Kristjan Asllani

Kristjan Asllani (Albanian pronunciation: [kɾisˈcjan asˈlani]; born 9 March 2002) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş, on loan from Serie A club Inter Milan, and the Albania national team.

Born in Elbasan, Albania, and raised in Buti, Italy, Asllani developed through the Empoli youth system, making his professional debut with the club in 2021. After helping Empoli secure their place in Serie A and establishing himself as one of the league’s most promising young midfielders, he joined Inter Milan in 2022. With Inter, Asllani was part of the squads that won the 2022 Supercoppa Italiana, 2023–24 Serie A title, and 2023 Supercoppa Italiana. In August 2025, he moved to Torino on a season-long loan to gain regular first-team experience.

Asllani has represented Albania at every youth level before making his senior debut in 2022. Since then, he has become a key figure for the national side, contributing to Albania’s historic qualification as group winners for UEFA Euro 2024 and participating in the final tournament. Known for his consistency and composure in midfield, Asllani set a national record for consecutive appearances by an outfield player and scored several decisive goals in competitive matches, including winners in the 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B and the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Early life

Kristjan Asllani was born in Elbasan, Albania. When he was two years old, his family emigrated to Italy and settled in the small Tuscany town of Buti. There, Asllani began playing football with the local club Butese at the age of five, taking his first steps in the sport before later joining the Empoli youth academy, where he continued his development through the club’s ranks.