Enea Mihaj
Mihaj with PAOK in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-07-05) 5 July 1998 (age 25)
Place of birth Rhodos, Greece[1]
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Famalicão
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– Famalicão 26 (0)
International career‡
2016 Albania U19 2 (0)
2016–2017 Albania U21 2 (0)
2018– Albania 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:30, 11 November 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:30, 11 November 2023 (UTC)

Enea Mihaj (born 5 July 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Primeira Liga club Famalicão. Born in Greece, he plays for the Albania national team.

Early life

He 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]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 November 2023 [14][15][16][17]
Club statistics
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 [16][18]
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

References

  1. ^ Enea Mihaj at WorldFootball.net Edit this at Wikidata
  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. 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. 2014-06-20. 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. ^ Enea Mihaj at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  15. ^ Enea Mihaj – UEFA competition record (archive)
  16. ^ a b Enea Mihaj at National-Football-Teams.com
  17. ^ Enea Mihaj at BeSoccer
  18. ^ Enea Mihaj at EU-Football.info

External links

F.C. Famalicão – current squad
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