Kosovare Asllani

Kosovare Asllani

Asllani after a PSG game in 2013
Personal information
Full nameKosovare Asllani
Date of birth29 July 1989
Place of birthKristianstad, Sweden
Height1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current team
Paris Saint-Germain
Number9
Youth career
Vimmerby IF
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2007–2009Linköpings FC37(21)
2010Chicago Red Stars13(2)
2010–2011Linköpings FC26(7)
2012Kristianstads DFF15(7)
2012–Paris Saint-Germain[1]50(37)
National team‡
2008–Sweden[2]69(20)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 January 2015.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 January 2015
Asllani (R) playing for PSG against FCF Juvisy in December 2012

Kosovare Asllani (born 29 July 1989) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays for Paris Saint-Germain in the French Division 1 Féminine, as well as the Sweden women's national football team. Nicknamed Kosse, Asllani is a proficient striker, possessing great speed and technique in her game. Her playing abilities and Balkan heritage have drawn comparison to those of Zlatan Ibrahimović, who also plays for Paris Saint-Germain and captains the Sweden men's national team.[3][4]

Asllani began her club career with Vimmerby IF and has played in the Damallsvenskan for Linköpings FC and hometown club Kristianstads DFF. In the 2010 season she played in the United States, with Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS).

Asllani can be seen in the Sveriges Television documentary television series The Other Sport from 2013.

Club career

Childhood and early career

Asllani is of Kosovar-Albanian descent, born in Kristianstad to Kosovar parents who had migrated to Sweden. Asllani grew up playing both football and ice hockey, but chose to focus her talents on football. At the age of 15, Asllani started her career at second division team Vimmerby IF. During her time at Vimmerby, she scored 49 goals in 48 matches,[5] establishing herself as a football prodigy. Former coach Cecilia Wilhelmsson praised Asllani's football technique and fitness.[6] After receiving offers from many clubs, Asllani agreed a move to Damallsvenskan team Linköpings FC in 2007,[7] where she made quick progress.[8][9]

Linköpings FC

During Asllani's first season, she generally came off the substitutes' bench early in the games to help her settle into the Damallsvenskan. During the following season, Asllani established herself as a regular starter and was an increasingly valuable member of the squad. In 2009 she helped Linköping win both the Svenska Cupen and the club's first ever Damallsvenskan title. On 4 December 2009 American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) club Chicago Red Stars confirmed that they had signed Asllani from Linköpings FC.[10]

Chicago Red Stars

Asllani spent a single season in the WPS. She was established as a fan's favourite and in the 7th week of the season, Asllani received the WPS Player of the Week award after Chicago Red Stars' defeat of FC Gold Pride. After her season with the Red Stars, Asllani returned to Sweden and Linköpings FC.

Return to Linköping

Asllani's presence boosted Linkoping, especially in the UEFA Women's Champions League. She scored goals against Sparta Praha and Arsenal. However, her season was disrupted by a thigh injury and she departed Linköping at the end of the campaign.

Kristianstad DFF

In December 2011, she moved back to her hometown Kristianstad to play with Kristianstads DFF who had finished seventh in the previous year's Damallsvenskan.

Paris Saint-Germain

When Asllani had a month left on her contract with Kristianstads she was subject to a transfer bid from Paris Saint-Germain. Although the teams were in dispute over the size of the transfer fee, Asllani flew to Paris and signed a two-year contract in September 2012, after completing a medical.[11] At PSG Asllani was presented to the media by sporting director Leonardo and player Zlatan Ibrahimović, who declared: "If you want to win you need a Swedish striker."[12] Asllani scored 17 goals in her 19 appearances in the 2012–13 Division 1 Féminine, as PSG finished second in the table behind Lyon.[13]

National team

In September 2008 Asllani made her debut for the Swedish national team against Romania[14] and in 2009 she was called up to represent Sweden in UEFA Women's Euro 2009.[15] Asllani was an important member of the national team during the qualification rounds of the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup but coach Thomas Dennerby controversially did not select her in the squad sent to Germany for the finals. Football pundits including Pia Sundhage, the Swedish coach of the United States women's national soccer team, expressed surprise at Asllani's omission.[16]

Asllani playing for Sweden in 2012

Dennerby recalled Asllani to the national squad for the 2012 London Olympics.[17]

Personal life

Asllani has a tattoo of a black double-headed eagle, symbolising Albania, on her ankle.[18]

Honours

Club

Linköpings FC:

Champion (1): 2009
Champion (1): 2009
Champion (2): 2008, 2009

References

  1. ↑ "Kosovare Asllani" (in French). Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  2. ↑ "Damlandslagsspelare 1973–2011". Svenskfotboll.se. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  3. ↑ http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/fotboll/internationell/frankrike/article15614834.ab
  4. ↑ "Kosovare Asllani". UEFA.com. UEFA. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "Damallsvenskan 2008" (in Swedish). SvD.se. 10 March 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  6. ↑ Walltin, Stenåke O. (10 March 2009). "Bittert att missa guldet 2008 – nu tar "Kosse" och LFC ny fart!" (in Swedish). Svensk Damfotboll. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  7. ↑ "Damallsvenskan 2007" (in Swedish). SvD.se. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  8. ↑ "Allsvensk debut för Asllani" (in Swedish). Kindaposten.se. 12 April 2007. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  9. ↑ "Kosovare siktar högt" (in Swedish). Vimmerbytidning.se. 24 December 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  10. ↑ "Red Stars Sign Sweden's Kosovare Asllani". womensprosoccer.com. 4 December 2009. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  11. ↑ Josefsson, Åsa (22 September 2012). "Asllani slumpas till PSG för fyndpris" (in Swedish). Expressen. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  12. ↑ Frändén, Johanna (26 September 2012). "Här presenteras Asllani för Leonardo av Zlatan" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "Kosovare Asllani" (in French). Footofeminin.fr. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  14. ↑ "Enkel svensk kvalseger mot Rumänien" (in Swedish). DN.se. 27 September 2008. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "Truppen till EM uttagen – Sverige het medaljkandidat" (in Swedish). Nyheter24.se. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2009.
  16. ↑ "Petningen av Asllani förvånar Sundhage" (in Swedish). fotboll.expressen. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2011.
  17. ↑ "Women's Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 – List of Players Sweden". FIFA. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  18. ↑ Laul, Robert (17 July 2009). "Hon visar sin hemliga tatuering" (in Swedish). Aftonbladet. Retrieved 24 June 2013.

External links

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