu
| image =
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2004|2|23|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Solothurn, Switzerland
| height = 1.85 m
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Basel
| clubnumber = 37
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2013
| youthclubs1 = FC Gerlafingen
| youthyears2 = 2013–2018
| youthclubs2 = Solothurn
| youthyears3 = 2018–2023
| youthclubs3 = Basel
| years1 = 2022–2024
| clubs1 = Basel U21
| caps1 = 35
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2023–2025
| clubs2 = Basel
| caps2 = 63
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2025–
| clubs3 = TSG Hoffenheim
| caps3 = 0
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam1 = Switzerland U15
| nationalcaps1 = 4
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam2 = Switzerland U16
| nationalcaps2 = 3
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| nationalyears3 = 2019–2021
| nationalteam3 = Switzerland U18
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 1
| nationalyears4 = 2021–2023
| nationalteam4 = Switzerland U19
| nationalcaps4 = 5
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| nationalyears6 = 2023–
| nationalteam6 = Switzerland U21
| nationalcaps6 = 6
| nationalgoals6 = 0
| manageryears1 =
| managerclubs1 =
| club-update = 12 June 2025
| nationalteam-update = 12 June 2025
}}
Leon Avdullahu (born 23 February 2004) is a Kosovan Swiss professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Basel in the Swiss Super League.
Club career
Born in Solothurn, Avdullahu started his youth football with local club FC Gerlafingen and then moved to Solothurn in 2013. In the summer of 2018, he moved to Basel's youth department and in 2022 he advanced to their U-21 team, but remained part of the U-18 team that celebrated winning the Swiss championship at the end of June 2023. In July 2023 he signed his first professional contract and advanced to their first team for their 2023–24 season.{{cite web | first = | last = FC Basel 1893 | author-link = | date = 21 July 2023 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/aktuell/news/1-mannschaft/avdullahu-kayombo-und-junior-ze-neu-im-kader-ersten-mannschaft/ | title = Junior Ze, Avdullahu und Kayombo neu im Kader Ersten Mannschaft | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | language = de | trans-title = Junior Ze, Avdullahu and Kayombo new in the first team squad | access-date = 16 November 2023}}
After playing in three test games Avdullahu played his domestic league debut for the club in the home game in the St. Jakob-Park on 13 August 2023 as Basel were defeated 2–1 by Lausanne-Sport.{{cite web | first = | last = FC Basel 1893 | author-link = | date = 13 August 2023 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/matchcenter/startcenter/64a917f398a7ad39c0e00dd2/2023-Basel_-_Lausanne-Sport | title = Bittere Niederlage gegen Lausanne-Sport | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | language = de | trans-title = A bitter defeat against Lausanne-Sport | access-date = 16 November 2023}} In the 2023–24 Swiss Cup second round match, on 16 September, Avdullahu scored his first goal for the team as Basel went on to win 8–0 against amateur club FC Bosporus in Bern.{{cite web | first = | last = Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) | author-link = | date = 16 September 2023 | url = https://www.football.ch/sfv/schweizer-cups/schweizer-cup/statistik-und-resultate.aspx/oid-1/s-2024/cp-4647/cr-0/tg-3921235/ | title = FC Bosporus - FC Basel 0:8 (0:3) | format = | work = | publisher = Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) | access-date = 16 November 2023}}
As Fabio Celestini became FCB head-coach, Avdullahu became a regular starter. He scored his first league goal for the team on 30 March 2024 in the home game in the St. Jakob-Park as Basel played a 2–2 draw with Zürich.{{cite web | first = | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" | author-link = | date = 30 March 2024 | url = https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/saison/spiele?command=detail&id=31900 | title = FC Basel - FC Zürich 2:2 (2:1) | format = | work = | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" | language = de-ch | trans-title = | access-date = 2024-11-16}} At the end of the 2024–25 Swiss Super League season he became Swiss champion and Cup winner with them. On 12 June FC Basel 1893 announced that their former youth player Avdullahu was moving to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga.{{cite web | first = | last = FC Basel 1893 | author-link = | date = 12 June 2025 | url = https://www.fcb.ch/aktuell/news/1-mannschaft/transfer-leon-avdullahu/ | title = Leon Avdullahu wechselt zur TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 AG | language = de-ch | trans-title = Leon Avdullahu moves to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim | access-date = 2025-06-12}} During his two seasons with FCB's first team, Avdullahu played a total of 71 games for them scoring a total of three goals. 63 of these games were in the Swiss Super League and 8 in the Swiss Cup. He scored two goals in the domestic league and the other in the cup.{{cite web | first = | last = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | authorlink = | date = 12 June 2025| url =https://www.fcb-archiv.ch/spieler?command=detail&id=10250 | title = Leon Avdullahu | format = | work = | publisher = Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” | accessdate = 2025-06-12}}
On 12 June 2025, German Bundesliga side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim announced the signing of Avdullahu on a long-term contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.tsg-hoffenheim.de/aktuelles/news/2025/06/wunschtransfer-schweizer-talent-leon-avdullahu-wechselt-in-den-kraichgau|title=Wunschtransfer: Schweizer Talent Leon Avdullahu wechselt in den Kraichgau|trans-title=Desired transfer: Swiss talent Leon Avdullahu moves to Kraichgau=language=de|publisher=TSG Hoffenheim|date=12 June 2025|access-date=15 June 2025}}
International career
Born in Switzerland, Avdullahu is of Kosovan descent.https://nacionale.com/sport/zyrtare-leon-avdullahu-vazhdon-me-baselin-deri-me-2028 He has been a Swiss youth international at various levels. On 15 November 2023 he was called up into the Switzerland U-21 squad, however, remained both matches on the bench as unused substitute.{{cite web | first = | last = Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) | author-link = | date = 15 November 2023 | url = https://www.football.ch/sfv/nationalteams/u-21/news/u-21-leon-avdullahu-nachnominiert.aspx | title = Leon Avdullahu nachnominiert | format = | work = | publisher = Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) | language = de | trans-title = Leon Avdullahu nominated | access-date = 16 November 2023}}
On 22 June 2025 the Kosovo national team had shown interest in him following a meeting between Football Federation of Kosovo president Agim Ademi and Leon Avdullahu.
Honours
Basel
- Swiss championship at U-18 level: 2023
- Swiss Super League: 2024–25{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluewin.ch/en/entertainment/thousands-celebrate-the-championship-title-in-basel-during-the-esc-2689749.html|title=Thousands celebrate the championship title in Basel during the ESC|website=blue News}}
- Swiss Cup: 2024–25
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.fcb.ch/teams/1-mannschaft/spieler/leon-avdullahu/ Leon Avdullahu at FCB.ch]
- [https://www.football.ch/sfv/nationalteams/u-21/team.aspx/t-41643/p-926185/ Leon Avdullahu at SFV.ch]
{{FC Basel squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Avdullahu, Leon}}
Category:Footballers from Solothurn
Category:Kosovan men's footballers
Category:Swiss men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Switzerland men's youth international footballers
Category:Swiss Super League players
Category:21st-century Swiss sportsmen
Category:Switzerland men's under-21 international footballers