Drilon Shala

Not to be confused with Driton Shala, Finnish footballer born in 1997.

Drilon Shala

Shala with Lahti in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-03-20) 20 March 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Lahti, Finland
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
2001–2006	Reipas
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2012	Lahti	122	(31)
2006	→ PP-70 (loan)	15	(2)
2007–2008	→ City Stars (loan)	4	(0)
2010	→ Hämeenlinna (loan)	2	(0)
2013	Tavşanlı Linyitspor	14	(0)
2013	PK-35 Vantaa	5	(0)
2014–2019	Lahti	63	(7)
2019–2021	Reipas	11	(0)
International career
2006	Finland U19	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Drilon Shala (born 20 March 1987) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is of Albanian origin. His brother Driton is also a footballer.

Club career

Shala progressed through the Reipas youth academy. ^[1] He made his breakthrough as a senior player for Lahti, playing for the club from 2006 to 2012.

On 17 January 2013, Shala moved to TFF First League club Tavşanlı Linyitspor. ^[2] At the end his first season at the club, his contract was terminated by mutual agreement. ^[3] He eventually returned to Lahti, signing a two-year contract with his former club on 5 November 2013. ^[4] There, he won the Finnish League Cup in 2016 with a 4–3 victory against SJK in the final; his third League Cup playing for Lahti. He retired from professional football in February 2020, only to return for one more season to play for his childhood club Reipas in the third-tier Kakkonen. ^[5]

International career

On 27 February 2006, five months after having been granted Finnish nationality, Shala made his debut for the Finland U19s as a substitute for Jami Puustinen during a 1–0 victory against Norway. ^[6]

Career statistics

As of 23 February 2025 ^[7]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Cup [a]		League cup [b]		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Lahti	2006	Veikkausliiga	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	2007	Veikkausliiga	3	0	–		–		–		3	0
	2008	Veikkausliiga	20	4	–		–		–		20	4
	2009	Veikkausliiga	26	8	3	2	6	0	6 [c]	0	41	10
	2010	Veikkausliiga	21	4	–		–		–		21	4
	2011	Ykkönen	21	9	2	0	–		–		23	9
	2012	Veikkausliiga	30	7	2	1	3	0	–		35	8
	Total		122	32	7	3	9	0	6	0	144	35
PP-70 (loan)	2006	Ykkönen	15	2	–		–		–		15	2
City Stars (loan)	2007	Kakkonen	4	0	–		–		–		4	0
Hämeenlinna (loan)	2010	Ykkönen	2	0	–		–		–		2	0
Tavşanlı Linyitspor	2012–13	TFF 1. Lig	14	0	–		–		–		14	0
PK-35 Vantaa	2013	Ykkönen	5	0	–		–		–		5	0
Lahti	2014	Veikkausliiga	22	4	4	1	4	1	–		30	6
	2015	Veikkausliiga	25	3	2	0	3	0	2 [c]	0	32	3
	2016	Veikkausliiga	6	0	2	1	6	1	–		14	2
	2017	Veikkausliiga	10	0	1	0	–		–		11	0
	2018	Veikkausliiga	0	0	0	0	–		–		0	0
	2019	Veikkausliiga	2	0	0	0	–		–		2	0
	Total		65	7	9	1	13	2	2	0	89	10
Reipas Lahti	2019	Kakkonen	1	0	–		–		–		1	0
	2020	Kakkonen	2	0	–		–		–		2	0
	2021	Kakkonen	8	0	–		–		–		8	0
	Total		11	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	11	0
Kuusysi	2024	Kolmonen	6	2	1	0	–		–		7	2
Career total			244	43	17	4	22	2	8	0	291	49

1. Includes Suomen Cup
2. Includes Finnish League Cup
3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

Lahti

• Ykkönen: 2011
• Finnish League Cup: 2007, 2013, 2016 ^[8]

References

1. "Alle 17-vuotiaiden (1.1.1987) maajoukkue-ehdokas leiri pidetään Eerikkilässä 2. - 4.2.2004". Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
2. "Linyitspor'da 3 transfer birden". Fotomaç (in Turkish). 17 January 2013.
3. "Linyitspor'da 3 transfer birden". Fotomaç (in Turkish). 21 June 2013.
4. Laaksonen, Antti (5 November 2013). "FC Lahdelle mieluisa paluumuuttaja". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish).
5. Hoikkala, Mikael (12 February 2020). "FC Lahden Drilon Shala lopettaa pelaajauransa". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish).
6. "Räväkkä alku". Suomen Palloliitto (in Finnish). 27 February 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007.
7. Drilon Shala stats, Football Association of Finland
8. Lehtonen, Samu (9 April 2013). "Liigacupin voitto teki hyvää FC Lahden itseluottamukselle". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish).

External links

• Drilon Shala at Soccerway