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'{{Short description|Albanian footballer (born 2003 in Ancona)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}} {{notability|1=Biographies|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Cristian Shpendi | image = | image_size = | caption = | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2003|5|19|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Ancona]], Italy | height = 1.81 m | position = [[Forward (association football)|Forward]] | currentclub = [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]] | clubnumber = 9 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[A.S.D. Real Metauro 2018|Real Metauro]] | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = [[C.S.I. Delfino Fano|Delfino Fano]] | youthyears3 = –2019 | youthclubs3 = [[San Marino Calcio|San Marino]] | youthyears4 = 2019–2021 | youthclubs4 = [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]] | years1 = 2021– | clubs1 = [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]] | caps1 = 53 | goals1 = 21 | nationalyears1 = 2021 | nationalteam1 = [[Albania national under-19 football team|Albania U19]] | nationalcaps1 = 8 | nationalgoals1 = 3 | nationalyears2 = 2022– | nationalteam2 = [[Albania national under-21 football team|Albania U21]] | nationalcaps2 = 1 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalyears3 = | nationalteam3 = | nationalcaps3 = | nationalgoals3 = | medaltemplates = | club-update = 4 May 2024 | nationalteam-update = 16 November 2022 }} '''Cristian Shpendi''' (born 19 May 2003) is an Albanian professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as a [[Forward (association football)|forward]] for Italian club [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]] and the [[Albania national under-21 football team|Albania national under-21 team]]. (JUVE COMPRA SHPENDI A GENNAIO) 🤍🖤 ==Club career== ===Early life=== Shpendi was born in [[Ancona]], Italy, along with his twin, [[Stiven Shpendi|Stiven]]. He is the son of Albanian parents who originate from [[Pukë]]. The Shpendi family immigrated to Italy in 1997, thus Christian and Stiven both hold dual Italian and Albanian citizenship.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.shkodrasport.com/binjaket-nga-puka-nenshkruajne-deri-ne-vitin-2025-me-ekipin-e-njohur-italian-cezena/|title=Binjakët nga Puka nënshkruajnë deri në vitin 2025 me ekipin e njohur italian Cezena|trans-title=Twins from Pukë sing until year 2025 with wellknown italian team|publisher=SHKODRA SPORT|date=26 February 2022|language=sq|access-date=5 January 2023|quote=Sulmuesit e vitlindjes 2003 qe jane me origjine nga Puka, prej disa sezonesh janë pjesë e skuadrës italiane, ndërsa forma e tyre ka bërë që të vijë edhe rinovimi me tre vite.}}</ref> Their first team was [[A.S.D. Real Metauro 2018|Real Metauro]], from where they moved to [[C.S.I. Delfino Fano|Delfino Fano]] and then to [[San Marino Calcio|San Marino]] Academy until they went to [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://calciocesena.com/Media/550f1353-c47a-40f7-abdb-74e043c2c7b7/cesena-fc-magazine-04.pdf|title=IO E CRISTIAN, INSIEME AL MANUZZI|trans-title=Me and Cristian, together at Manuzzi|publisher=[[Cesena F.C.]]|language=it|access-date=3 January 2023|quote=La mia famiglia è in Italia dal 1997, infatti siamo nati ad Ancona e abbiamo vissuto a Fano, abbiamo la doppia cittadinanza. La nostra prima squadra è stata la Real Metauro, poi siamo stati alla Delfino Fano, al San Marino e infine al Cesena. È il nostro terzo anno qui, ci siamo sempre trasferiti insieme».}}</ref> === Early career - Cesena === The twins played their first competitive season for Cesena under-17 squad coached by [[Filippo Masolini]] in Allievi Nazionali U17 team, where the attacking duo made each 16 appearances, with Cristian scoring 14 goals and Stiven 11. They then played for Cesena Primavera under coach [[Giovanni Ceccarelli]] in [[Campionato Primavera 3]] 2020–21 with 15 goals for Cristian and 13 for Stiven. The duo helped the side to reach the final, losing only to [[S.S. Arezzo|Arezzo]] Primavera.<ref name="Renew 2025" >{{cite news|url=https://newsport.al/zyrtare-kontrate-deri-ne-2025-binjaket-e-kombetares-rinovojne-me-ekipin-italian/|title=ZYRTARE/ Kontratë deri në 2025, binjakët e Kombëtares rinovojnë me ekipin italian|trans-title=OFFICIAL/ Contract until 2025, twins of national team renewing with italian team|publisher=Newsport.al|language=sq|date=25 February 2022|access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref> For the following season, 2021–22, at [[Campionato Primavera 2|Primavera 2]], Cristian scored 15 goals in 17 matches and was helped by 23 goals from Stiven in just 20 games - this made Stiven the league's top-scorer. Cesena won the Championship, gaining promotion to [[Campionato Primavera 1|Primavera 1]] and the Primavera Supercup against [[Udinese Calcio|Udinese]] Primavera, beating them 4–1 with two goals from each twin.<ref name="BeSoccer" /> Meanwhile, the players were also promoted to the first team in the [[2021–22 Serie C]], where Cristian made his professional debut under coach [[William Viali]] on 25 September 2021 against [[Olbia Calcio 1905|Olbia]], starting and playing for 57 minutes before being replaced by [[Salvatore Caturano]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2021/09/25/italy/serie-c1/olbia-calcio/ac-cesena/3611932/|title=Olbia vs. Cesena|publisher=Soccerway|date=25 September 2021|access-date=4 January 2023}}</ref> On 25 February 2022, the twins extended their contract with Cesena until 2025.<ref name="Renew 2025" /> ==International career== Shpendi was called up to the [[Albania national under-19 football team|Albania national under-19 team]] by coach [[Armando Cungu]] for several friendlies during 2021. He started five matches and scored two goals.<ref name="BeSoccer" >{{cite web|url=https://www.besoccer.com/player/cristian-shpendi-3171140|title=Profile of Stiven Shpendi: Info, news, matches and statistics|publisher=BeSoccer|access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref> In November 2021, he was called to participate in the [[2022 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification#Group 7|2020 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification Group 7]], where his side played against [[France national under-19 football team|France]], [[Serbia national under-19 football team|Serbia]] and [[North Macedonia national under-19 football team|North Macedonia]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://fshf.org/sq/europiani-u-19-trajneri-cungu-zbardh-listen-22-lojtaret-e-grumbulluar/|title=U-19/ Europiani U-19/ Trajneri Cungu zbardh listën me 22 lojtarët e grumbulluar|trans-title=European U-19/ Coach Cungu clear up the list with 22 footballers gathered|language=sq|publisher=[[Albanian Football Association]]|date=6 November 2021|access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref> He made his competitive debut in the first match versus France, substituting in at halftime for his twin Stiven; his side was beaten 4–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/under19/match/2031128/|title=France-Albania - Under-19 2022|date=10 November 2021|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref> For the next game against Serbia three days later, Shpendi started from the bench and was brought in in the 72nd minute with Albania U19 down by a goal; Shpendi scored the equaliser to secure a draw that kept the Albanian team in contention for the next round.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.uefa.com/under19/match/2031155/|title=Serbia-Albania - Under-19 2022|date=13 November 2021|publisher=[[UEFA]]|access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref> In the closing match against North Macedonia, he came on in the last few minutes with Albania U19 collecting a 3–1 victory. The team finished on 4 points, the same as Serbia U19 and failing to qualify due to the goal difference.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://fshf.org/sq/u-19-shqiperia-mbyll-kualifikueset-fitore-ndaj-maqedonise-se-veriut/|title=U-19/ Shqipëria mbyll kualifikueset me fitore ndaj Maqedonisë së Veriut|trans-title=U-19/ Albania concluded qualifiers with a win against North Macedonia|language=sq|publisher=[[Albanian Football Association]]|date=16 November 2021|access-date=5 January 2023}}</ref> Both Cristian and Stiven Shpendi debuted with [[Albania national under-21 football team|Albania under-21]] under coach [[Alban Bushi]] on 16 November 2022, when they were included in the starting lineup.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://albaniansport.net/new/shpresat-3-gola-ne-pjesen-e-pare-mjaftojne-per-fitoren-ne-san-marino/|title=Shpresat, 3 gola në pjesën e parë mjaftojnë për fitoren në San Marino|trans-title=Hopes, 3 goals in the first half enough for the victory in San Marino|publisher=AlbanianSport.net|language=sq|date=16 November 2022|access-date=6 January 2023}}</ref> ==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|17 December 2022}} <ref name="Soccerway" >{{Soccerway|cristian-shpendi/749769}}</ref><ref name="BeSoccer" /> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | Club statistics |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|[[UEFA|Europe]]<ref group="lower-alpha">Including continental competitions, such as [[UEFA Champions League]] and [[UEFA Europa League]]</ref> !colspan="2"|Other<ref group="lower-alpha">Including other competitions, such as Supercups</ref> !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="3" valign="center"| [[Cesena F.C.|Cesena]] | [[2021–22 Serie C#Group B (Centre)|2021–22]] |rowspan="2"| [[Serie C]] ||5||0||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||7||0 |- | [[2022–23 Serie C#Group B (Centre)|2022–23]] ||16||1||2||0||colspan="2"|—||3||0||9||0 |- !colspan="2" valign="center"|Total !21!!1!!4!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!3!!0!!28!!1 |- |- !colspan="3"|Career total !21!!1!!4!!0!!colspan="2"|—!!3!!0!!28!!1 |} {{Reflist|group=lower-alpha}} ==References== {{Reflist|30em}} ==External links== *{{UEFA player|250169340}} *{{WorldFootball.net|cristian-shpendi}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Shpendi, Cristian}} [[Category:2003 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Footballers from Ancona]] [[Category:Albanian men's footballers]] [[Category:21st-century Albanian sportsmen]] [[Category:Men's association football forwards]] [[Category:Serie C players]] [[Category:Cesena FC players]] [[Category:Albania men's youth international footballers]] [[Category:Albania men's under-21 international footballers]] [[Category:Italian people of Albanian descent]]'