Olger Merkaj

Olger Merkaj (born 23 July 1997) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a right winger or forward for Italian Serie D club Luparense.

Olger Merkaj
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-07-23) 23 July 1997
Place of birth Vlorë, Albania
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Right winger, Forward[1]
Team information
Current team
 Luparense
Youth career
2012–2016 Sampdoria
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Sampdoria 0 (0)
2016–2017 → Tuttocuoio (loan) 11 (2)
2017 Casale 16 (2)
2017–2019 Chieri 48 (11)
2019–2020 US Breno 20 (7)
2020–2021 Bra 37 (18)
2021–2022 Foggia 17 (2)
2022 Campobasso 16 (1)
2022 Trapani 0 (0)
2022– Luparense 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 September 2022

Club career

Early life and Youth career

Merkaj was born in Vlorë, Albania and moved to Italy aged 8. He started his youth career at U.C. Sampdoria in 2012.[2][3]

Tuttocuoio

On 26 June 2016 Merkaj was loaned to Lega Pro side A.C. Tuttocuoio 1957 San Miniato.[4] He made it his club debut on 31 July 2016 in the 2015–16 Coppa Italia match against Casertana coming on as a substitute in the 83rd minute in place of Irakli Shekiladze.[5]

Chieri

On 2 December 2017 Casale announced that Merkaj moved to fellow Serie D side Chieri.[6] Four days later Merkaj debuted for Chieri with a goal in the Coppa Italia Serie D 3 round against Unione Sanremo. Merkaj's goal came in the 31st minute, 4 minutes after the opening goal of the match scored by Unione Sanremo and served to end the match in the 1–1, where then advanced in the penalty shoot-out where Merkaj's side was defeated 4–2.[7]

Foggia

On 9 July 2021, he signed with Serie C club Foggia.[8]

Campobasso

On 21 January 2022, he moved to Campobasso.[9]

Trapani

On 14 September 2022, he joined Trapani.[10]

Luparense

On 5 December 2022, Merkaj left Trapani to join Luparense.[11]

International career

Merkaj received his first international call up at the Albania national under-17 football team by coach Džemal Mustedanagić for the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship elite round.[12] However, due to health problems he was sent to a hospital in Czech Republic and was unable to participate in the tournament. He was visited at hospital by 4 Captains of all Group 4 youth national teams, Keidi Bare of Albania U17, Ryan Ledson of England U17, Filippo Romagna of Italy U17 and David Záleský of Czech Republic U17.[13]

Following a good season with Tuttocuoio in the 2016–17 Lega Pro's first-half he received his first call-up at the Albania national under-21 football team by coach Alban Bushi for a gathering from 21–28 January 2017.[14]

Career statistics

Club
As of math played 24 April 2022 [3]
Club statistics
Club Season League National cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tuttocuoio 2016–17 Lega Pro 102101[lower-alpha 1]0122
Casale 2017–18 Serie D 162——162
Chieri 2017–18 Serie D 176—2[lower-alpha 2]0196
2018–19 Serie D 31510—325
Total 4811102 05111
US Breno 2019–20 Serie D 207——207
Bra 2020–21 Serie D 3718—1[lower-alpha 2]03818
Foggia 2021–22 Serie C 172——172
Campobasso 2021–22 Serie C 161——161
Career total 16443204 017043
  1. Appearance(s) in Relegation Playoffs
  2. Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs

References
  1. Olger Merkaj at WorldFootball.net
  2. "Olger Merkaj, shqiptari i radhës që synon Serinë A" [Olger Merkaj, the next Albanian who intends the Serie A] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  3. Olger Merkaj at Soccerway. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  4. Olger Merkaj huazohet në Lega Pro Archived 2017-05-10 at the Wayback Machine aSport.al
  5. Casertana vs. Tuttocuoio - 31 July 2016 Soccerway
  6. "Casale, è tornato Andrea Cardini!" [Casale, is returned back Andrea Cardini!] (in Italian). Casale News. 2 December 2017. Retrieved 3 December 2017.
  7. "Rigori beffardi, il Chieri saluta la Coppa Italia" [Penalties mocking the Chieri salutes the Italian Cup.] (in Italian). A.S.D. Calcio Chieri 1955. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 7 December 2017.
  8. "Merkaj Olger è il primo acquisto rossonero" (in Italian). Foggia. 9 July 2021.
  9. "Olger Merkaj nuovo attaccante rossoblù" (in Italian). Campobasso. 21 January 2022. Retrieved 21 January 2022.
  10. "UFFICIALE, nuovo attaccante per il Trapani". www.trapanigranata.it (in Italian). 14 September 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  11. "UFFICIALE: Merkaj lascia il Trapani". www.trapanigranata.it (in Italian). 5 December 2022. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
  12. Kombëtarja U17 niset drejt Çekisë (orari i ndeshjeve) aSport.al
  13. Operohet në Çeki i riu Merkaj, merr përkrahje nga kapitenët e “Elite Round” Sport Ekspres
  14. Talenti shqiptar i Samdorias ftohet me Shqipërinë Shqiperia.ch
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