Maldini Kacurri (born 4 October 2005) is an Albanian footballer who plays as a defender for EFL League Two club Bromley, on loan from Premier League club Arsenal.

Career

Kacurri was born on 4 October 2005 in Lewisham, London,[1] and was named after former AC Milan and Italy captain Paolo Maldini. His family emigrated to the UK from Albania. His family are from the city of Lezhë.[2] He has an older sister, a younger brother, and a niece. His family is of the Catholic faith.[citation needed]

Kacurri began his youth career with the youth academy of English side Fulham, before moving to Arsenal in 2022.[3] He was described as "regular feature for the Gunners at Premier League 2 level" while playing for them.[4]

Kacurri first started training with their senior team during the 2022–23 season.[3] He signed his first professional contract with the club on 4 July 2024.[5] Kacurri made his first senior matchday squad during a 1–0 win over rivals Tottenham on 15 September.[4][6] On 25 September, he made his senior debut as a substitute for Riccardo Calafiori in a 5–1 win over Bolton Wanderers in the EFL Cup,[7][8] becoming the first Albanian national to represent Arsenal's first team.[1]

On 3 February 2025, Kacurri joined League Two club Bromley on loan for the remainder of the season.[9]

International career

An Albanian youth international, Kacurri made two appearances for the Albania national under-17 team before joining the Albania national under-19 team in 2023.

Style of play

Kacurri mainly operates as a defender. He specifically operates as a center-back. He has been described as an "unstoppable defender, combative and with a tall stature that significantly distinguishes him from his peers".[citation needed]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 4 February 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Arsenal U21 2022–23[10] — — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
2024–25[11] — — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
Total — — — — 3 0 3 0
Arsenal 2024–25[11] Premier League 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Bromley (loan) 2024–25[11] League Two 1 0 — — — — 1 0
Career total 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 5 0
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy

References

  1. ^ a b James, Josh (26 September 2024). "The stats and records around our latest debutants". Arsenal FC. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ Choudhary, Dayeem (29 October 2024). "Behind the rising star: Maldini Kacurri". vavel.com. Retrieved 30 November 2024. Born on October 4, 2005, in Lewisham, London, to a family originally from the city of Lezhë, Albania, Kacurri's journey is not just a personal achievement but a symbol of hope for many young athletes with immigrant backgrounds.
  3. ^ a b Pangratiou, Lewis (20 October 2022). "Who is Maldini Kacurri? 17-year-old spotted in Arsenal training ahead of PSV Europa League clash". football.london. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  4. ^ a b Wood, Liam (15 September 2024). "Who are Ayden Heaven, Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia? Arsenal wonderkids on bench vs Tottenham". football.london. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  5. ^ "Seven academy players sign professional contracts". Arsenal FC. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  6. ^ "Spurs v Arsenal, 2024/25 | Premier League". Premier League. 15 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  7. ^ Wright, Stephen (25 September 2024). "Report: Arsenal 5–1 Bolton Wanderers". Arsenal FC. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  8. ^ "Arsenal vs Bolton Wanderers". English Football League. 25 September 2024. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  9. ^ "Maldini Kacurri joins on loan from Arsenal". www.bromleyfc.co.uk. 3 February 2025. Retrieved 3 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Games played by Maldini Kacurri in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  11. ^ a b c "Games played by Maldini Kacurri in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maldini_Kacurri
No tags for this post.