{{short description|Albanian professional footballer (born 1990)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Ardit Shehaj | fullname = Ardit Shehaj | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1990|9|23}} | birth_place = Vlorë, Albania | height = 1.84m | position = Midfielder/Forward | currentclub = Flamurtari Pristina | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2000–2007 | youthclubs1 = Flamurtari Vlorë | years1 = 2007–2017 | clubs1 = Flamurtari Vlorë | caps1 = 190 | goals1 = 17 | years2 = 2012 | clubs2 = → Pogradeci (loan) | caps2 = 2 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2012–2013 | clubs3 = → Kastrioti (loan) | caps3 = 19 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2017 | clubs4 = Teuta Durrës | caps4 = 10 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2018– | clubs5 = Flamurtari Pristina | caps5 = | goals5 = | nationalyears1 = 2005–2007 | nationalteam1 = Albania U17 | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2009 | nationalteam2 = Albania U20 | nationalcaps2 = 2 | nationalgoals2 = 1 | nationalyears3 = 2008–2010 | nationalteam3 = Albania U21 | nationalcaps3 = 2 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | pcupdate = 28 October 2017 | ntupdate = 31 July 2015 }}
'''Ardit Shehaj''' (born 23 September 1990) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Kosovan club Flamurtari Pristina in the Football Superleague of Kosovo.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.fshf.org/garat/components/lojtar.php?player_id=215244|title=Ardit Shehaj|publisher=FSHF.org|language=Albanian|accessdate=16 June 2017}}</ref>
==Club career== On 24 January 2012, Shehaj was sent on loan to fellow Albanian Superliga team Pogradeci until the end of the season.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/pogradeci-huazon-begajn-dhe-shehajn/|title=Pogradeci huazon Begajn dhe Shehajn nga Flamurtari|trans-title=Pogradeci loans Begaj and Shehaj from Flamurtari|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=Albanian|author=Pëllumb Starova|date=24 January 2012|accessdate=24 January 2012}}</ref> During his spell there, Shehaj appeared in two league matches as Pogradeci finished 13th which resulted in relegation to the Albanian First Division.
On 22 October 2014, in the returning match of the first round of the 2014–15 Albanian Cup, Shehaj scored a hat-trick against the underdogs of KS Kamza, leading the team to pass the round with the aggregate 5–0 after the first match finished scoreless.<ref>{{cite news|title=Flamurtari Vlorë vs. Kamza 5 – 0|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/10/22/albania/cup/ks-flamurtari-vlore/ks-dajti-kamze/1709145/|publisher=Soccerway|date=22 October 2014|accessdate=3 January 2015}}</ref>
In the 2015–16 season, Shehaj scored a hat-trick in the first round of the Albanian Cup in a 3–2 win against KF Oriku, which was followed by another hat-trick in the next round against Tërbuni Pukë, where Flamurtari won 5–0 to go on to the quarter-final.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/kupa-laci-permbys-bylisin-dhe-kalon-me-tej-ja-ciftet-e-turit-te-trete/|title=Kupa, Laçi përmbys Bylisin dhe kalon më tej. Ja çiftet e turit të tretë.|trans-title=Cup, Laçi overturns Bylis and goes through. Here are the pairs of third round.|publisher=Panorama Sport|language=Albanian|date=4 November 2015|accessdate=4 November 2015}}</ref>
On 11 September 2016, during the 5–0 home win against Luftëtari Gjirokastër in the second matchday of the 2016–17 Albanian Superliga season, Shehaj scored the fifth goal of the match, his first league strike since April 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.supersport.al/52911-2/|title=Flamurtari feston me 5 gola ndaj Luftëtarit|trans-title=Flamurtari celebrates with 5 goals over Luftëtari|publisher=SuperSport Albania|language=Albanian|author=Olsi Karagjozi|date=11 September 2016|accessdate=12 September 2016}}</ref> It was also his 200th appearance in all competitions for the club. Later on 18 December, Shehaj scored the lone goal in the home match against Laçi by finishing home a Bruno Telushi cross, leading the team to their third league win in their last five matches.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.supersport.al/62487-2/|title=Në Vlorë vendos Shehaj, Flamurtari kalon minimalisht Lacin|trans-title=Shehaj decides in Vlorë, Flamurtari minimally passes Laçi|publisher=SuperSport Albania|language=Albanian|author=Adi Metaliu|date=18 December 2016|accessdate=20 December 2016}}</ref> It was Flamurtari's first home over Laçi in six years.<ref name="Shehaj interview">{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/shehaj-largon-euforine-te-mundim-patjeter-korabin/|title=Shehaj largon euforinë: Të mundim patjetër Korabin!|trans-title=Shehaj restrains euphoria: We must have to defeat Korabi!|publisher=Sport Ekspres|language=Albanian|author=Elton Nika|date=21 December 2016|accessdate=21 December 2016}}</ref>
Following the end of 2016–17 season where Flamurtari barely avoided relegation by just one point,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.supersport.al/flamurtari-qendron-ne-superiore/|title=Flamurtari qëndron në Superiore|trans-title=Flamurtari stays in Superliga|publisher=SuperSport Albania|language=Albanian|author=Andi Deçka|date=27 May 2017|accessdate=1 June 2017|archive-date=31 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170531170123/http://www.supersport.al/flamurtari-qendron-ne-superiore/|url-status=dead}}</ref> Shehaj confirmed that he was going to stay at the club for the next season as he was in coach Shpëtim Duro's plans.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sportekspres.com/shehaj-besnik-i-flamurtarit-do-jemi-protagoniste/|title=Shehaj, besnik i Flamurtarit: Do jemi protagonistë|trans-title=Shehaj, loyal to Flamurtari: We're going to be protagonists|publisher=Sport Ekspres|language=Albanian|author=Elton Nika|date=9 June 2017|accessdate=16 June 2017}}</ref>
However, one month later, on 14 July 2017, Shehaj was sold to Teuta Durrës, signing a two-year contract, leaving Flamurtari after ten years of service.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.supersport.al/80479-2/|title=Teuta firmos me Ardit Shehaj|trans-title=Teuta signs with Ardit Shehaj|publisher=SuperSport Albania|language=Albanian|author=Andi Deçka|date=14 July 2017|accessdate=8 September 2017}}</ref> His debut on 9 September brought his first goal for the club as well, as his late header was the winner for Teuta who defeated Luftëtari Gjirokastër in the opening week of the championship.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.supersport.al/teuta-e-nis-me-fitore-thyen-2-1-luftetarin/|title=Teuta e nis me fitore, thyen 2–1 Luftëtarin|trans-title=Teuta starts with a win, breaks Lufëtari 2-1|publisher=SuperSport Albania|language=Albanian|author=Andi Deçka|date=9 September 2017|accessdate=9 September 2017|archive-date=10 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170910040726/http://www.supersport.al/teuta-e-nis-me-fitore-thyen-2-1-luftetarin/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In January 2018, Shehaj joined Flamurtari Prishtina in the Football Superleague of Kosovo.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vipsport.al/2018/01/ardit-shehaj-si-ndahet-flamurtarit-por-kete-here-jo-ne-vlore/|title=Ardit Shehaj "s'i ndahet" Flamurtarit, por këtë herë jo në Vlorë|trans-title=Ardit Shehaj doesn't separate from Falmurtari, but this time not in Vlora|publisher=VIPSport.al|language=Albanian|date=27 January 2018|accessdate=19 February 2020}}</ref>
==International career== Shehaj has been a former Albania youth international, representing his country at under-17, u-20 and u-21 levels.
==Style of play== Usually a striker, Shehaj has been deployed as central midfielder by the coach Gentian Mezani.<ref name="Shehaj interview"/>
==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|9 September 2017}}<ref name="Soccerway">{{cite news|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/ardit-shehaj/57397/|title=Albania - A. Shehaj - Profile with news, career statistics and history|publisher=Soccerway|accessdate=31 December 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scoresway.com/?sport=soccer&page=person&id=57397|title=Profile of Ardit Shehaj at Scoresway.com|publisher=Scoresway.com|accessdate=31 December 2014}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="11"|Flamurtari Vlorë |2006–07 |rowspan="10"|Albanian Superliga |2||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||1 |- |2007–08 |12||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||12||0 |- |2008–09 |26||3||7||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||33||6 |- |2009–10 |19||2||0||0||2<ref group="lower-alpha" name="UEL">All appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League</ref>||0||colspan="2"|—||21||2 |- |2010–11 |21||2||3||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||24||2 |- |2011–12 |8||0||3||1||4<ref group="lower-alpha" name="UEL"/>||2||colspan="2"|—||15||3 |- |2013–14 |24||4||8||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||32||6 |- |2014–15 |23||3||4||5||4<ref group="lower-alpha" name="UEL"/>||1||1<ref group="lower-alpha" name="ALB">Appearance in Albanian Supercup</ref>||0||32||9 |- |2015–16 |22||0||5||6||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||27||6 |- |2016–17 |33||2||4||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||37||2 |- !colspan="2"|Total !190!!17!!34!!17!!10!!3!!1!!0!!235!!37 |- |rowspan="1"|Pogradeci (loan) |2011–12 |rowspan="1"|Albanian Superliga |2||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||2||0 |- |rowspan="1"|Kastrioti Krujë (loan) |2012–13 |rowspan="1"|Albanian Superliga |19||2||7||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||26||2 |- |rowspan="2"|Teuta Durrës |2017–18 |rowspan="1"|Albanian Superliga |1||1||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !1!!1!!0!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!1!!1 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !212!!20!!41!!17!!10!!3!!1!!0!!264!!40 |}
{{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==Honours== ===Club=== ;Flamurtari Vlorë<ref name="Soccerway"/> * Albanian Cup: 2008–09, 2013–14
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{UEFA player|108487}} *{{Soccerway|ardit-shehaj/57397}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shehaj, Ardit}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Vlorë Category:Albanian men's footballers Category:21st-century Albanian sportsmen Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Flamurtari FC players Category:KS Pogradeci players Category:KS Kastrioti players Category:KF Teuta players Category:KF Flamurtari players Category:Kategoria Superiore players Category:Football Superleague of Kosovo players Category:Albanian expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Kosovo Category:Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Kosovo