Elhan Kastrati

Elhan Kastrati (born 2 February 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Italian club A.S. Cittadella and the Albania national team.

Elhan Kastrati
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-02-02) 2 February 1997 (age 27)
Place of birthKrumë, Albania
Height1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Cittadella
Number36
Youth career
2009–2014Teuta
2014Renato Curi Angolana
2014–2016Pescara
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2012–2013Teuta0(0)
2015–2020Pescara15(0)
2016Piacenza (loan)1(0)
2017–2018Teuta (loan)26(0)
2020Trapani2(0)
2020–Cittadella122(0)
International career
2012–2014Albania U1711(0)
2015Albania U193(0)
2017–2018Albania U2116(0)
2022–Albania2(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:43, 5 July 2022 (UTC)

Club career

Early career

Kastrati started his youth career in 2009 at Teuta academies aged 12. During the 2012–13 season he participated with the first team in two League and four Cup games. On 1 February 2014, he moved to youths of Eccellenza Abruzzo side Renato Curi Angolana.[1][2]

Pescara

On 1 July 2014, Kastrati moved to Delfino Pescara 1936. He was placed at the Primavera side where he played eight matches during the 2014–15 Campionato Nazionale Primavera. In the 2015–16 season he was part of the first team in one Cup and two 2015–16 Serie B matches.[2]

Loan to Piacenza

On 14 July 2016, Kastrati was loaned out to Lega Pro side Piacenza Calcio 1919 until the end of the season.[3] He was a second choice behind Mirco Miori and ahead of former Roma Ivan Pelizzoli and young Stefano Dudiez. He made it his professional debut on 18 December 2016 against Prato coming on as a substitute in the 51st minute in place of striker Andrea Razzitti after that first choice Mirco Miori was sent-off.[4]

Loan to Teuta

On 26 January 2017, Kastrati was loaned to the team where he started his career Teuta until the end of the season.[5] On 29 June, following the end of the season, in which Kastrati collected 13 league appearances, Pescara and Teuta confirmed that Kastrati was going to remain on loan at the club for 2017–18 season.[6]

Trapani

On 29 January 2020, he signed with Serie B club Trapani.[7]

International career

Albania U17

Kastrati received his first Albania under-17 call-up by manager Džemal Mustedanagić for a friendly tournament developed in August 2012 in Romania.[8]

Albania U19

On 3 November 2015, Kastrati received a call-up by Albania under-19 squad coach Arjan Bellaj to participate in 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualifiers from 12 to 17 November 2015.[9]

He made his debut in the opening match against Austria which finished in a 2–1 loss,[10] and also played in the final match against Wales which ended in victory.[11] He was an unused substitute against Georgia as coach Bellaj placed Gentian Selmani instead.[12]

Albania U21

Kastrati was called up at under-21 side by coach Redi Jupi for the double friendly matches against Czech Republic on 20 & 23 May 2016.[13]

Later in 2017, Kastrati received another call-up this time by the new coach Alban Bushi in two occasions in January for a gathering in Durrës,[14] and for a double friendly match against Moldova in March.[15]

In June 2017, Kastrati was called up for the friendly against France on 5 June 2017 and the opening 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying match against Estonia one week later.[16]

Albania

He debuted with the senior Albania national team in a friendly 0–0 tie with Estonia on 13 June 2022.[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of 22 December 2017[18][19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEurope[a]OtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Teuta2012–13Kategoria Superiore000000
Pescara2015–16Serie A000000
Piacenza (loan)2016–17Lega Pro1010
Teuta (loan)2016–17Kategoria Superiore13010140
2017–1813000130
Total26010270
Career total27010280

References