Art Smakaj

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Art Smakaj
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-02-04) 4 February 2003 (age 22)
Place of birth Zagreb, Croatia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) [1]
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
LASK
Number 5
Youth career
–2013 Dinamo Zagreb
2013–2016 Trnje
2016–2022 Lokomotiva
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2025 Lokomotiva 74 (3)
2025– LASK 4 (0)
International career
2021 Kosovo U19 2 (0)
2022– Kosovo U21 11 (0)
2024– Kosovo 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 5 June 2024

Art Smakaj (born 4 February 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Croatian League club Lokomotiva. Born in Croatia, he represents Kosovo at international level.

Contents

Club career

On 11 December 2021, Smakaj was named as a Lokomotiva substitute for the first time in a Croatian First League match against Hajduk Split. [2] His debut with Lokomotiva came on 26 February 2022 in a 2–0 home win against Gorica after being named in the starting line-up. [3]

International career

Under-19

On 30 September 2021, Smakaj was named as part of the Kosovo U19 squad for UEFA Euro 2022 qualifications. [4] Six days later, he made his debut with Kosovo U19 in the match against Norway U19 after being named in the starting line-up. [5]

Under-21

On 30 May 2022, Smakaj received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for the UEFA Euro 2023 qualification matches against Andorra U21, England U21 and Albania U21. [6] His debut with Kosovo U21 came on 4 June in the UEFA Euro 2023 qualification match against Andorra after coming on as a substitute at 74th minute in place of Qëndrim Zyba. [7]

Senior

On 30 May 2024, Smakaj received a call-up from Kosovo for a friendly match against Norway, [8] and made his debut after coming on as a substitute at 78th minute in place of Lindon Emërllahu. [9]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 27 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lokomotiva 2021–22 Croatian Football League 300030
2022–23 Croatian Football League13010140
2023–24 Croatian Football League26140301
2024–25 Croatian Football League32220342
Total74370813
LASK 2025–26 Austrian Bundesliga 40210061
Career total783910000874

    International

    As of match played 5 June 2024
    Appearances and goals by national team and year
    National teamYearAppsGoals
    Kosovo 202410
    Total10

    References

    1. Art Smakaj at WorldFootball.net OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
    2. "Lokomotiva Zagreb vs. Hajduk Split 3–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
    3. "Lokomotiva–Gorica 2:0" (in Croatian). NK Lokomotiva Zagreb. 26 February 2022.
    4. "Lista e futbollistëve të Kombëtares U19 për kualifikimet e Evropianit" [List of footballers of the national U19 team for the European qualifications] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 30 September 2021.
    5. "Norway U19 vs. Kosovo U19 3–0". Soccerway. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
    6. Kosovan Football [@kosovanfooty_EN] (30 May 2022). "This is Albert Bunjaku's #Kosova U21 squad for the upcoming #EuroU21 qualifiers!" (Tweet) via Twitter.
    7. "Andorra U21 vs. Kosovo U21 0–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
    8. "Smakaj dhe Abdullahu – Kush janë dy futbollistët e ftuar për herë të parë te Përfaqësuesja e Kosovës" [Smakaj and Abdullahu – Who are the two footballers invited for the first time to the Kosovo national team] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 30 May 2024.
    9. "Smakaj debuton te Kosova" [Smakaj debuts in Kosovo] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 5 June 2024.