Valon Ethemi

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Valon Ethemi

| image = Valon Ethemi 20231008 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Ethemi in 2023

| fullname =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1997|10|3}}

| birth_place = Palatica, North Macedonia

| height = 1.79 m

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Iğdır

| clubnumber = 27

| youthyears1 = 2010–2015

| youthclubs1 = Renova

| youthyears2 = 2015–2016

| youthclubs2 = Dinamo Tirana

| years1 = 2016–2017

| clubs1 = Adriatiku Mamurras

| caps1 = 22

| goals1 = 4

| years2 = 2017–2021

| clubs2 = Kukësi

| caps2 = 95

| goals2 = 9

| years3 = 2021–2025

| clubs3 = İstanbulspor

| caps3 = 103

| goals3 = 22

| years4 = 2024

| clubs4 = → Konyaspor (loan)

| caps4 = 15

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2025–

| clubs5 = Iğdır

| caps5 = 4

| goals5 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2018

| nationalteam1 = Albania U21

| nationalcaps1 = 1

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2022–

| nationalteam2 = North Macedonia

| nationalcaps2 = 4

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 7 March 2025

| nationalteam-update = 12 November 2023

}}

Valon Ethemi ({{langx|mk|Валон Етеми}}; born 3 October 1997) is a Macedonian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Turkish club Iğdır. A former youth international for Albania, he plays for the North Macedonia national team.

Club career

=Early career=

Ethemi was born in Palatica, Želino Municipality to ethnic Albanian parents but later moved to Albania where he joined the Dinamo Tirana academy as a 17-year-old, where he remained for one year before joining professional side Adriatiku Mamurras in the Albanian First Division, the second tier of football in Albania. He featured in 22 league games for the club during the 2016–17 campaign, scoring 4 goals in the process which landed him a move to Albanian Superliga champions Kukësi.

=Kukësi=

He officially joined Kukësi on 28 August 2017, penning a three-year contract and receiving squad number 27.{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/kukesi-peshkon-nje-talent-firmos-mesfushori-valon-etemi/|title=Kukësi "peshkon" një talent, firmos mesfushori Valon Etemi|trans-title=Kukësi “fishes” a talent midfielder Valon Ethemi signs|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=29 August 2017|access-date=6 June 2018}} Later on 6 September, he was on the bench for his side's 2017 Albanian Supercup loss to Tirana.{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/finalja-e-superkupes-tirana-godet-ne-fund/|title=Finalja e Superkupës, Tirana godet në fund|trans-title=Supercup final, Tirana strikes at the end|publisher=Sport Ekspres|language=sq|date=6 September 2017|access-date=18 November 2017}} He played his first Albanian Superliga match three days later on the opening league game of the season, coming on as a 76th-minute substitute for Ndriçim Shtubina in the 1–0 home win over newly promoted Kamza.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/kukesi-mposht-kamzen-fale-nje-penalltie-bakaj-debuton-me-gol-video/|title=Kukësi mposht Kamzën falë një penalltie, Bakaj debuton me gol (VIDEO)|trans-title=Kukësi defeats Kamza thanks to a penalty, Bakaj debuts with goal (VIDEO)|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=sq|date=9 September 2017|access-date=9 September 2017}} He scored his first league goal for the club on 16 October 2017 in a 4–2 home victory over KF Teuta Durrës. His goal, scored in the 31st minute, made the score 2–0 in favor of Kukësi. He was later subbed out, being replaced by Rauf Aliyev in the 78th minute.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/10/16/albania/super-league/ks-perparimi-kukes/ks-teuta-durres/2506197/|title=Kukesi vs. Teuta Durres – 16 October 2017 – Soccerway|website=int.soccerway.com|access-date=28 June 2018}}

=İstanbulspor=

Ethemi helped İstanbulspor achieve promotion in the 2021–22 season for the first time in 17 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pusulahaber.com.tr/istanbulspor-17-yil-sonra-spor-toto-super-ligde-1651821h.htm|title=İstanbulspor, 17 yıl sonra Spor Toto Süper Lig'de|website=Pusula Haber|date=2 June 2022 }} He started in İstanbulspor return to the Süper Lig in a 2–0 season opening loss to Trabzonspor on 5 August 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://spor.haber7.com/super-lig/haber/3247710-trabzonspor-lige-galibiyetle-basladi|title=Trabzonspor lige galibiyetle başladı!|website=Haber7}}

International career

On 28 May 2018 Ethemi made his debut with Albania U21 in a friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 after being named in the starting line-up.{{cite news|url=http://fshf.org/sq/shqiperia-u-21-humbet-miqesoren-bosnje-hercegovinen/|title=Shqipëria U-21 humbet miqësoren me Bosnje-Hercegovinën|publisher=Albanian Football Association|language=sq|date=28 May 2018|access-date=28 May 2018}}

On 12 June 2022 Ethemi made his debut with North Macedonia in a match of UEFA Nations League against Gibraltar.

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|Cup !colspan="2"\|Continental !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="1"\|Adriatiku Mamurras \|2016–17 \|Albanian First Division \|22	4	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	22	4
rowspan="4"\|Kukësi \|2017–18 \|Albanian Superliga \|33	2	7	1	colspan="2"\|—	0	0	40	3
2018–19 \|Kategoria Superiore \|31	1	8	4	4{{efn\|Three appearances in the UEFA Champions League, One appearance in the UEFA Europa League}}	0	colspan="2"\|—	43	5
2019–20 \|Kategoria Superiore \|31	6	4	0	2{{efn\|Appearances in the UEFA Europa League}}	1	1{{efn\|Appearance in the Albanian Supercup}}	0	38	7
colspan="2"\|Total !95	9	19	5	6	1	1	0	121	15
rowspan="5"\|İstanbulspor \|2020–21 \|TFF First League \|16	1	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	2{{efn\|Appearances in the 2020–21 TFF First League promotion play-offs}}	0	18	1
2021–22 \|TFF First League \|35	6	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	3{{efn\|Appearances in the 2021–22 TFF First League promotion play-offs}}	1	40	7
2022–23 \|Süper Lig \|30	12	2	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	32	12
2023–24 \|Süper Lig \|14	1	0	0	colspan="2"\|—	colspan="2"\|—	14	1
colspan="2"\|Total !95	20	4	0	0	0	5	1	104	21
colspan="3"\|Career total !212	33	23	5	6	1	6	1	247	40