Labinot Kabashi (born 28 February 2000) is a footballer who plays as a midfielder. He last played for Spanish team Villarreal C. Described as a technical player, Kabashi can operate as either a midfielder or a winger. Born in Finland, he had opted to play for Kosovo internationally. He has drawn comparisons to Spanish player Andrés Iniesta.[2][3]

Labinot Kabashi
Personal information
Full name Labinot Kabashi
Date of birth (2000-02-28) 28 February 2000 (age 24)[1]
Place of birth Vantaa, Finland
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
2008–2010 Gimnàstic
2010–2020 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Barcelona B 0 (0)
2020–2022 Villarreal C 13 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 September 2022

Club career edit

Barcelona edit

Kabashi joined FC Barcelona's youth setup from Gimnàstic when he was 10 years old.[4] In November 2016, he suffered an ACL injury that kept him on the sidelines for a year and a half.[5] He once again suffered the same injury in March 2018, keeping him out for almost a year.[6] On 9 February 2019, it was announced that he would return with the U19's in a match against CE Europa. Upon his return he injured himself again, seven minutes after coming off the bench.[7][8] The following 15 February, he renewed with the club until 30 June 2021.[9][10]

On 30 January 2020, he was promoted to Barcelona B.[11] Barcelona terminated his contract the following 5 October.[12]

Villarreal C edit

On 28 October 2020, Villarreal CF published the squad list for Villarreal C for the 2020–21 season, and Kabashi was included.[13] Three days later, he made his debut in a 3–3 away draw against Atlético Saguntino after coming on as a substitute at 46th minute in place of Richard Franco.[14] On 3 February 2021, Kabashi scored his first goal for Villarreal C in his fourth appearance for the club in a 1–2 away win over Acero in Tercera División.[15]

International career edit

He was eligible for Kosovo and Spain internationally, as well as Finland, his birthplace.[16][17] On 2 October 2016, Kabashi was called up to the Kosovo national team at only 16 years of age.[18][19][20] He was an unused substitute in the World Cup qualifying matches against Croatia,[21] and Ukraine,[22] due to Barcelona indirectly sending a request through Kabashi's father to ask the national team not to play Kabashi in the matches, because there could be problems after activation.[23]

Personal life edit

Kabashi was born in Vantaa, Finland,[1] to a Kosovo Albanian father and a Finnish mother.[24][16][17] He has dual citizenship of Finland and Kosovo,[25] and his cousins Armend, Elbasan and Astrit Kabashi are also footballers who mainly play in the lower categories of Finnish football.[26][27]

Honours edit

Barcelona

References edit

  1. ^ a b "10. Labinot". FC Barcelona. Archived from the original on 29 February 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  2. ^ "Labinot Kabashi, con la magia de Iniesta" [Labinot Kabashi, with the magic of Iniesta] (in Spanish). Sport. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  3. ^ "Barcelona-Juwel Labinot Kabashi: Der Andres Iniesta des Kosovo" [Barcelona jewel Labinot Kabashi: The Andrés Iniesta of Kosovo] (in German). Goal. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
  4. ^ "Un hijo de la Guerra de Kosovo" [A child of the Kosovan War] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 10 October 2013. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Labinot, el prodigio emergente" [Labinot, the emerging prodigy] (in Spanish). Vavel. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  6. ^ "El Barça espera a Labinot Kabashi" [Barça awaits Labinot Kabashi] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 16 March 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  7. ^ "Labinot se vuelve a lesionar el día de su retorno" [Labinot is injured again on the day of his return] (in Spanish). Sport. 10 February 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  8. ^ "Labinot pasará otra vez por el quirófano" [Labinot will have to go under the knife again] (in Spanish). Sport. 11 February 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  9. ^ "El Barça renueva a Labinot Kabashi tras lesionarse de gravedad" [Barça renew Labinot Kabashi after he seriously injures himself] (in Spanish). Sport. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  10. ^ "El Barça renueva a Labinot tras su grave lesión" [Barça renews Labinot after his serious injury] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 15 February 2019. Retrieved 18 July 2020.
  11. ^ "Labinot, el último 'refuerzo' para el Barça B" [Labinot, the last "reinforcemnet" for Barça B] (in Spanish). Sport. 11 July 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2020.
  12. ^ "Oficial: El Barça rescinde el contrato de Labinot Kabashi" [Official: Barça terminates Labinot Kabashi's contract] (in Spanish). Sport. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Villarreal C's big jump". Villarreal CF C. 28 October 2020.
  14. ^ "Saguntino vs. Villarreal III 3–3". Soccerway. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  15. ^ "VIDEO/La pas dëmtimet horror dhe Rei Manajn, Labinot Kabashi shënon golin e parë me Vijareal" [VIDEO/Left behind horror injuries and Rey Manaj, Labinot Kabashi scores the first goal with Villarreal] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b "Kush është Labinot Kabashi, i cili po konsiderohet Iniesta i Kosovës (Foto)" [Who is Labinot Kabashi, who is being considered Iniesta of Kosovo (Photo)] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  17. ^ a b "Who is Labinot Kabashi? Meet Barcelona's 16-year-old wonderkid refugee compared to Iniesta". Goal. 5 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Bunjaki shpalli listën për ndeshjet me Kroacinë e Ukrainën" [Bunjaki announces the list of players for the matches with Croatia and Ukraine] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2 October 2016. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2019.
  19. ^ "16-year-old Labinot Kabashi gets surprise call-up for senior Kosovo squad". FC Barcelona. 3 October 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  20. ^ "Kosovo convoca a Labinot Kabashi, a un juvenil de 16 años del Barça" [Kosovo calls-up Labinot Kabashi, a 16-year-old youth from Barça] (in Spanish). El Confidencial. 2 October 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  21. ^ "Kosovo vs Croatia – FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I". Sky Sports. 6 October 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Ukraine vs Kosovo – FIFA World Cup European Qualifying Group I". Sky Sports. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Barcelona kishte kërkuar që Labinot Kabashi të mos luaj për Kosovën" [Barcelona had asked that Labinot Kabashi not to play for Kosovo]. Indeksonline (in Albanian). 26 April 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  24. ^ Jelena Leppänen (3 October 2016). "Takaisku Huuhkajille – Vantaalla syntynyt FC Barcelonan teinitähti valitsi toisen maajoukkueen" [Backfire for Owls – FC Barcelona-born teen star chooses second national team] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. Retrieved 16 August 2021. Kabashilla on suomalainen äiti ja kosovolainen isä. Futislupaus on syntynyt vuonna 2000 Vantaalla
  25. ^ Labinot Kabashi at WorldFootball.net  
  26. ^ "13-vuotias vantaalaispoika dominoi Barcelonan junnuissa – katso video" [A 13-year-old boy from Vantaa dominates Barcelona's juniors – watch the video] (in Finnish). Ilta-Sanomat. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 30 December 2021. Myös Kabashin serkut Elbasan, Astrit ja Armend ovat jalkapalloilijoita
  27. ^ Niko Toiskallio (12 June 2013). "Suomalaissyntyisen keskikenttäpelaajan vuosikymmen Barcelonassa päättyi" [The decade of a Finnish-born midfielder in Barcelona is over]. SuomiFutis (in Finnish). Sport Statistics FC. Retrieved 30 December 2021. kolme serkkua jalkapalloilee yhä Suomessa (Elbasan ja Astrit Espoon Palloseurassa, Armend Kabashi KPV:ssä)
  28. ^ "Barcelona get back on top". UEFA. Retrieved 24 April 2018.

External links edit