Levan Kenia
ლევან ყენია
Upright0.8
Height1.76 m
Birth date18 October 1990 (age 35)
Birth placeTbilisi, Georgia
PositionAttacking midfielder
Youthyears 12004–2005
Youthyears 22005–2007
Youthclubs 1Dinamo Tbilisi
Youthclubs 2Lokomotivi Tbilisi
Years 12007–2008
Clubs 1Lokomotivi Tbilisi
Caps 119
Goals 14
Years 22008
Clubs 2Schalke 04 II
Caps 22
Goals 20
Years 32009–2012
Clubs 3Schalke 04
Caps 311
Goals 30
Years 42012–2013
Clubs 4Karpaty Lviv
Caps 420
Goals 43
Years 52013–2014
Clubs 5Fortuna Düsseldorf
Caps 511
Goals 50
Years 62014–2017
Clubs 6Slavia Prague
Caps 631
Goals 63
Years 72017–2018
Clubs 7Lokomotivi Tbilisi
Caps 73
Goals 70
Years 82018–2019
Clubs 8F91 Dudelange
Caps 811
Goals 81
Years 92019–2020
Clubs 9Saburtalo
Caps 99
Goals 90
Years 102021–2024
Clubs 10KFC Uerdingen
Caps 1057
Goals 106
Totalcaps174
Totalgoals17
Nationalyears 12006
Nationalteam 1Georgia U-17
Nationalcaps 12
Nationalgoals 10
Nationalyears 22007–2008
Nationalteam 2Georgia U-19
Nationalcaps 25
Nationalgoals 20
Nationalyears 32008–2012
Nationalteam 3Georgia U-21
Nationalcaps 35
Nationalgoals 31
Nationalyears 42007–2016
Nationalteam 4Georgia
Nationalcaps 429
Nationalgoals 44
Manageryears 12024
Managerclubs 1KFC Uerdingen

Levan Kenia (Georgian: ლევან ყენია; born 18 October 1990) is a Georgian professional football manager and former player who most recently was the head coach of Oberliga club KFC Uerdingen.

Club career

Kenia joined Schalke 04 from Lokomotivi Tbilisi in January 2008, signing a contract with the club that ran until June 2012[1] Kenia made his debut for Schalke 04 against APOEL F.C. in a UEFA Cup match on 2 October 2008 coming on as a 65th-minute substitute for Gerald Asamoah.[2] Formerly, Kenia trained for two weeks at the age of 14 with FC Barcelona.[3]

On 11 April 2009, Kenia made his Bundesliga debut for Schalke in a match against Karlsruher SC.[4]

On 14 August 2012, Kenia joined Ukrainian Premier League side FC Karpaty Lviv on a two-year contract. After spending one year in Ukraine, Kenia returned to Germany and signed a contract with Fortuna Düsseldorf for two years.[5]

At Düsseldorf however he could never fulfill the expectations. Signed as the playmaker, he played only eleven games during the 2013–14 season. In the second half of the campaign he even earned just a single cap playing four minutes. On 1 July 2014, according to previous rumors, it was announced that his contract was dissolved.[6]

In the summer of 2018, he joined a Luxembourgian club Dudelange.[7]

International career

Kenia made his debut for the national team on 8 September 2007 against Ukraine, replacing Alexander Iashvili.[8] Georgia's former head coach Klaus Toppmöller said he had never before seen a player of his age with such accomplished technical abilities.[9] Kenia, along with fellow teenagers Levan Mchedlidze and Giorgi Makaridze, played in their UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign starring in a 2–0 victory over Scotland.[10] Toppmöller praised Kenia, "Kenia was one of the best on the pitch."[11]

He scored his first international goal on 27 May 2008 against Estonia.[12]

Coaching career

In 2021 he joined German Regionalliga club KFC Uerdingen as playing assistant.[13] Following the sacking of Marcus John in February 2024, Kenia was made new playing manager of the team.[14] In March 2024, he retired from playing to become to manager of the team.[15]

Personal life

Levan is also the nephew of former SC Freiburg midfielder Georgi Kiknadze.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Lokomotivi Tbilisi2005–0640000040
2006–071130000113
2007–0841000041
Total1940000194
Schalke 042008–0910001020
2009–101002100121
2010–1100000000
2011–1200000000
Total1102110141
Karpaty Lviv2012–132032100224
Fortuna Düsseldorf2013–141101000120
Career total6175210679

International

[16]

Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Kenia goal.
List of international goals scored by Levan Kenia
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
127 May 2008A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia9Estonia1–11–1Friendly
220 August 2008Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales11Wales1–12–1Friendly
36 September 2008Stadion am Bruchweg, Mainz, Germany12Republic of Ireland1–21–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
427 May 2016ASKÖ Stadion, Wels, Austria27Slovakia1–31–3Friendly

References

  1. ^ "Levan Kenia Signs With Schalke 04". Geofootball. 6 January 2008. Archived from the original on 17 April 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  2. ^ "Schalke 04 1 – 1 Apoel Nicosia". ESPN. 2 October 2008. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  3. ^ "Magath: Sein erster Härtetest" (in German). Kicker. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Knappen landen wichtigen 2:0-Arbeitssieg gegen den Karlsruher SC" (in German). FC Schalke 04. Archived from the original on 9 April 2009.
  5. ^ "Levan Kenia kommt zur Fortuna" (in German). Fortuna Düsseldorf. Archived from the original on 2 July 2013. Retrieved 29 June 2013.
  6. ^ "Levan Kenia und Fortuna Düsseldorf gehen getrennte Wege" (in German). derwesten.de. 1 July 2014. Archived from the original on 7 April 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Kenia profile by F81" (in French). Dudelange. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  8. ^ "Georgia 1-1 Ukraine". Sky Sports. 8 September 2007. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  9. ^ "ISP Exclusive: World's Top 30 Young Talents". Iran Sports Press. 24 December 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  10. ^ Clive Lindsay (17 October 2007). "Georgia 2-0 Scotland". BBC. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  11. ^ "Schalke capture Georgian wunderkind". UEFA. 7 January 2008. Retrieved 3 March 2012.
  12. ^ Lasha Chankvetadze (30 May 2008). "Estonia 1-1 Georgia". Geofootball.com. Archived from the original on 5 July 2008. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  13. ^ "Verstärkung für den Trainerstab des KFC" (in German). KFC Uerdingen 05. Archived from the original on 17 July 2022. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Trennung von Marcus John" (in German). KFC Uerdingen 05. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  15. ^ "Levan Kenia hängt Fußball-Schuhe an den Nagel" (in German). FuPa. 2 March 2024. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  16. ^ "L. Kenia". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 May 2016.