Leon Avdullahu

Last updated

Leon Avdullahu
Personal information
Date of birth (2004-02-23) 23 February 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth Solothurn, Switzerland
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
TSG Hoffenheim
Number 7
Youth career
2012–2013 FC Gerlafingen
2013–2018 Solothurn
2018–2023 Basel
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2022–2024 Basel U21 35 (0)
2023–2025 Basel 63 (2)
2025– TSG Hoffenheim 2 (0)
International career
2019–2020 Switzerland U15 4 (0)
2019–2020 Switzerland U16 3 (0)
2019–2021 Switzerland U18 4 (1)
2021–2023 Switzerland U19 5 (0)
2023–2025 Switzerland U21 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 12 June 2025

Leon Avdullahu (born 23 February 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for German Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim. Born in Switzerland, he represented that nation at youth international levels but in 2025 switched to play for Kosovo national team. [1]

Contents

Club career

Born in Solothurn, Avdullahu started his youth football with local club FC Gerlafingen and then moved to Solothurn in 2013. In the summer of 2018, he moved to Basel's youth department and in 2022 he advanced to their U-21 team, but remained part of the U-18 team that celebrated winning the Swiss championship at the end of June 2023. In July 2023 he signed his first professional contract and advanced to their first team for their 2023–24 season. [2]

After playing in three test games Avdullahu played his domestic league debut for the club in the home game in the St. Jakob-Park on 13 August 2023 as Basel were defeated 2–1 by Lausanne-Sport. [3] In the 2023–24 Swiss Cup second round match, on 16 September, Avdullahu scored his first goal for the team as Basel went on to win 8–0 against amateur club FC Bosporus in Bern. [4]

As Fabio Celestini became FCB head-coach, Avdullahu became a regular starter. He scored his first league goal for the team on 30 March 2024 in the home game in the St. Jakob-Park as Basel played a 2–2 draw with Zürich. [5] At the end of the 2024–25 Swiss Super League season he became Swiss champion and Cup winner with them. On 12 June FC Basel 1893 announced that their former youth player Avdullahu was moving to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga. [6] During his two seasons with FCB's first team, Avdullahu played a total of 71 games for them scoring a total of three goals. 63 of these games were in the Swiss Super League and 8 in the Swiss Cup. He scored two goals in the domestic league and the other in the cup. [7]

On 12 June 2025, German Bundesliga side TSG 1899 Hoffenheim announced the signing of Avdullahu on a long-term contract. [8]

International career

Born and raised in Switzerland, Avdullahu is of Kosovan origin from Kamenica. [9] From 2019, until 2025, he has been part of Switzerland at youth international level, respectively has been part of the U15, U16, U18, U19 and U21 teams and he with these teams played 22 matches and scored one goal.

On 22 June 2025, Avdullahu met with the president of the Football Federation of Kosovo, Agim Ademi, which was seen as a possible indication of his interest in representing Kosovo at the international level. [10] Following the meeting, reports emerged that he might switch his allegiance to Albania and that he had received a call-up for the September matches; [11] however, the authenticity of the reported invitation was later disputed. [12]

On 25 August 2025, Avdullahu decided to represent Kosovo at the international level, a decision confirmed through a Facebook post by the president of the Football Federation of Kosovo, Agim Ademi. [1] Four days later, he formalizes the decision and accept their call-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Switzerland and Sweden. [13]

Career statistics

As of match played 30 August 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Basel U21 2021–22 Swiss Promotion League 7070
2022–23 Swiss Promotion League250250
2023–24 Swiss Promotion League3030
Total350350
Basel 2023–24 Swiss Super League 2814100322
2024–25 Swiss Super League35140391
Total6328100713
1899 Hoffenheim 2025–26 Bundesliga 201030
Career total10029100001093

Honours

Basel

References

  1. 1 2 "Finally, Avdullahu says YES to Kosovo". Indeksonline.net. 25 August 2025.
  2. FC Basel 1893 (21 July 2023). "Junior Ze, Avdullahu und Kayombo neu im Kader Ersten Mannschaft" [Junior Ze, Avdullahu and Kayombo new in the first team squad] (in German). FC Basel 1893 AG. Retrieved 16 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. FC Basel 1893 (13 August 2023). "Bittere Niederlage gegen Lausanne-Sport" [A bitter defeat against Lausanne-Sport] (in German). FC Basel 1893 AG. Retrieved 16 November 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV) (16 September 2023). "FC Bosporus - FC Basel 0:8 (0:3)". Schweizerischer Fussballverband (SFV). Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  5. Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" (30 March 2024). "FC Basel - FC Zürich 2:2 (2:1)" (in Swiss High German). Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv". Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  6. FC Basel 1893 (12 June 2025). "Leon Avdullahu wechselt zur TSG 1899 Hoffenheim" [Leon Avdullahu moves to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim] (in Swiss High German). FC Basel 1893 AG. Retrieved 12 June 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv” (12 June 2025). "Leon Avdullahu". Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv”. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  8. "Wunschtransfer: Schweizer Talent Leon Avdullahu wechselt in den Kraichgau" [Desired transfer: Swiss talent Leon Avdullahu moves to Kraichgau=language=de]. TSG Hoffenheim. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
  9. "Who is Leon Avdullahu, the newest addition to the Kosovo National Team?". Indeksonline.net. 26 August 2025.
  10. "FFK President Agim Ademi meets with Leon Avdullahu – is he joining Kosovo?". Gazeta Express. 22 June 2025.
  11. "Shqipëria 'thikë pas shpine' Kosovës: Tenton të rrëmbejë yllin e ri Leon Avdullahu" [Albania 'stabs' Kosovo in the back: Attempts to kidnap young star Leon Avdullahu] (in Albanian). AlbanianNews.net. 24 August 2025.
  12. "E ka ftuar apo jo Shqipëria, Arlind Sadiku tregon për lojtarin nga Kosova" [Whether Albania invited him or not, Arlind Sadiku talks about the player from Kosovo] (in Albanian). Bota Sot. 24 August 2025.
  13. "Përzgjedhësi Foda publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjet e shtatorit" [Head coach Foda publishes the list of footballers for the September matches] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 29 August 2025.
  14. "Thousands celebrate the championship title in Basel during the ESC". blue News.