Drilon Cenaj

Drilon Cenaj (born 12 September 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Kosovo Superleague club Fushë Kosova.

Drilon Cenaj
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-09-12) 12 September 1997
Place of birth Gjakova, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Fushë Kosova
Number 32
Youth career
2001–2013 Sarajevo
2013–2015 Puskás Akadémia
2015–2016 Chievo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Salernitana 0 (0)
2017 Velež Mostar 1 (0)
2017–2018 Novigrad 16 (2)
2018–2019 Pandurii Târgu Jiu 31 (1)
2019 Botev Vratsa 0 (0)
2019 Viitorul Târgu Jiu 13 (0)
2019–2020 Nyíregyháza 5 (0)
2020 Čelik Zenica 3 (0)
2020 Tuzla City 0 (0)
2020–2022 Szentlőrinc 32 (1)
2022–2023 Prishtina 2 (0)
2023– Fushë Kosova 1 (0)
International career‡
2013 Albania U17 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 August 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 February 2013

Club career

Early career and Salernitana

Cenaj is a product of youth team systems of the different Bosnian and Hungarian sides.[1] On 15 September 2015, he signed with under-19 team of Chievo after agreeing to a multiyear deal.[2]

On 2 August 2016, Cenaj signed his first professional contract with Serie B side Salernitana after agreeing to a one-year deal.[3] Five days later, he was named as a Salernitana substitute for the first time in the 2016–17 Coppa Italia second round against Benevento, but was an unused substitute in that match.[4]

Velež Mostar

On 10 March 2017, Cenaj joined First League of FBiH side Velež Mostar. On 8 April 2017, he made his debut in a 3–0 away defeat against Budućnost Banovići after being named in the starting line-up.

Novigrad

On 1 August 2017, Cenaj joined Croatian Second League side Novigrad. His debut with Novigrad came eighteen days later in a 1–1 home draw against Varaždin after coming on as a substitute at 56th minute in place of Nemanja Belaković.[5]

Pandurii Târgu Jiu

On 19 February 2018, Cenaj joined Romanian Liga II side Pandurii Târgu Jiu. On 10 March 2018, he made his debut in a 2–1 home win against Mioveni after coming on as a substitute at 83rd minute in place of Brian Lemac.[6]

Botev Vratsa and Viitorul Târgu Jiu

On 9 January 2019, Cenaj joined Bulgarian First Professional League side Botev Vratsa.[7] A month later, he joined Romanian Liga II side Viitorul Târgu Jiu. On 23 February 2019, he made his debut in a 0–2 away defeat against Universitatea Cluj after being named in the starting line-up.[8]

Nyíregyháza

On 12 July 2019, Cenaj joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Nyíregyháza.[9] On 18 August 2019, he made his debut in a 3–0 home win against Békéscsaba after being named in the starting line-up.[10]

Čelik Zenica

On 17 February 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Čelik Zenica after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal.[11] His debut with Čelik Zenica came six days later in a 0–2 away defeat against Zrinjski Mostar after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Marko Perišić.[12]

Tuzla City and Szentlőrinc

On 26 June 2020, Cenaj joined Bosnian Premier League side Tuzla City.[13] However, less than two months later, on 18 August, he suddenly left the club.[14] On 22 October 2020, he joined Nemzeti Bajnokság II side Szentlőrinc. His debut with Szentlőrinc came three days later in a 3–0 away win against Békéscsaba after coming on as a substitute at 72nd minute in place of Alexander Torvund.[15]

Prishtina

On 21 January 2022, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Prishtina after agreeing to a one-and-a-half-year deal.[16] On 7 April 2022, he was named as a Prishtina substitute for the first time in the 2021–22 Kosovar Cup semi-finals against Llapi.[17] His debut with Prishtina came on 4 May in a 5–0 home win against Feronikeli after being named in the starting line-up.[18]

Fushë Kosova

In August 2023, Cenaj joined Kosovo Superleague side Fushë Kosova.[19] His debut with Fushë Kosova came on 19 August in a 1–6 away defeat against Malisheva after being named in the starting line-up.[20]

International career

During the 2012–13 period, Cenaj represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U15,[21] and U17 level.[22][23] In February 2013, he becomes part of Albania U17 with which he made his debut in a 1–1 away draw against Italy after being named in the starting line-up.[24] On 15 March 2014, Cenaj returned to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina again by accepting their call-up from the under-17 team for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round,[25] but due to injury, could not be part of the national team.[26] In addition to Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he has the right to represent his homeland, Kosovo at the international level.

References
  1. "Drilon Cenaj, ylli i ri 18 vjeçar shqiptar në Serie A" [Drilon Cenaj, the 18-year-old Albanian new star in Serie A] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 3 November 2015. Cenaj filloj te luaj prej moshes 4 vjeqare ne shkollen e futbollit te Sarajeves, aty u stervit per 9 vite radhazi dhe ne vitin 2013 u largua nga klubi i Sarajeves dhe u bashkua me akademinë e Puskas, dhe qe nga atehere u hetua nga klubet e lartepermendura italiane si talent i madh
  2. "Drilon Cenaj signed for Chievo Verona". SarajevoTimes. 15 September 2015.
  3. "Një tjetër shqiptar luan në Itali, Cenaj firmos për Salernitanën" [Another Albanian plays in Italy, Cenaj signs for Salernitana] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 2 August 2016.
  4. "Benevento vs. Salernitana 0–0". Soccerway. 7 August 2016.
  5. "Novigrad vs. Varaždin 1–1". Soccerway. 19 August 2017.
  6. "Pandurii Târgu Jiu vs. Mioveni 2–1". Soccerway. 10 March 2018.
  7. "Bivši igrač Sarajeva karijeru nastavlja u Bugarskoj" [The former Sarajevo player continues his career in Bulgaria]. life.ba (in Bosnian). 10 January 2019.
  8. "Viitorul P. Târgu Jiu vs. Universitatea Cluj 0–2". Soccerway. 10 March 2018.
  9. "Iz Rumunije u Mađarsku: Drilon Cenaj potpisao za Nyíregyháza Spartacus" [From Romania to Hungary: Drilon Cenaj signs for Nyíregyháza Spartacus]. SCSport.ba (in Bosnian). 12 July 2019.
  10. "Nyíregyháza Spartacus vs. Békéscsaba 3–0". Soccerway. 18 August 2019.
  11. "Drilon Cenaj narednu godinu i po stanovnik Bilinog polja" [Drilon Cenaj is a resident of Bilino Polje for the next year and a half]. SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). 17 February 2020.
  12. "NK Čelik - HŠK Zrinjski (0:1) 0:2" (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 23 February 2020.
  13. "Cenaj potpisao za Tuzla City" [Cenaj signed for Tuzla City]. SportSport.ba (in Bosnian). 26 June 2020.
  14. "Drilon Cenaj napustio Tuzla City" [Cenaj left Tuzla City]. Klix.ba (in Bosnian). 18 August 2020.
  15. "Békéscsaba vs. Szentlőrinc SE 0–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  16. "Zyrtare: Prishtina nënshkruan me Drilon Cenaj" [Official: Prishtina signed Drilon Cenaj] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 21 January 2022.
  17. FC Prishtina [@fcprishtinaofficial] (7 April 2022). "FC Prishtina VS FC Llapi" – via Instagram.
  18. "Formacionet zyrtare: Prishtina – Feronikeli" [Official lineups: Prishtina – Feronikeli]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 4 May 2022.
  19. "Fushë Kosova afër transferimit të Drilon Cenajt, mungon vetëm firma" [Fushë Kosova is close to the transfer of Drilon Cenaj, only the signature is missing]. Gazeta Blic (in Albanian). August 2022.
  20. "Malisheva – Fushë Kosova, 11-shet startuese" [Malisheva – Fushë Kosova, the starting 11]. TopSporti. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
  21. "Od sutra selekcija U-15 u kampu" [Starting tomorrow, the U-15 selection is in the camp] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  22. "Prijateljske utakmice "U-17" reprezentacije" [Friendly matches of the "U-17" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
  23. "Zimski kamp "U-17" i "U-15" reprezentacija" [Winter camp "U-17" and "U-15" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  24. "Miqësorja, Shqipëria U-17 "shtanget" në limit nga sllovenët" [The friendly, Albania U-17 "stunned" in the limit by the Slovenians] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 20 February 2013.
  25. ""U-17" reprezentacija" ["U-17" national team] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  26. "Okupila se "U-17" reprezentacija" [The "U-17" national team gathered] (in Bosnian). Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
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