Mario Mitaj (born 6 August 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad, on loan from Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow. Born in Greece, he represents Albania at international level.[2]
 Mitaj with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mario Mitaj | ||
| Date of birth | 6 August 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Athens, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Al Ittihad (on loan from Lokomotiv Moscow) | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2020 | AEK Athens | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2022 | AEK Athens | 11 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | AEK Athens B | 20 | (0) |
| 2022– | Lokomotiv Moscow | 36 | (0) |
| 2024– | → Al Ittihad (loan) | 9 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Albania U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Albania U17 | 6 | (1) |
| 2020– | Albania U21 | 11 | (0) |
| 2021– | Albania | 21 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:04, 19 June 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editAEK Athens
editOn 12 August 2020, Mitaj signed his first professional contract with Greek club AEK Athens and immediately started training with the first team.[3]
On 18 October 2020, he made his first league appearance in a game against PAOK, thus becoming the youngest foreign player in club history to feature in a competitive fixture, at 17 years, 2 months and 13 days old.[4]
On 2 February 2021, he signed a new contract, running until the summer of 2023.[5]
On 10 August 2021, the Albanian defender signed a new deal, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2026.[6]
Lokomotiv Moscow
editOn 27 August 2022, Mitaj signed a five-year contract with Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow.[7] The transfer fee was €3 million and AEK also kept a percentage for the next Mitaj's transfer.
Loan to Al Ittihad
editOn 3 September 2024, Mitaj was loaned to Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad for one year, with an option to buy.[8] The fee is reported to be around 1.2 million €.
International career
editHaving lived in Nea Ionia, Attica, Greece for a large part of his life, Mitaj was eligible to represent both Albania and Greece at international level. After having featured in all young Albanian squads, he earned his first cap for Albania's senior squad on 31 March 2021, in a 2–0 victory over San Marino for the 2022 European FIFA World Cup qualifiers, becoming cap-tied to Albania in the process. With this appearance, he became Albania's second youngest ever international player at 17 years and 237 days old.[9]
He is selected from the list of 26 Albanian players of the Sylvinho coach to participate in UEFA Euro 2024.[10]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 30 November 2024
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AEK Athens | 2020–21 | Super League Greece | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| AEK Athens B | 2021–22 | Super League Greece 2 | 20 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2022–23 | Russian Premier League | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 18 | 0 | |
| 2023–24 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 36 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | 49 | 0 | |||
| Al-Ittihad (loan) | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | |
| Career total | 75 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 95 | 1 | ||
- ^ Includes Greek Cup, Russian Cup, King's Cup
- ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
International
edit- As of match played 14 october 2024[11]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022[a] | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 0 | |
- ^ Conclude with Non-FIFA international football
References
edit- ^ "Mario Mitaj". FC Lokomotiv Moscow. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ Mario Mitaj at Soccerway
- ^ "Mario Mitaj signed a professional contract with AEK!". aekfc.gr. 12 August 2020.
- ^ "ΘΕΜΑ Μάριο Μιτάι: Ο νεότερος ξένος στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ" [SUBJECT Mario Mitai: The youngest foreigner in the history of AEK]. amna.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ ""Έδεσε" και τους Μιτάι και Μαχαίρα η ΑΕΚ (vid)" (in Greek). Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ: Επέκτεινε το συμβόλαιο του Μιτάι μέχρι το 2026" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 10 August 2021.
- ^ "МАРИО МИТАЙ – НОВЫЙ ЗАЩИТНИК "ЛОКОМОТИВА"" (in Russian). Lokomotiv Moscow. 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Митай на правах аренды перешёл в саудовский "Иттихад"" (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 3 September 2024.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ: "Έκλεισε" στην Αλβανία ο Μιτάι και "έγραψε" ιστορία". www.newsit.gr. April 2021. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ Sinani, Renaldo (8 June 2024). "Trajneri Silvinjo publikon listën e Kombëtares me emrat e 26 lojtarëve për Kampionatin Europian "Gjermani 2024"". FSHF (in Albanian). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Mitaj, Mario". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
External links
edit- Mario Mitaj – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Mario Mitaj at ESPN FC