.jpg) Asllani withSweden in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Kosovare Asllani[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1989-07-29)29 July 1989 (age 35)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kristianstad, Sweden[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker,attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | London City Lionesses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | Vimmerby IF | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Linköpings FC | 37 | (21) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Chicago Red Stars | 13 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Linköpings FC | 26 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Kristianstads DFF | 15 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 59 | (39) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Manchester City | 15 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Linköpings FC | 27 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2022 | Real Madrid | 63 | (24) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | AC Milan | 34 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | London City Lionesses | 8 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Sweden U17 | 6[3] | (1[3]) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | Sweden U19 | 15[3] | (5[3]) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008– | Sweden | 192[3] | (47[3]) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 3 December 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Kosovare Asllani (born 29 July 1989) is a Swedish professionalfootballer who plays as astriker or anattacking midfielder forWomen's Championship clubLondon City Lionesses and theSweden national team.[4][5]
Asllani began her club career withVimmerby IF and has played in theDamallsvenskan forLinköpings FC and hometown clubKristianstads DFF. In the2010 season she played in the United States, withChicago Red Stars ofWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS). She returned to Sweden to play for Kristianstad, before moving to Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and then back to Linköping.
Asllani is ofKosovar Albanian descent, born inKristianstad to Kosovar parents who had migrated to Sweden. Asllani grew up playing both football andice 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,[6] establishing herself as a football prodigy. Former coach Cecilia Wilhelmsson praised Asllani's football technique and fitness.[7] After receiving offers from many clubs, Asllani accepted a move to Damallsvenskan team Linköpings FC in 2007,[8] where she made quick progress.[9][10]
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 theSvenska Cupen and the club's first everDamallsvenskan title. On 4 December 2009 AmericanWomen's Professional Soccer (WPS) clubChicago Red Stars confirmed that they had signed Asllani from Linköpings FC.[11]
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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 afterChicago Red Stars' defeat ofFC Gold Pride. After her season with the Red Stars, Asllani returned to Sweden and Linköpings FC.
Asllani's presence boosted Linköping, especially in theUEFA Women's Champions League. She scored goals againstSparta Praha andArsenal. However, her season was disrupted by a thigh injury and she departed Linköping at the end of the campaign.
In December 2011, she moved back to her hometownKristianstad to play withKristianstads DFF who had finished seventh in the previous year's Damallsvenskan.
When Asllani had a month left on her contract with Kristianstad she was subject to a transfer bid fromParis 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.[12] At PSG Asllani was presented to the media by sporting directorLeonardo and playerZlatan Ibrahimović, who declared: "If you want to win you need a Swedish striker."[13] Asllani scored 17 goals in her 19 appearances in the2012–13 Division 1 Féminine, as PSG finished second in the table behindLyon.[14] On 4 January 2016, Asllani announced on her Instagram account that she had ended her contract with Paris Saint-Germain, where she had played for three-and-a-half years.[15]
On 22 January 2016, EnglishFA WSL clubManchester City revealed that they had signed Asllani to a two-year contract.[16]
On 10 August 2017, it was announced a two-and-a-half-year contract had been agreed for Asllani to return toLinköpings FC. She departed the club by mutual consent on 15 July 2019.[17]
After her departure from Linköpings FC, Asllani signed withCD Tacón/Real Madrid on 18 July 2019.[18] UponReal Madrid's purchase of their license, CD Tacón will operate as Real Madrid's women's team starting from 2020,[19] making Asllani the firstGaláctica.[20]Asllani scored 5 goals in 17 league appearances for Tacón in the prematurely ended 2019–20 Primera Iberdrola season. After the rebrand of the team to Real Madrid CFF, she started the season explosively, scoring 8 goals in the first 8 league appearances despite playing in an unfamiliar out-and-out-striker role.In 2021-22, Asllani struggled for form, scoring just 3 league goals. She lost her place in the team, and when she did start games, was often substituted relatively early having made little impact.
On 30 June 2022, Asllani joined Italian clubAC Milan.[21]She scored 9 goals in her first season in Serie A. In January 2023, she missed a penalty against bitter rivals Inter, as Milan lost 4-1.
Asllani joined theLondon City Lionesses of theWomen's Championship on 28 June 2024.[22]
In September 2008 Asllani made her debut for theSweden national team againstRomania,[23] and in 2009 she was called up to represent Sweden inUEFA Women's Euro 2009.[24] Asllani was an important member of the national team during the qualification rounds of the2011 FIFA Women's World Cup but coachThomas Dennerby controversially did not select her in the squad sent to Germany for the finals. Football pundits, includingPia Sundhage, the Swedish coach of theUnited States national team, expressed surprise at Asllani's omission.[25]
Dennerby recalled Asllani to the national squad for the2012 London Olympics.[26]
Asllani played for Sweden at the2016 Summer Olympics, where the team won a silver medal.[27] She failed to score a single goal during the tournament, despite playing in all six of Sweden's games. She scored in thepenalty shootout against the United States in the quarterfinals, in which Sweden won the shootout 4–3 after being tied 1–1 duringextra time. She again stepped up to take a penalty against Brazil in the semi final, but her weak effort was saved.[28]
As of 2017, Asllani had made more than 90 appearances for the Sweden national team.[29]
She scored in the 5–1 win overThailand at the2019 Women's World Cup.[30]
In 2021, Asllani was selected for the Sweden squad at the2021 Summer Olympics. Like in 2016, her only goal was a penalty, this time in the quarter final vs Japan. She took a crucial penalty in the final against Canada, but missed the target from twelve yards, as Sweden lost the shootout, and once again had to settle for silver medals.
On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for theFIFA Women's World Cup 2023.[31] She made the final goal in Sweden's match against Australia on 19 August 2023. Sweden won and secured the bronze medals for the team.
Kosovare Asllani is an ethnicAlbanian fromKoshutovë, Leposaviq,Kosovo.[32] Her parents moved to Sweden where she was born. Asllani has atattoo of a blackdouble-headed eagle, symbolisingAlbania, on her ankle.[33] She also has the words "Stay Strong" tattooed on the inside of her right biceps.[34]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-08-28 | Turku, Finland |  Italy | 2–0 | 2–0 | Euro 2009 | |
| 2 | 2009-09-23 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Belgium | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2011 World Cup qualification | [35] |
| 3 | 2010-02-26 | Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal |  Iceland | 4–1 | 5–1 | 2010 Algarve Cup | |
| 4 | 2010-06-23 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Azerbaijan | 10–0 | 17–0 | 2011 World Cup qualification | |
| 5 | 2011-01-21 | Chongqing, China |  United States | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2011 Four Nations Tournament | |
| 6 | 2012-03-31 | Malmö, Sweden |  Canada | 3–0 | 3–1 | Friendly | |
| 7 | 2012-09-15 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Netherlands | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 8 | 2012-10-23 | Växjö, Sweden |  Switzerland | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 9 | 2013-03-08 | Albufeira, Portugal | Iceland | 1–0 | 6–1 | 2013 Algarve Cup | |
| 10 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 11 | 2013-03-13 | Lagos, Portugal |  Norway | 1–0 | 2–2(pso 4–5) | 2013 Algarve Cup | [36] |
| 12 | 2013-07-13 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Finland | 3–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2013 | [37] |
| 13 | 2013-10-31 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Faroe Islands | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2015 World Cup qualification | [38] |
| 14 | 2014-03-05 | Albufeira, Portugal |  Denmark | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2014 Algarve Cup | [39] |
| 15 | 2014-04-05 | Portadown, Northern Ireland |  Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2015 World Cup qualification | [40] |
| 16 | 2014-06-14 | Motherwell, Scotland |  Scotland | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2015 World Cup qualification | [41] |
| 17 | 3–1 | ||||||
| 18 | 2014-08-21 | Starogard Gdański, Poland |  Poland | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2015 World Cup qualification | [42] |
| 19 | 2015-01-13 | La Manga, Spain | Norway | 1–2 | 3–2 | Friendly | |
| 20 | 2–2 | ||||||
| 21 | 2015-03-09 | Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal |  China | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2015 Algarve Cup | |
| 22 | 2015-05-30 | Toronto, Canada | Netherlands | 2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 23 | 2016-06-02 | Łódź, Poland | Poland | 3–0 | 4–0 | Euro 2017 qualifying | |
| 24 | 2016-06-06 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Moldova | 2–0 | 6–0 | Euro 2017 qualifying | |
| 25 | 4–0 | ||||||
| 26 | 2017-03-08 | Albufeira, Portugal |  Russia | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2017 Algarve Cup | |
| 27 | 3–0 | ||||||
| 28 | 2017-09-19 | Varaždin, Croatia |  Croatia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2019 World Cup qualification | |
| 29 | 2017-10-24 | Borås, Sweden |  Hungary | 3–0 | 5–0 | 2019 World Cup qualification | |
| 30 | 5–0 | ||||||
| 31 | 2018-08-30 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Ukraine | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2019 World Cup qualification | |
| 32 | 2019-02-27 | Faro/Loulé, Portugal | Switzerland | 3–1 | 4–1 | 2019 Algarve Cup | |
| 33 | 2019-06-11 | Rennes, France |  Chile | 1–0 | 2–0 | 2019 FIFA World Cup | |
| 34 | 2019-06-16 | Nice, France |  Thailand | 2–0 | 5–1 | 2019 FIFA World Cup | |
| 35 | 2019-07-06 | Nice, France |  England | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2019 FIFA World Cup | |
| 36 | 2019-09-03 | Liepāja, Latvia |  Latvia | 4–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying | |
| 37 | 2019-10-08 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Slovakia | 1–0 | 7–0 | UEFA Euro 2022 qualifying | |
| 38 | 2021-02-23 | Paola, Malta |  Malta | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly | |
| 39 | 2021-07-30 | Saitama, Japan |  Japan | 3–1 | 3–1 | 2020 Summer Olympics | [43] |
| 40 | 2022-02-20 | Algarve, Portugal |  Portugal | 3–0 | 4–0 | 2022 Algarve Cup | |
| 41 | 2022-04-07 | Gori, Georgia |  Georgia | 13–0 | 15–0 | 2023 World Cup qualification | [44] |
| 42 | 14–0 | ||||||
| 43 | 2022-04-12 | Gothenburg, Sweden |  Republic of Ireland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2023 World Cup qualification | [45] |
| 44 | 2022-07-17 | Leigh, Greater Manchester, England | Portugal | 4–0 | 5–0 | Euro 2022 | |
| 45 | 2023-08-19 | Brisbane, Australia |  Australia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup | |
| 46 | 2023-12-05 | Málaga, Spain |  Spain | 2–1 | 3–5 | 2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League | [46] |
| 47 | 2024-12-03 | Stockholm, Sweden |  Serbia | 2–0 | 6–0 | UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs | [47] |
Linköpings FC
Manchester City
Sweden
Individual
vajza me prejardhje nga Koshtova e Leposaviqit, Kosovare Asllani
Sweden squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| International | |
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| National | |
