Mikel Canka

{{short description|Albanian professional footballer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Mikel Canka

| image =

| fullname = Mikel Canka

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1987|2|18}}

| birth_place = Lushnjë, Albania

| height = 1.79 m

| position = Striker

| currentclub = Lushnja

| clubnumber = 18

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = Lushnja

| years1 = 2007–2014 | clubs1 = Lushnja | caps1 = 115 | goals1 = 56

| years2 = 2014–2015 | clubs2 = Apolonia | caps2 = 15 | goals2 = 1

| years3 = 2015 | clubs3 = Lushnja | caps3 = 14 | goals3 = 15

| years4 = 2015–2016 | clubs4 = Luftëtari | caps4 = 26 | goals4 = 15

| years5 = 2016–2018 | clubs5 = Lushnja | caps5 = 51 | goals5 = 18

| years6 = 2018–2019 | clubs6 = Egnatia | caps6 = 23 | goals6 = 5

| years7 = 2019–2020 | clubs7 = Lushnja | caps7 = 22 | goals7 = 16

| years8 = 2020–2021 | clubs8 = Tomori | caps8 = 21 | goals8 = 16

| years9 = 2021–2022 | clubs9 = Besa Kavajë | caps9 = 14 | goals9 = 4

| years10= 2022– | clubs10= Lushnja | caps10= 45 | goals10= 23

| nationalyears1 =

| nationalteam1 =

| nationalcaps1 =

| nationalgoals1 =

| pcupdate = 1 June 2024

| ntupdate =

}}

Mikel Canka (born 18 February 1987) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Lushnja in the Kategoria e Parë.

Club career

Canka left his hometown club Lushnja following their relegation from the Kategoria Superiore and signed a three-year contract with newly promoted side Apolonia on 10 June 2014.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama-sport.com/godet-apolonia-merr-mikel-canken/|title=Apolonia prezanton lushnjarin, Canka|trans-title=Apolonia presents Canka|date=11 July 2014|language=sq|publisher=Panorama Sport|access-date=28 July 2015}}

In 2015, during the winter transfer window, Canka left Apolonia after only half season to rejoin Lushnja until the end of 2014–15 season.{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/mikel-canka-rikthehet-te-lushnja/|title=Mikel Canka rikthehet te Lushnja|trans-title=Mikel Canka returns to Lushnja|language=sq|publisher=Sport Ekspres|date=7 January 2015|access-date=30 November 2015}}

In July 2015, Canka left Lushnja and signed a one-year contract with fellow Kategoria e Parë side Luftëtari.{{cite news|url=http://sportal.al/shqiperi/kategoria-i/item/8868-canka-firmos-per-luftetarin.html|title=Canka firmos për Luftëtarin|trans-title=Canka sign for Lufëtari|date=22 July 2015|language=sq|publisher=Sportal.al|access-date=30 November 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://sportal.al/shqiperi/kategoria-i/item/8868-canka-firmos-per-luftetarin.html|title=Mikel Canka firmos tek Luftëtari|trans-title=Mikel Canka sign for Luftëtari|date=22 July 2015|language=sq|publisher=Minuta90.com|access-date=30 November 2015}} During the 2015–16 season, Canka played 25 league matches, scoring 15 goals, as Luftëtari won the Group B and achieved the promotion to Kategoria Superiore.{{cite news|url=http://telesport.al/korabi-dhe-luftetari-ne-superlige-bien-ada-dhe-butrinti/|title=Korabi dhe Luftëtari në Superligë, bien Ada dhe Butrinti|trans-title=Korabi and Lufëtari in Superleague, Ada and Butrinti gets relegated|publisher=Telesport.al|language=sq|author=Ergis Tafalla|date=14 May 2016|access-date=18 October 2016}}

In August 2016, Canka returned to Lushnja for a third time,{{cite news|url=http://newsport.al/2016/08/lajmi-i-fundit-mikel-canka-ben-gati-rikthimin-ne-shtepi/|title=Lajmi i fundit/ Mikel Canka bën gati rikthimin në shtëpi|trans-title=Last news/ Mikel Canka set to return home|publisher=Newsport.al|language=sq|date=11 August 2016|access-date=11 August 2016}} and made his first appearance of the 2016–17 season on 26 September in the opening day against Tomori.{{cite news|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/09/26/albania/league-1/ks-lushnja/fk-tomori-berat/2359761/|title=Lushnja vs. Tomori Berat 1 – 0|publisher=Soccerway|date=26 September 2016|access-date=26 September 2016}} On 18 October he scored a hat-trick, including first goals of the season in Lushnja's 1–4 win at Elbasani.{{cite news|url=http://sportal.al/super-canka-mund-elbasanin/|title=Super Canka mund Elbasanin|trans-title=Super Canka defeats Elbasani|publisher=Sportal.al|language=sq|date=18 October 2016|access-date=18 October 2016}} This was followed by a brace in the 2–0 home win against Shkumbini four days later, scoring in the last minutes of the match, taking his tally up to 5 league goals.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/live-luhet-kategoria-e-pare-lushnja-dhe-kamza-kryesojne/|title=Kategoria e Parë / Kamza dhe Lushnja përsëri nuk njohin rivalë|trans-title=First Division / Kamza and Lushnja again without rivals|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=22 October 2016|access-date=22 October 2016}} On 25 February of the following year, Canka scored a cruel goal against Apolonia in an eventual 2–0 away win in the matchday 17, helping Lushnja to win in Fier for the first time in 44 years.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/kategoria-e-pare-lushnja-thyen-mallkimin-44-vjecar-ne-fier/|title=Kategoria e Parë, Lushnja thyen mallkimin 44-vjeçar në Fier|trans-title=First Division, Lushnja breaks the 44-year curse in Fier|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=25 February 2017|access-date=26 February 2017}} After helping the club to return to top flight after three years, Canka confirmed that he would remain in Lushnja for the next season.{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/canka-ia-dolem-edhe-kunder-formules-qesharake-tani-dua-edhe-titullin/|title=Canka: Ia dolëm edhe kundër formulës qesharake, tani dua edhe titullin!|trans-title=We made it even against the hilarious formule, now i want the title!|publisher=Sport Ekspres|language=sq|author=Arjan Likja|date=19 May 2017|access-date=19 May 2017}} On 24 July, he extended his contract for another season.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/firmosen-kontratat-canka-dhe-meto-zyrtarisht-pjese-e-lushnjes-se-superiores/|title=Firmosen kontratat, Canka dhe Meto zyrtarisht pjesë e Lushnjës së Superiores|trans-title=The contracts are signed, Canka and Meto officially part of Lushnja in Superliga|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|author=Arjan Likja|date=24 July 2017|access-date=27 July 2017}}

Canka scored his first top flight goal in three years on 26 November 2017 in the 2–1 away defeat to Kamza valid for week 12.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/fitore-me-permbysje-kamza-blindon-vendin-e-katert-video/|title=Fitore me përmbysje, Kamza "blindon" vendin e katërt (Video)|trans-title=An overturn win, Kamza “armoured” the fourth place|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=26 November 2017|access-date=26 November 2017}} Later on 16 December in the league match versus Skënderbeu, after the dismissal of goalkeeper Mikel Spaho and after all three of the club's substitutions were exhausted, Canka was put into goal for the final 7 minutes of the match, conceding a goal when he dropped a free-kick from Marko Radaš.{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/skenderbe-autoritar-rikthehet-fitorja-ne-lushnje/|title=Skënderbe autoritar, rikthehet fitorja në Lushnjë|trans-title=An authoritarian Skënderbeu, returned to victory in Lushnja|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=16 December 2017|access-date=17 December 2017}}

Career Statistics

{{updated|16 December 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/mikel-camka/57431/|title=Albania - M. Canka - Profile with news, career statistics and history|publisher=Soccerway|access-date=31 December 2014}}

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Club statistics
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="8"\|Lushnja \|2007–08 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria e Parë \|?	4	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	?	4
2008–09 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria Superiore \|8	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	8	0
2009–10 \|rowspan="4"\|Kategoria e Parë \|23	2	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	23	2
2010–11 \|0	0	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	0	0
2011–12 \|28	21	0	0	1Appearance in Kategoria Superiore play-offs	0	29	21
2012–13 \|28	21	3	4	colspan="2"\|—	31	25
2013–14 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria Superiore \|28	8	4	4	colspan="2"\|—	32	12
colspan="2"\|Total !115	56	7	8	1	0	123	64
rowspan="1"\|Apolonia \|2014–15 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria Superiore \|15	1	3	1	colspan="2"\|—	18	2
rowspan="1"\|Lushnja \|2014–15 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria e Parë \|14	15	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	14	15
rowspan="1"\|Luftëtari \|2015–16 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria e Parë \|25	15	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	25	15
rowspan="3"\|Lushnja \|2016–17 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria e Parë \|26	11	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	26	11
2017–18 \|rowspan="1"\|Kategoria Superiore \|14	1	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	15	1
colspan="2"\|Total !40	12	1	0	colspan="2"\|—	41	12
colspan="3"\|Career total !209	99	11	8	1	0	221	107