.JPG) Djimsiti withAtalanta in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Berat Ridvan Djimsiti | ||
| Date of birth | (1993-02-19)19 February 1993 (age 32) | ||
| Place of birth | Zürich, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Atalanta | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2007 | FC Zürich-Affoltern | ||
| 2007–2012 | FC Zürich | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2012 | FC Zürich II | 46 | (6) |
| 2011–2016 | FC Zürich | 110 | (5) |
| 2016– | Atalanta | 231 | (5) |
| 2016–2017 | →Avellino (loan) | 35 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | →Benevento (loan) | 30 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2011 | Switzerland U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Switzerland U19 | 9 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Switzerland U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 2015– | Albania | 69 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 November 2025 | |||
Berat Ridvan Djimsiti (Albanian:Gjimshiti; born 19 February 1993)[2] is a professionalfootballer who plays as acentre-back forSerie A clubAtalanta. Born in Switzerland, he represented that nation at youth international levels but in 2015 switched to play forAlbania national team, which hecaptains.
Djimsiti began his youth career at FC Zürich-Affoltern, where he played until 2007 before joining theFC Zürich academy at the age of 14.[3]
He received his first call-up to the senior squad during the2011–12 Swiss Super League season, appearing on the bench in a 2–1 win overYoung Boys on 19 April 2011.[4] He was also part of the team for theUEFA Champions League play-off round match againstBayern Munich on 17 August 2011.[5]
Djimsiti made his professional debut on 3 March 2012 in a 0–1 loss toSion, entering as an 84th-minute substitute forHeinz Barmettler.[6] He scored his first goal for Zürich on 20 May 2012 in a 0–1 away win overGrasshopper, starting the match and scoring in the 75th minute.[7] These two matches were his only appearances that season.
He established himself as a regular starter during the 2012–13 campaign.[citation needed]
On 18 January 2016, Djimsiti signed a three-and-a-half-year contract withSerie A sideAtalanta, taking the number 55 for the second part of2015–16 season.[8][9] He debuted on 3 May 2016 againstNapoli in a 2–1 loss.[10]
On 31 August 2016, Djimsiti was loaned out toSerie B sideAvellino to gain more playing time.[11][12]
On 8 July 2017, Djimsiti moved on loan to new promotedSerie A sideBenevento until the end of the season,[13] with buying option.[14]
Djimsiti returned to Atalanta ahead of2018–19 season,[15] playing his first match on 20 August in the 4–0 win againstFrosinone.[16] He scored his first goal for Atalanta later on 11 November, heading home his side's third goal in a 4–1 home win overInter Milan, which ended the visitors' six-match winning streak.[17] Since returning from his two loan spells, Djimsiti has established himself as a starting defender underGian Piero Gasperini.
On 17 February 2022, Djimsiti scored a brace in the first leg of the2021–22 UEFA Europa League knockout roundplay-off againstOlympiacos, which Atalanta won 2–1.[18]
On 5 November 2025, Djimsiti made his 300th appearance for Atalanta in the 1–0 win overMarseille in the League phase of the UEFA Champions League.[19]
Djimsiti became a youth national player of Switzerland as he was called up for the first time atSwitzerland national under-18 team making his debut on 5 April 2011 in a friendly match and then played in other two matches.
Djimsiti was then called up from theSwitzerland national under-19 team for the2011 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification and made his debut againstMontenegro U19 on 5 June 2011, playing the full 90- minutes match in a 2–2 win.[20] Djimsiti also participated in the next tournament for U-19, the2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship playing in all six matches.
Following his good performances at U-19 side, he became part of theSwitzerland national under-21 team. He participated in two consecutiveUEFA European Under-21 Championship, in the2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship where he was called up in four occasions, remaining in all as an unused substitute and the2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship playing in two out six matches.[21]
In September 2014, Swiss media reported Djimsiti would soon receive a call-up fromAlbania.[22] The news was confirmed by Djimsiti himself, who explained that he had been contacted by the Albanian coach,Gianni De Biasi.[23] In September 2014 he refused alsoKosovo, letting them know that he intended to play for Albania.[24] On 20 September 2014, procedures to give him the Albanian citizenship were started.[25] He received the Albanian citizenship on 15 July 2015 by the president ofAlbania,Bujar Nishani, along with two other Albanian footballers, the twin brothers part of the fellow Swiss clubBasel,Albian Ajeti andAdonis Ajeti.[26] In July 2015 Djimsiti confirmed definitively that he had decided to play forAlbania.[27][28] On 27 August 2015 Djimsiti among two other Albanian descents players which switched from Swiss youth international footballers to Albanian international footballers,Arlind Ajeti andNaser Aliji, received the go ahead fromFIFA which allowed them to play for Albania also in the competitive matches such as theUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.[29]
Since he became eligible to represent Albania in international competitive level, Djimsiti received his first call-up at Albania by coach Gianni De Biasi for theUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches againstDenmark andPortugal on 4 and 7 September 2015 respectively.[30] He made it his first international debut with Albania on 4 September 2015 against Denmark playing as aright back due to the absence of the injuredElseid Hysaj and completed the full 90 minutes helping Albania take one point with a goalless draw.[31] He was called up for the nextUEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group I matches againstSerbia andArmenia on 8 and 11 October 2015 respectively.[32] He played as a centre back amongCaptainLorik Cana in both matches and on 11 October against Armenia he scored his first goal in the 23rd minute following a cross fromLedian Memushaj by afree kick from the left side.[33]
On 21 May 2016, Djimsiti was named in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad forUEFA Euro 2016,[34] but was left out offinal 23-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad on 31 May.[35]
He was returned to Albania national team by same coach Gianni De Biasi receiving a call up for thefriendly match againstMorocco on 31 August 2016 and the2018 FIFA World Cup qualification opening match againstMacedonia on 5 September 2016.[36]
Djimsiti was born inZurich,Switzerland to an ethnic Albanian family from the village ofTërnoc i Madh nearBujanoc, and is part of theAlbanian minority in Serbia.[37] Since 2012, he has been in a relationship with Serbian model Alisa Menković; the couple married in 2020 and have three children.[38]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Zürich U21 | 2009–10 | Swiss Promotion League | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2010–11 | 27 | 5 | — | — | — | 27 | 5 | |||||
| 2011–12 | 16 | 1 | — | — | — | 16 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 46 | 6 | — | — | — | 46 | 6 | |||||
| FC Zürich | 2010–11 | Swiss Super League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 1 | ||||
| 2012–13 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 0 | ||||
| 2013–14 | 26 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | |||
| 2014–15 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7[b] | 1 | — | 43 | 3 | |||
| 2015–16 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 20 | 1 | |||
| Total | 111 | 5 | 14 | 0 | 11 | 1 | — | 136 | 6 | |||
| Atalanta | 2015–16 | Serie A | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2018–19 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 29 | 1 | |||
| 2019–20 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | — | 41 | 2 | |||
| 2020–21 | 33 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 8[c] | 0 | — | 46 | 1 | |||
| 2021–22 | 31 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9[d] | 2 | — | 41 | 3 | |||
| 2022–23 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 0 | ||||
| 2023–24 | 37 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12[b] | 1 | — | 54 | 1 | |||
| 2024–25 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9[c] | 1 | 2[e] | 0 | 47 | 2 | ||
| 2025–26 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |||
| Total | 231 | 5 | 20 | 1 | 49 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 302 | 10 | ||
| Avellino (loan) | 2016–17 | Serie B | 35 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | ||
| Benevento (loan) | 2017–18 | Serie A | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 452 | 15 | 34 | 1 | 60 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 549 | 21 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2015 | 6 | 1 |
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 69 | 1 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 October 2015 | Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium,Yerevan, Armenia | 4 |  Armenia | 2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
FC Zürich
Atalanta
Individual
