Mario Mitaj
{{short description|Albanian footballer (born 2003)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Mario Mitaj
| image = Mario Mitaj 2022.jpg
| caption = Mitaj with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|8|6|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Athens, Greece
| height = 1.80 m{{cite web|url=https://www.fclm.ru/en/players/20525/ |title=Mario Mitaj |publisher=FC Lokomotiv Moscow |access-date=20 September 2022}}
| position = Left-back
| currentclub = Al-Ittihad
| clubnumber = 12
| youthyears1 = 2017–2020
| youthclubs1 = AEK Athens
| years1 = 2020–2022
| clubs1 = AEK Athens
| caps1 = 11
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–2022
| clubs2 = AEK Athens B
| caps2 = 20
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2022–2025
| clubs3 = Lokomotiv Moscow
| caps3 = 36
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2024–2025
| clubs4 = → Al-Ittihad (loan)
| caps4 = 13
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2025–
| clubs5 = Al-Ittihad
| caps5 = 5
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2019
| nationalteam1 = Albania U16
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam2 = Albania U17
| nationalcaps2 = 6
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 2020–
| nationalteam3 = Albania U21
| nationalcaps3 = 11
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| nationalyears4 = 2021–
| nationalteam4 = Albania
| nationalcaps4 = 23
| nationalgoals4 = 0
| club-update = 26 May 2025
| nationalteam-update = 17:04, 19 June 2024 (UTC)
}}
Mario Mitaj (born 6 August 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. Born in Greece, he represents Albania at international level.{{Soccerway|mario-mitaj/577166}}
Club career
=AEK Athens=
On 12 August 2020, Mitaj signed his first professional contract with Greek club AEK Athens and immediately started training with the first team.{{cite web | url=https://www.aekfc.gr/newsdetails/epangelmatias-me-tin-aek-o-mario-mitai-124924.htm?lang=el&path=551047308 | title=Mario Mitaj signed a professional contract with AEK! | publisher=aekfc.gr | date=12 August 2020}}
On 18 October 2020, he made his first league appearance in a game against PAOK, thus becoming the youngest foreign player in club history to feature in a competitive fixture, at 17 years, 2 months and 13 days old.{{Cite web|title=ΘΕΜΑ Μάριο Μιτάι: Ο νεότερος ξένος στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ |trans-title=SUBJECT Mario Mitai: The youngest foreigner in the history of AEK |language=el |url=https://www.amna.gr/sport/article/497687/ThEMA-Mario-Mitai-O-neoteros-xenos-stin-istoria-tis-AEK|access-date=1 April 2021|website=amna.gr}}
On 2 February 2021, he signed a new contract, running until the summer of 2023.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gazzetta.gr/football/superleague/article/1560429/edese-kai-toys-mitai-kai-mahaira-i-aek-vid|title="Έδεσε" και τους Μιτάι και Μαχαίρα η ΑΕΚ (vid)|access-date=2 January 2021|language=el}}
On 10 August 2021, the Albanian defender signed a new deal, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2026.{{cite web|url=http://www.sport24.gr/football/aek-epekteine-to-symvolaio-toy-mitai-mechri-to-2026.9320454.html|title=ΑΕΚ: Επέκτεινε το συμβόλαιο του Μιτάι μέχρι το 2026 |publisher=sport24.gr|date=10 August 2021|language=el}}
=Lokomotiv Moscow=
On 27 August 2022, Mitaj signed a five-year contract with Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow.{{cite web|publisher=Lokomotiv Moscow|url=https://www.fclm.ru/news/n/lokomotiv-signed-mario-mitaj/|title=МАРИО МИТАЙ – НОВЫЙ ЗАЩИТНИК "ЛОКОМОТИВА"|date=27 August 2022|language=ru}} The transfer fee was €3 million and AEK also kept a percentage for the next Mitaj's transfer.
= Al-Ittihad =
On 3 September 2024, Mitaj was loaned to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad for one year, with an option to buy.{{cite web|publisher=FC Lokomotiv Moscow|url=https://www.fclm.ru/news/n/mitaj-loan-al-ittihad/|title=Митай на правах аренды перешёл в саудовский "Иттихад"|date=3 September 2024|language=ru}} The fee is reported to be around €1.2 million. On 31 January 2025, Al-Ittihad purchased Mitaj for a reported fee of €4 million.{{cite web|publisher=FC Lokomotiv Moscow|url=https://www.fclm.ru/news/n/mitaj-transfer-al-ittihad/|title=Митай продолжит карьеру в «Аль-Иттихаде»|date=31 January 2025|language=ru}}
International career
Having lived in Nea Ionia, Attica, Greece for a large part of his life, Mitaj was eligible to represent both Albania and Greece at international level. After having featured in all young Albanian squads, he earned his first cap for Albania's senior squad on 31 March 2021, in a 2–0 victory over San Marino for the 2022 European FIFA World Cup qualifiers, becoming cap-tied to Albania in the process. With this appearance, he became Albania's second youngest ever international player at 17 years and 237 days old.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsit.gr/athlitika/aek-ekleise-stin-alvania-o-mitai-kai-egrapse-istoria/3253293/|access-date=1 April 2021|website=www.newsit.gr|title=ΑΕΚ: "Έκλεισε" στην Αλβανία ο Μιτάι και "έγραψε" ιστορία |date=April 2021 }}
He is selected from the list of 26 Albanian players of the Sylvinho coach to participate in UEFA Euro 2024.{{cite web|access-date=2024-06-12 |date=2024-06-08 |first=Renaldo |language=sq |last=Sinani |title=Trajneri Silvinjo publikon listën e Kombëtares me emrat e 26 lojtarëve për Kampionatin Europian "Gjermani 2024" |url=https://fshf.org/sq/trajneri-silvinjo-publikon-listen-e-kombetares-me-emrat-e-26-lojtareve-per-kampionatin-europian-gjermani-2024/ |website=FSHF}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|match played 30 November 2024}}
| 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{{efn|Includes Greek Cup, Russian Cup, King's Cup}} !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|AEK Athens
|rowspan="2"|Super League Greece |10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2021–22
|1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| AEK Athens B
|20 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 0 | |||
| rowspan="4"|Lokomotiv Moscow
|rowspan="3"|Russian Premier League |14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24
|21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 27 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25
|1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 4 | 0 | ||
| colspan="2"|Total
!36 | 0 | 13 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 49 | 0 | ||
| Al-Ittihad (loan)
|8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 1 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!75 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 95 | 1 |
{{notelist}}
=International=
{{updated|match played 14 october 2024}}{{NFT player|id=82234|name=Mitaj, Mario|access-date=21 November 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year | |||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Albania
|2021 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022{{efn|Conclude with Non-FIFA international football}} | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total | 20 | 0 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Al-Ittihad
- Saudi Pro League: 2024–25{{cite news|url=https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/651853/Sports/Ittihad-seals-league-title-away-from-Jeddah-once-again|title=Ittihad seals league title away from Jeddah once again|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|date=15 May 2025|access-date=16 May 2025}}
- King's Cup: 2024–25{{cite news|url=https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/652319/Sports/Al-Ittihad-win-2025-Kings-Cup-ending-six-year-title-drought|title=Al Ittihad end six-year wait to reclaim King’s Cup crown|newspaper=Saudi Gazette|date=31 May 2025|access-date=31 May 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{UEFA player|250127042}}
- {{ESPN FC|306935/mario-mitaj}}
{{Al-Ittihad squad}}
{{Albania squad UEFA Euro 2024}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mitaj, Mario}}
Category:Footballers from Athens
Category:Greek men's footballers
Category:Albanian men's footballers
Category:Albania men's youth international footballers
Category:Albania men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Albania men's international footballers
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:AEK Athens F.C. players
Category:AEK Athens B F.C. players
Category:FC Lokomotiv Moscow players
Category:Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah) players
Category:Super League Greece players
Category:Super League Greece 2 players
Category:Russian Premier League players
Category:Saudi Pro League players
Category:Albanian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Russia
Category:Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Russia
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Saudi Arabia
Category:Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Saudi Arabia
Category:UEFA Euro 2024 players