External links
- Maldini Kacurri at Premier League (archived)
- Maldini Kacurri – UEFA competition record ( archive )
- Maldini Kacurri at Soccerway
- Maldini Kacurri at WorldFootball.net
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Maldini Kacurri [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 4 October 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Lewisham, England | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Arsenal | ||
| Number | 44 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2022 | Fulham | ||
| 2022–2024 | Arsenal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2024– | Arsenal | 0 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Bromley (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021 | Albania U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | Albania U19 | 5 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:10, 13 May 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 17:10, 13 February 2025 (UTC) | |||
Maldini Kacurri (born 4 October 2005) is an Albanian footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Arsenal.
Kacurri was born on 4 October 2005 in Lewisham, London, [2] and was named after former AC Milan and Italy captain Paolo Maldini. His family emigrated to the UK from Albania. His family are from the city of Lezhë. [3] He has an older sister, a younger brother, and a niece. His family is of the Catholic faith.[ citation needed ]
Kacurri began his youth career with the youth academy of English side Fulham, before moving to Arsenal in 2022. [4] He was described as "regular feature for the Gunners at Premier League 2 level" while playing for them. [5]
Kacurri first started training with their senior team during the 2022–23 season. [4] He signed his first professional contract with the club on 4 July 2024. [6] Kacurri made his first senior matchday squad during a 1–0 win over rivals Tottenham on 15 September. [5] [7] On 25 September, he made his senior debut as a substitute for Riccardo Calafiori in a 5–1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup, [8] [9] becoming the first Albanian national to represent Arsenal's first team. [2]
On 3 February 2025, Kacurri joined League Two club Bromley on loan for the remainder of the season. [10]
An Albanian youth international, Kacurri made two appearances for the Albania national under-17 team before joining the Albania national under-19 team in 2023.
Kacurri mainly operates as a defender. He specifically operates as a center-back. He has been described as an "unstoppable defender, combative and with a tall stature that significantly distinguishes him from his peers".[ citation needed ]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Arsenal U21 | 2022–23 [11] | — | — | — | — | 1 [a] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2024–25 [12] | — | — | — | — | 2 [a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||||
| Total | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||||||
| Arsenal | 2024–25 [12] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| Bromley (loan) | 2024–25 [12] | League Two | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
Born on October 4, 2005, in Lewisham, London, to a family originally from the city of Lezhë, Albania, Kacurri's journey is not just a personal achievement but a symbol of hope for many young athletes with immigrant backgrounds.
