Doni Arifi (born 11 April 2002) is a Finnish professional footballer, who plays as a midfielder for KuPS in Veikkausliiga, Finnish premier division.[1][2]
Club career
Arifi started to play football in FC Honka organisation, debuting in senior level with the club's reserve team in the third-tier Kakkonen in 2018.
In the early 2020, Arifi moved to Tampere and joined a fellow Veikkausliiga side Ilves. On 7 August 2021, he extended his contract with Ilves, on a deal until the end of 2024.[3][4][5] He missed most of the 2023 season due to injury, but contributed in four cup matches as Ilves won the 2023 Finnish Cup title.
In January 2025, Arifi left Ilves and signed with KuPS.[6]
International career
Born and raised in Finland, Arifi is a former youth international for the country, before switching his allegiance to Kosovo at under-21 level in 2023.[7] In August 2024, Arifi stated in an interview that he is still open to represent the country from which he receives the first full international call-up. He respects Finland where he was born and raised and educated as a player, and Kosovo as his parents' home country.[8]
On 28 August 2024, Arifi was called-up to the Finland U21 squad by the head coach Mika Lehkosuo, for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Armenia and Romania.[9] He made his under-21 debut for Finland on 6 September against Armenia. Eventually Arifi made four appearances in the qualifiers, in which Finland advanced to the final competition by defeating Norway in the play-offs.
Career statistics
- As of 19 October 2024
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Honka | 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | ||
| Honka Akatemia | 2018 | Kakkonen | 14 | 0 | – | – | – | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | Kakkonen | 16 | 0 | – | – | – | 16 | 0 | ||||
| 2020 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | – | – | 2 | 1 | |||
| Total | 31 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| Ilves II | 2020 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| Ilves | 2020 | Veikkausliiga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1[b] | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2021 | Veikkausliiga | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | – | 26 | 0 | |||
| 2022 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 32 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | Veikkausliiga | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 17 | 0 | ||
| 2024 | Veikkausliiga | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | 34 | 3 | |
| Total | 89 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 119 | 3 | ||
| KuPS | 2025 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 121 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 157 | 4 | ||
- ^ Includes Suomen Cup
- ^ Includes UEFA Europa League
- ^ Includes UEFA Conference League
Honours
Ilves
- Veikkausliiga runner-up: 2024[10]
- Finnish Cup: 2023
References
- ^ Doni Arifi at Soccerway
- ^ "Profile at Veikkausliiga's website". Veikkausliiga. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
- ^ Doni Arifi ja Ilves jatkosopimukseen - "Kohta on aika paljastaa salainen ase", Veikkausliiga, 7 August 2021
- ^ DONI ARIFI JATKAA ILVEKSESSÄ PITKÄN JATKOSOPIMUKSEN TURVIN, ilvesedustus.fi, 7 August 2021
- ^ Video: Rikkeestä suuttunut Ilveksen pelaaja kosti rumalla tempulla – raivo repesi: ”Ihan järkyttävää toimintaa”, Ilta-Sanomat, 26 September 2021
- ^ KuPS ja Doni Arifi pelaajasopimukseen, kups.fi, 31 January 2025
- ^ D.Arifi, worldfootball
- ^ Ilves-tähti Doni Arifi sisuuntui pelikaverien ja opettajien reaktioista – Jarkko Wissin esittämä kysymys sai napakan vastauksen, Aamulehti, 15 August 2024
- ^ Pikkuhuuhkajat nimetty syyskuun otteluihin, Finnish FA, 28 August 2024
- ^ Ilveksen päävalmentaja hopeasta: ”Voitettu mitali”, Yle, 19 October 2024
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