Stiven Shpendi

Stiven Shpendi (born 19 May 2003) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Italian club Cesena and the Albania national under-21 team.

Stiven Shpendi
Personal information
Date of birth (2003-05-19) 19 May 2003
Place of birth Ancona, Italy
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Cesena
Number 11
Youth career
Real Metauro
Delfino Fano
0000–2019 San Marino
2019–2021 Cesena
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021– Cesena 24 (9)
International career‡
2021 Albania U19 8 (3)
2022 Albania U20 2 (1)
2022– Albania U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 March 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2022

Club career

Early career

Stiven was born in Ancona, Italy. His parents are originally from Pukë and had emigrated from Albania in 1997; they hold dual citizenship.[1] His twin brother is footballer Cristian Shpendi. Their first team was Real Metauro, from where they moved to Delfino Fano and then to San Marino academy until they went to Cesena.[2]

Shpendi made his professional debut on 10 October 2021 against Ancona-Matelica in the 2021–22 Serie C, replacing Mattia Bortolussi in the last minutes of the match.[3] In February 2022, he (along with his brother) signed a new deal through June 2025.[4] He concluded his first season with the senior squad by making two appearances.[5]

2022–23 season

Shpendi begun the new season by scoring his first professional goal in team's 2–1 win against Carrarese on 4 September 2022.[6] After cementing his place in the lineup in the first weeks of the season,[5] he fell out of favor as manager Toscano relegated him to bench for the next five league games.[5] Shpendi played as a substitute in the matchday 14 against Ancona-Matelica, and a week later returned as a starter against Olbia, but suffered a knee injury which kept him sidelined for the next two weeks.[5]

Shpendi returned from injury on 10 December 2022 by appearing as a second-half substitute against Vis Pesaro, scoring his side's winner.[7][8] Later on throughout the season, he regained his spot in the staring lineup, notably scoring a brace against Pontedera as Cesena won 3–0 away and climbed in the second spot in the championship.[9][10][11]

International career

In November 2021, Shpendi was called up to the Albania national under-19 team by coach Armando Cungu to participate in the 2020 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification Group 7 where his side were shorted to play against France, Serbia and North Macedonia.[12] He made his international debut in the first match on 10 November 2021 versus France playing in the starting line up and being substituted at half time exactly for his twin Cristian where his side got beaten 4–0.[13] Then for the next two games he started from the bench to be acttivated only in the closing match against North Macedonia in the last 8 minutes with Albania U19 collecting a 3–1 victory to go on 4 points same as Serbia but failing to qualify due to the goal difference thus ranking in the 3rd place of the group.[14]

He subsequently played for the Albania under-20 managed by coach Alban Bushi in September 2022 in Croatia against North Macedonia and Croatia where his side lost both matches with the same result 3–1[15] with Shpendi scoring the only goal against Croatia.[16]

Coach Alban Bushi then gave the twins their debut with Albania under-21 on 16 November 2022 including in the starting line up.[17]

Career statistics

Club
As of 11 March 2023 [5][18]
Club statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe[lower-alpha 1] Other[lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cesena 2021–22 Serie C 2000——20
2022–2322910——239
Total 2491000—259
Career total 2491000—259
  1. Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. Including other competitions, such as Supercups

References
  1. "Binjakët nga Puka nënshkruajnë deri në vitin 2025 me ekipin e njohur italian Cezena" [Twins from Pukë sing until year 2025 with wellknown italian team] (in Albanian). SHKODRA SPORT. 26 February 2022. Retrieved 5 January 2023. Sulmuesit e vitlindjes 2003 qe jane me origjine nga Puka, prej disa sezonesh janë pjesë e skuadrës italiane, ndërsa forma e tyre ka bërë që të vijë edhe rinovimi me tre vite.
  2. "IO E CRISTIAN, INSIEME AL MANUZZI" [Me and Cristian, together at Manuzzi] (PDF) (in Italian). Cesena F.C. Retrieved 3 January 2023. La mia famiglia è in Italia dal 1997, infatti siamo nati ad Ancona e abbiamo vissuto a Fano, abbiamo la doppia cittadinanza. La nostra prima squadra è stata la Real Metauro, poi siamo stati alla Delfino Fano, al San Marino e infine al Cesena. È il nostro terzo anno qui, ci siamo sempre trasferiti insieme».
  3. "Cesena vs. Ancona-Matelica". Soccerway. 10 October 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  4. "ZYRTARE/ Kontratë deri në 2025, binjakët e Kombëtares rinovojnë me ekipin italian" [OFFICIAL/ Contract until 2025, twins of national team renewing with italian team] (in Albanian). Newsport.al. 25 February 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  5. Stiven Shpendi at Soccerway
  6. "Cesena vs. Carrarese". Soccerway. 4 September 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  7. "Vis Pesaro - Cesena" (in Italian). Cesena. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  8. ""Un'emozione incredibile"" (in Italian). Cesena. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  9. "Pontedera vs. Cesena". Soccerway. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  10. "VIDEO/ Stiven Shpendi tund dy herë rrjetën në Itali, skuadra e tij konfirmohet pretendente për Serinë B" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  11. "Doppio Stiven e Calderoni: 3-0 al Pontedera" (in Italian). Cesena. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  12. "U-19/ Europiani U-19/ Trajneri Cungu zbardh listën me 22 lojtarët e grumbulluar" [European U-19/ Coach Cungu clear up the list with 22 footballers gathered] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 6 November 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  13. "France-Albania - Under-19 2022". UEFA. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  14. "U-19/ Shqipëria mbyll kualifikueset me fitore ndaj Maqedonisë së Veriut" [U-19/ Albania conluded qualifiers with a win against North Macedonia] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 16 November 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  15. "Shqipëria U20 mundet nga Maqedonia e Veriut" [Albania U20 beated North Macedonia] (in Albanian). RTSH Sport. 23 September 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  16. "U-20/ Shqipëria mbyll miqësoret e shtatorit ndaj Kroacisë" [U-20/ Albania ended up September's friendlies against Croatia] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 25 September 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  17. "Shpresat, 3 gola në pjesën e parë mjaftojnë për fitoren në San Marino" [Hopes, 3 goals in the first half enough for the victory in San Marino] (in Albanian). AlbanianSport.net. 16 November 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  18. "Profile of Stiven Shpendi: Info, news, matches and statistics". BeSoccer. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
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