Full name Gentian Selmani 2002–2011 Partizani Place of birth Kruje, Albania Name Gentian Selmani | Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Current team KF Laci Number 1 | |
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Date of birth (1998-03-09) 9 March 1998 (age 17) | ||
Gentian selmani
Gentian Selmani (born 9 March 1998) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for the Albanian Superliga club Laçi and the Albania national under-21 football team.
Contents
- Gentian selmani
- Early career
- Kastrioti Kruj
- KF Lai
- Albania U17
- Albania U19
- Albania U21
- 2019 UEFA European Under 21 Championship qualification
- Club
- References
Early career
Selmani began playing football as a young child and was coached by former Albania national team goalkeeper Perlat Musta at Partizani Tirana from the age of just 5. He joined the Olimpic CF youth setup in 2011, where he remained for two years before returning to Partizani Tirana in 2013 where he joined the under-17 side as a 15 year old. After impressive performances for the under-17s he was invited by the head coach Shpëtim Duro to train with the first team during the 2014–15 season and he was an unused substitute in the Albanian Superliga for a home game against FK Kukësi on 23 November 2014. This, however, proved to be the closest Selmani got to first team action for the club as he left only months later.
Kastrioti Krujë
He joined Albanian First Division side Kastrioti Krujë in January 2015 and immediately established himself as the club's first choice goalkeeper, making his professional debut on 7 February 2015 in an away game against Iliria Fushë-Krujë that his side lost 1–0. In total he made 14 league appearances during the second half of the season, as his side finished 5th and safely avoided relegation. After establishing himself as a first choice keeper at the age of 16, he attracted the interest of Albanian Superliga sides and left Kastrioti Krujë at the end of the 2014–15 season in order to search for a new club in the top flight.
KF Laçi
During the summer of 2015 Selmani had travelled to Germany where he had been training with the goalkeeping team at Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, before returning to Albania ahead of the 2015–16 season, where he joined Albanian Superliga side KF Laçi. He made his debut for the club in the Albanian Supercup against Albanian champions Skënderbeu Korçë on 12 August 2015 and Laçi won this match after Penalty shoot-out by winning also this Cup.
Albania U17
Selmani was called up by Albania national under-17 football team coach Džemal Mustedanagić to participate in the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying round on match-dates 8–13 October 2014. He debuted in international level for Albania U17 in the closing group match against San Marino U17 by playing the full 80-minutes match which finished in a 5–1 victory but anyway were not enough as Albania U17 were eliminated since the second match as they lost both first group matches. For two other matches, Selmani was an unused substitute as a second choice behind the PAOK FC academy goalkeeper Jorgo Muça.
Albania U19
He advanced higherly at international level as he was called up in Albania national under-19 football team by coach Altin Lala for the double Friendly matches against Bosnia and Herzegovina U19 on 21 & 23 April 2015. Selmani was called up by a new appointed coach of Albania U19 Arjan Bellaj for two last friendly matches before the competitive tournament start against Kosovo U19 on 13 & 15 October 2015. His impressive form shown in friendly matches convinced the coach Arjan Bellaj to include him in the squad to participate in the 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification from 12–17 November 2015. In the opening match against Austria U19, Albania U19 played with Elhan Kastrati as a first choice in a 2–1 loss. Selmani played the full 90-minutes match in the second match-day against Georgia U19 but lost against 1–0. For the closing match against Wales U19 Selmani was an unused substitute in a 3–2 win which resulted an elimination from the tournament for Albania U19 as they were ranked in the 3rd out 4 place collecting 1 win, 2 loses and a total of 4-5 goals collected.
Albania U21
Following his arrival at KF Laçi and his games there as a starter, Selmani was called up in Albania national under-21 football team by coach Redi Jupi for the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Israel & Portugal on 3 & 8 September 2015 as an alternative 3rd choice, after two regular national members Thomas Strakosha & Aldo Teqja. He wasn't included in the 18-man squad who participated in both qualifying matches.
He was re-invited at the national under-21 side by a new coach Alban Bushi for a double Friendly match against Moldova U21 on 25 & 27 March 2017.
2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification
Selmani was called up for the Friendly match against France U21 on 5 June 2017 and the 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification opening match against Estonia U21 on 12 June 2017. He made his competitive debut for Albania U21 against Estonia U21 on 12 June 2017 playing the full 90-minutes match and kept the clean-sheet by making several notable saves to help his side to take a goalless draw.