Drilon Shala (born 20 March 1987) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is of Albanian origin. His brother Driton is also a footballer.
 Shala with Lahti in May 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 20 March 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Lahti, Finland | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2006 | Reipas | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2012 | Lahti | 122 | (31) |
| 2006 | → PP-70 (loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2007–2008 | → City Stars (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2010 | → Hämeenlinna (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2013 | Tavşanlı Linyitspor | 14 | (0) |
| 2013 | PK-35 Vantaa | 5 | (0) |
| 2014–2019 | Lahti | 63 | (7) |
| 2019–2021 | Reipas | 11 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2006 | Finland U19 | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editShala progressed playing while at the Reipas youth academy.[1] He made his breakthrough as a senior player for Lahti, playing for the club from 2006 to 2012.
On 17 January 2013, Shala moved to TFF First League club Tavşanlı Linyitspor.[2] At the end his first season at the club, his contract was terminated by mutual agreement.[3] Eventually he returned to Lahti, signing a two-year contract with his former club on 5 November 2013.[4] There, he won the Finnish League Cup in 2016 with a 4–3 victory against SJK in the final; his third League Cup playing for Lahti. He retired from professional football in February 2020 returning for only one more season to play for his childhood club Reipas in the third-tier Kakkonen.[5]
International career
editOn 27 February 2006, five months after having been granted Finnish nationality, Shala made his debut for the Finland U19s as a substitute for Jami Puustinen during a 1–0 win against Norway.[6]
Career statistics
edit- As of 23 February 2025[7]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Lahti | 2006 | Veikkausliiga | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2007 | Veikkausliiga | 3 | 0 | – | – | – | 3 | 0 | ||||
| 2008 | Veikkausliiga | 20 | 4 | – | – | – | 20 | 4 | ||||
| 2009 | Veikkausliiga | 26 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 6[c] | 0 | 41 | 10 | |
| 2010 | Veikkausliiga | 21 | 4 | – | – | – | 21 | 4 | ||||
| 2011 | Ykkönen | 21 | 9 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 23 | 9 | |||
| 2012 | Veikkausliiga | 30 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | – | 35 | 8 | ||
| Total | 122 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 144 | 35 | ||
| PP-70 (loan) | 2006 | Ykkönen | 15 | 2 | – | – | – | 15 | 2 | |||
| City Stars (loan) | 2007 | Kakkonen | 4 | 0 | – | – | – | 4 | 0 | |||
| Hämeenlinna (loan) | 2010 | Ykkönen | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| Tavşanlı Linyitspor | 2012–13 | TFF 1. Lig | 14 | 0 | – | – | – | 14 | 0 | |||
| PK-35 Vantaa | 2013 | Ykkönen | 5 | 0 | – | – | – | 5 | 0 | |||
| Lahti | 2014 | Veikkausliiga | 22 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 1 | – | 30 | 6 | |
| 2015 | Veikkausliiga | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2016 | Veikkausliiga | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 | – | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2017 | Veikkausliiga | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2018 | Veikkausliiga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | Veikkausliiga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | |||
| Total | 65 | 7 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 10 | ||
| Reipas Lahti | 2019 | Kakkonen | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2020 | Kakkonen | 2 | 0 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2021 | Kakkonen | 8 | 0 | – | – | – | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| Kuusysi | 2024 | Kolmonen | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 7 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 244 | 43 | 17 | 4 | 22 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 291 | 49 | ||
- ↑ Includes Suomen Cup
- ↑ Includes Finnish League Cup
- 1 2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
Honours
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Alle 17-vuotiaiden (1.1.1987) maajoukkue-ehdokas leiri pidetään Eerikkilässä 2. - 4.2.2004". Archived from the original on 25 May 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2009.
- ↑ "Linyitspor'da 3 transfer birden". Fotomaç (in Turkish). 17 January 2013.
- ↑ "Linyitspor'da 3 transfer birden". Fotomaç (in Turkish). 21 June 2013.
- ↑ Laaksonen, Antti (5 November 2013). "FC Lahdelle mieluisa paluumuuttaja". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish).
- ↑ Hoikkala, Mikael (12 February 2020). "FC Lahden Drilon Shala lopettaa pelaajauransa". Etelä-Suomen Sanomat (in Finnish).
- ↑ "Räväkkä alku". Suomen Palloliitto (in Finnish). 27 February 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007.
- ↑ Drilon Shala stats, Football Association of Finland
- ↑ Lehtonen, Samu (9 April 2013). "Liigacupin voitto teki hyvää FC Lahden itseluottamukselle". Yle Urheilu (in Finnish).
External links
edit- Drilon Shala at Soccerway