Enea Mihaj

Enea Mihaj

Mihaj with PAOK in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth	(1998-07-05) 5 July 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth	Albania [1]
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Atlanta United
Number	4
Youth career
2011	Olympic Arena Academy
2011–2017	Panetolikos
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2019	Panetolikos	45	(0)
2019–2022	PAOK	23	(1)
2022–2025	Famalicão	72	(0)
2025–	Atlanta United	5	(0)
International career‡
2016	Albania U19	2	(0)
2016–2017	Albania U21	2	(0)
2018–	Albania	19	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:33, 25 September 2024 (UTC)

Enea Mihaj (born 5 July 1998) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United and the Albania national team.

Early life

He was born in Albania and later moved with his family to Thessaloniki, Greece, and then to Rhodes, where he discovered his interest for football. At the age of 13, he was admitted to the Olympic Arena Academy where he stood out with his talent and caught the eye of Panetolikos, who signed him to their academy. At the age of 16, he moved to Aetolia-Acarnania. ^[2]

Club career

Panetolikos

Mihaj first suited up for Panetolikos on 14 December 2016 in a 2016–17 Greek Cup match against Kallithea where he was an unused substitute. ^[3] After two league matches as an unused substitute, he made his professional debut on 11 January 2017 in a cup match against PAOK, coming on as a substitute in the 87th minute in place of Giorgos Mygas. ^[4]

PAOK

On 21 June 2019, Mihaj signed with PAOK. ^[5] On 12 July 2020, he scored his first goal for PAOK in a 1–0 away victory against Olympiacos in the 90th minute.

Famalicão

On 15 August 2022, Mihaj signed a three-year contract with Primeira Liga club Famalicão. ^[6]

International career

Youth

Mihaj received his first call-up to the Albania under-19 team by coach Arjan Bellaj for the Roma Caput Mundi tournament in February and March 2016. ^[7]

He received his first call-up at the under-21 level by coach Redi Jupi for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group 4 match against Israel on 10 October 2016. ^[8] He made his debut in the 4–0 defeat, coming on as a substitute at half-time in place of Kostandin Kariqi. ^[9]

He was called up again to Albania's under-21 side for two friendly matches against Moldova on 25 and 27 March 2017. ^[10]

Senior

Mihaj received his first senior call-up to Albania senior team by coach Christian Panucci for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League C debut against Israel and Scotland on 7 and 10 September 2018. ^[11] He made his international debut in the 2–0 away loss to Scotland, entering in the last minutes of the match. ^[12]

Mihaj was named in the squad by the new manager Sylvinho for the opening UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying game against Poland in March 2023, filling in for the injured Ardian Ismajli. ^[13]

He is selected from the selection board's list of 26 Albanian players to participate in UEFA Euro 2024. ^[14]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 November 2023 ^{[15] [16] [17] [18]}

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Apps	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Panetolikos	2016–17	Super League Greece	0	0	1	0	—		—		1	0
	2017–18	Super League Greece	26	0	3	0	—		—		29	0
	2018–19	Super League Greece	19	0	—		—		—		19	0
	Total		45	0	4	0	—		—		49	0
PAOK	2019–20	Super League Greece	4	1	2	0	—		—		6	1
	2020–21	Super League Greece	5	0	1	0	—		0	0	6	0
	2021–22	Super League Greece	14	0	1	0	—		7 [a]	0	22	0
	Total		23	1	4	0	—		7	0	34	1
Famalicão	2022–23	Primeira Liga	25	0	6	0	4	0	—		35	0
	2023–24	Primeira Liga	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		1	0
	Total		26	0	6	0	4	0	—		36	0
Career total			94	1	14	0	4	0	7	0	119	1

1. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International

As of match played 17 October 2023 ^{[17] [19]}

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Albania	2018	2	0
	2019	0	0
	2020	3	0
	2021	3	0
	2022	5	0
	2023	2	0
Total		15	0

Honours

Club

PAOK

• Greek Cup: 2020–21; Runner-Up :2021–22

References

1. Enea Mihaj paokfc.gr
2. "Grekët "përulen" para talentit të shqiptarit" [The Greeks "humble" in front of the Albanian talent] (in Albanian). Albsport. 18 January 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
3. "Kallithea vs. Panaitolikos - 14 December 2016". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
4. "Panaitolikos vs. PAOK - 11 January 2017". Soccerway. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
5. "Στον ΠΑΟΚ ο Enea Mihaj". sportsup.gr. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2019.
6. "Enea Mihaj assina por três temporadas" [Enea Mihaj signs for three seasons] (in European Portuguese). FC Famalicão. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
7. "Kombëtarja U-19, në turneun "Roma Caput Mundi"" [The U-19 national team, in the tournament “Roma Caput Mundi”] (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 28 February 2016. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
8. "FSHF skandal me Shpresat, fshihet lista e Kombëtares U-21". Panorama.com.al. Panorama Sport. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
9. "Israel-Albania / Under-21 2017". UEFA . Retrieved 12 January 2017.
10. "Kombëtarja U-21, pak risi në miqësoret ndaj Moldavisë" [Under-21 national team, less innovation against Moldova] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 18 March 2017. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
11. "Kundër Izraelit dhe Skocisë, Panucci shpall listën. Emra të rinj, por edhe rikthime" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 1 September 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
12. "Scotland 2–0 Albania". European Football. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
13. "E FUNDIT/ Ardian Ismajli mungon kundër Polonisë, Silvinjo thërret mbrojtsin nga Portugalia" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
14. Sinani, Renaldo (8 June 2024). "Trajneri Silvinjo publikon listën e Kombëtares me emrat e 26 lojtarëve për Kampionatin Europian "Gjermani 2024"". FSHF (in Albanian). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
15. Enea Mihaj at Soccerway . Retrieved 21 October 2017.
16. Enea Mihaj – UEFA competition record ( archive )
17. Enea Mihaj at National-Football-Teams.com
18. Enea Mihaj at BeSoccer
19. Enea Mihaj at EU-Football.info

External links

• Enea Mihaj at WorldFootball.net
• "Enea Mihaj profile" (in Greek). Superleague Greece. Archived from the original on 30 March 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2018.