Ardian Ismajli

Ardian Ismajli
Ismajli playing for Empoli in 2025
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-09-30) 30 September 1996
Place of birth Majac, Podujevë, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Torino
Number 44
Youth career
2010–2015 2 Korriku
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 2 Korriku 0 (0)
2015–2016 → Prishtina (loan) 9 (0)
2016–2020 Hajduk Split 84 (2)
2017–2018 → Hajduk Split II 5 (0)
2020–2021 Spezia 17 (1)
2021–2025 Empoli 100 (0)
2025– Torino 8 (0)
International career‡
2015 Albania U21 1 (0)
2017–2018 Kosovo U21 9 (0)
2018 Kosovo 1 (0)
2018– Albania 46 (3)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 8 November 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 November 2025

Ardian Ismajli (born 30 September 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Italian Serie A club Torino. Born in Kosovo, he plays for the Albania national team.

Club career

Early career

Ismajli went through the ranks of First Football League of Kosovo side 2 Korriku from Pristina, Kosovo. He made his senior debut in the second half of the 2013–14 season and in mid-2015, Ismajli went on a one-season loan to Kosovo Superleague side Prishtina.

Hajduk Split

In February 2016, Ismajli signed a three-and-a-half-year scholarship contract with Croatian First Football League side Hajduk Split after a trial.[1] Ismajli initially played for Hajduk Split II in the 3. HNL. On 14 May 2016, he made his senior debut for Hajduk against Zagreb in the Croatian First Football League and playing the full 90 minutes as a central defender in a 3–2 win. Ismajli was booked in the 48th minute.

In the 2016–17 season, Ismajli became a regular player under coach Marijan Pušnik. In the first match of the season, a 2016–17 UEFA Europa League second qualifying round match against Politehnica Iași in Romania, he was included in the match day squad, but did not participate in the match.[2] Ismajli started the next match in a 2–0 league win over newly promoted Cibalia and playing as right back.[3] On 18 August 2016, he made his UEFA Europa League debut in a 2–1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv at Netanya Stadium in the playoff round after being named in the starting line-up.[4] On 21 August 2016, Ismajli scored his first goal for Hajduk in a 4–2 defeat against Rijeka at Poljud Stadium.[5]

Spezia Calcio

In September 2020, Ismajli signed a three-year deal with Italian club Spezia.[6] He joined the club ahead of their first-ever season in the Serie A. On 18 April 2021, he scored his first goal in a 4–1 away defeat against Bologna.[7]

Empoli

On 9 August 2021, Ismajli joined fellow Italian club Empoli.[8] At the end of the 2024–25 season, following the club's relegation to Serie B, he announced his departure after making 100 appearances in Serie A.[9]

Torino

On 8 July 2025, Ismajli signed a two-season contract with Torino.[10] He made his debut on 14 September 2025 in the third game week of the 2025–26 season, playing the full match and being a protagonist in a 1–0 away victory against Roma.[11]

International career

Kosovo

Youth

On 5 June 2017, Ismajli received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for a 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Norway U21[12] and made his debut after being named in the starting line-up.

Senior

On 2 October 2016, Ismajli received a call-up from Kosovo for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Croatia and Ukraine,[13] but a day before joining with national team, he was injured during a derby match between Dinamo Zagreb and Hajduk Split.[14] On 29 May 2018, Ismajli made his debut with Kosovo in a friendly match against Albania after being named in the starting line-up.[15]

Albania

Ismajli received the Albanian citizenship on 26 October 2018.[16] On 7 November 2018, Ismajli received a call-up from Albania for the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League match against Scotland and friendly match against Wales.[17]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 9 November2025[18][19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe[a] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2 Korriku 2014–15 First League of Kosovo —
Prishtina (loan) 2015–16 Kosovo Superleague 9 0 0 0 — 9 0
Hajduk Split 2015–16 Croatian First League 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2016–17 Croatian First League 18 1 0 0 2 0 20 1
2017–18 Croatian First League 14 0 2 0 0 0 16 0
2018–19 Croatian First League 20 1 3 0 0 0 23 1
2019–20 Croatian First League 28 0 1 0 1 0 30 0
2020–21 Croatian First League 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Total 84 2 6 0 3 0 93 2
Hajduk Split II 2017–18 Croatian Second League 3 0 — — 3 0
2018–19 Croatian Second League 2 0 — — 2 0
Total 5 0 — — 5 0
Spezia 2020–21 Serie A 17 1 4 0 — 21 1
Empoli 2021–22 Serie A 20 0 2 0 — 22 0
2022–23 Serie A 25 0 1 0 — 26 0
2023–24 Serie A 26 0 1 0 — 27 0
2024–25 Serie A 29 0 2 0 — 31 0
Total 100 0 6 0 — 106 0
Torino 2025–26 Serie A 8 0 1 0 — 9 0
Career total 228 3 17 0 3 0 248 3
  1. ^ Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League

International

As of match played 16 November 2025[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Kosovo 2018 1 0
Total 1 0
Albania 2018 2 0
2019 9 0
2020 3 1
2021 9 0
2022 7 1
2023 6 0
2024 8 1
2025 2 0
Total 46 3
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ismajli goal.
List of international goals scored by Ardian Ismajli
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 15 November 2020 Arena Kombëtare, Tirana, Albania  Kazakhstan 2–0 3–1 2020–21 UEFA Nations League C
2 16 November 2022  Italy 1–0 1–3 Friendly
3 7 September 2024 Stadion Letná, Prague, Czech Republic  Ukraine 1–1 2–1 2024–25 UEFA Nations League

References

  1. ^ "Ardian Ismajli potpisao ugovor s Hajdukom". NogometPlus (in Croatian). 15 February 2016.
  2. ^ "Iasi - Hajduk 2:2" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 14 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Cibalia - Hajduk 0:2" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 17 July 2016.
  4. ^ "M. Tel-Aviv 2-1 Hajduk Split". UEFA. 18 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Hajduk - Rijeka 2:4" (in Croatian). HNK Hajduk Split. 21 August 2016.
  6. ^ "Ardian Ismjli è un nuovo difensore delle Aquile". acspezia (in Italian). 14 September 2020.
  7. ^ Costa, Diego (18 April 2021). "Bologna-Spezia 4-1: Orsolini, Barrow e doppio Svanberg, liguri travolti" (in Italian). la Repubblica.
  8. ^ "Ardian Ismajli è un nuovo calciatore azzurro" (in Italian). Empoli FC. 9 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Ismajli, addio all'Empoli dopo una stagione da leader" (in Italian). Calcio Empoli. 29 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Ismajli al Toro" [Ismajli at Toro] (in Italian). Torino. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Protagonistë në fitoren e parë të Torinos, Ismajli e Asllani mes më të mirëve – shihni statistikat dhe notën e dy lojtarëve të Kombëtares". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). Panorama. 13 September 2025. Retrieved 13 September 2025.
  12. ^ "Kombëtarja U21 filloi përgatitjet për sfidën me Norvegjinë" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 5 June 2017.
  13. ^ "Bunjaki announces the list of players for the matches with Croatia and Ukraine". Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 5 October 2016. Retrieved 9 May 2018.
  14. ^ "Lëndohet mbrojtësi i përfaqësueses së Kosovës, Ismajli" (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 3 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Kosova e fiton me spektakël miqësoren kundër Shqipërisë" (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 29 May 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  16. ^ "PËR DHËNIE TË SHTETËSISË SHQIPTARE" [FOR GIVING THE ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP] (in Albanian). Qendra e Botimeve Zyrtare. 26 October 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Panucci shpall listën e kombëtares për dy ndeshjet e rradhës" [Panucci announces the list of national team for two next matches] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 7 November 2018.
  18. ^ Ardian Ismajli at Soccerway
  19. ^ "Ardian Ismajli". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
  20. ^ Ardian Ismajli at EU-Football.info
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