Marco Molla

Marco Molla
Personal information
Full name Marco Besnik Molla
Date of birth (2002-06-19) 19 June 2002
Place of birth Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position Goalkeeper
Youth career
–2014 Sesto
2014–2018 Prato
2018–2022 Bologna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Prato 0 (0)
2020–2024 Bologna 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Imolese (loan) 8 (0)
2024–2025 Laçi 14 (0)
International career‡
2018 Albania U16 2 (0)
2018 Albania U17 2 (0)
2018–2019 Italy U17 14 (0)
2019–2020 Italy U18 3 (0)
2020–2022 Albania U21 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 July 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 1 November 2022

Marco Molla (Albanian: Marko Molla, Albanian pronunciation: [ˈmarko ˈmɔla]; born 19 June 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper, currently a free agent.

Molla began his youth career with Prato before joining Bologna in 2018, later spending a season on loan with Imolese and a brief spell at Laçi in the Kategoria Superiore.

Originally part of Albania's youth setups, Molla represented Italy at under-17 and under-18 levels in a few matches before returning to play for Albania's under-21 national team. He has since been called up to the senior national team but has yet to make his full international debut.

Club career

Early and youth career

Molla began playing football at local club Sesto, initially as a centre-back, before being converted into a goalkeeper on the advice of his youth coach, who recognised his physical and technical potential. At around the age of 12, he joined Prato, where he continued his development and impressed at youth level, notably reaching the under-17 national final. His performances attracted the attention of Bologna, which signed him in the summer of 2018. Molla quickly adapted to his new surroundings, joining the club's youth setup and living in the team's training residence, where he established himself as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in the academy.[1]

Bologna

After progressing through Bologna's youth ranks, Molla was promoted to the senior team during the 2020–21 season.[2] Although he did not make an official appearance in Serie A, he was regularly included in the first-team squad as a reserve goalkeeper. His consistent performances with the Primavera side earned him recognition as one of Bologna's most promising academy graduates.[1]

Loan to Imolese

On 26 August 2022, Molla joined Serie C club Imolese on a season-long loan deal to gain first-team experience.[3] He made several appearances across league and cup competitions, displaying good shot-stopping reflexes and aerial ability despite limited playing time.[4]

Laçi

In July 2024, Molla signed with Laçi in the Kategoria Superiore, marking his first spell in Albanian football.[5] He featured regularly during the first half of the 2024–25 season, before leaving the club in mid-2025 as a free agent.

International career

Molla first represented Albania at youth level, featuring for the under-16 and under-17 national teams in 2018.[6][7]

Later that year, after joining Bologna's academy and not receiving further call-ups from the Albanian Football Federation, Molla and his family expressed disappointment over the situation and opted for him to represent Italy at youth level instead.[8] He went on to earn 14 caps with the Italy U17—appearing at both the UEFA European Under-17 Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup—and also made three appearances for the Italy U18.[9]

In 2020, Molla returned to represent Albania, joining the under-21 national team, for which he made two appearances during the UEFA Euro 2021 qualification campaign.[4] In October 2022, head coach Edoardo Reja included him for the first time in the senior national team squad ahead of a friendly against Armenia and the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Kazakhstan and Lithuania.[10] He was an unused substitute in all matches and has yet to make his full international debut.[2]

Style of play

Standing at 1.92 metres, Molla is known for his imposing physical presence and calmness under pressure. A modern-style goalkeeper, he combines strong reflexes and good positional sense with confident ball-handling and composure in one-on-one situations. Initially starting his youth career as a central defender, he later transitioned to the goalkeeper role on his coach's advice, who recognized his technical qualities and physical attributes suitable for the position.[1]

Personal life

Molla was born in Sesto Fiorentino, near Florence, Italy, to Albanian parents from Shkodër, who had emigrated to Italy during the 1990s.[11] He holds dual citizenship of Italy and Albania.[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 12 April 2024[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Prato 2017–18 Serie C – Group A 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 0 0 — — 0 0
Bologna 2019–20 Serie A 0 0 — — 0 0
2020–21 0 0 — — 0 0
2021–22 0 0 — — 0 0
Imolese (loan) 2022–23 Serie C – Group B 8 0 — 2[a] 0 10 0
Bologna 2024–25 Serie A 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 8 0 — 2 0 10 0
Laçi 2024–25 Kategoria Superiore 14 0 3 0 — 17 0
Career total 22 0 3 0 2 0 27 0
  1. ^ Appearances in Coppa Italia Serie C

References

  1. ^ a b c "Marco Molla, il portierone del Bologna di nome e di fatto" (in Italian). MondoPrimavera. 3 February 2020. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  2. ^ a b Marco Molla at BeSoccer
  3. ^ "Marco Molla nuovo portiere dell'Imolese" (in Italian). Imolese Calcio. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  4. ^ a b Marco Molla at WorldFootball.net
  5. ^ "Laçi firmos me portierin Marco Molla" (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  6. ^ "Trajneri Mustedanagiç shpall listën për turneun "UEFA U-16 Development"" (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 2 May 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  7. ^ "U-17 nis grumbullimin për miqësoret ndaj Bosnjës, zbardhet lista" (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 12 September 2018. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Shkodrani Marco Molla la Shqipërinë për Italinë, flet i ati: "Jemi më shqiptarë se shumë shqiptarë të tjerë"" (in Albanian). Shkodra Sport. 20 March 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  9. ^ "Nga Europiani me U-17 e Italisë te Kombëtarja shqiptare, kush është Marco Molla" (in Albanian). Koha Jonë. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  10. ^ "Risi në Kombëtare, Edi Reja grumbullon portierin e Bolonjës për ndeshjet e muajit tetorit" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2025.
  11. ^ "Portieri shqiptar që zgjodhi Italinë, media përtej Adriatikut: prindërit emigruan para 25 viteve, "xhevahiri" i Bolonjës" (in Albanian). Gazeta Tema. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  12. ^ Marco Molla at Soccerway
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