 Mitaj with Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (2003-08-06) 6 August 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Athens, Greece | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Ittihad | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2017–2020 | AEK Athens | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2022 | AEK Athens | 11 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | AEK Athens B | 20 | (0) |
| 2022–2025 | Lokomotiv Moscow | 36 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Al-Ittihad (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2025– | Al-Ittihad | 13 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2019 | Albania U17 | 16 | (4) |
| 2022 | Albania U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2020–2023 | Albania U21 | 16 | (0) |
| 2021– | Albania | 29 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 27 December 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 13 November 2025 | |||
Mario Mitaj (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈmaɾio miˈtaj]; born 6 August 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. Born in Greece, he represents Albania at international level.
A product of the AEK Athens academy, Mitaj made his senior debut in the Super League Greece at the age of 17 and went on to feature for both the first team and the reserve side, AEK Athens B, until 2022, establishing himself as one of the most promising young defenders to emerge from the club. He transferred to Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022, before joining Al-Ittihad in 2024 on loan. Known for his pace, defensive positioning and composure in possession, he helped Al-Ittihad win the Saudi Pro League and the King’s Cup, completing a domestic double in his debut season.
Despite born in Greece, Mitaj represents the Albania national team at international level. Having made his senior debut in 2021 at the age of 17, he became a regular starter during UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying, and went on to play every minute for Albania at the final tournament in Germany.
Club career
Early career
Born in Athens to Albanian parents from Vermosh,[2] Mitaj began playing football at a young age before joining the youth academy of AEK Athens in 2017, after being scouted while playing for local academies in Albania.[3] Having moved to Greece at a young age, he quickly adapted to AEK’s system and was regarded as one of the most promising defenders in the club’s youth setup. Known for his tactical intelligence, composure on the ball, and versatility, he was regularly deployed both as a left-back and as a central defender in the Super League Greece U-19 championship.
During the 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons, Mitaj became a standout performer for AEK’s under-17 and under-19 teams, contributing to the club’s strong showings in domestic youth competitions and attracting attention from the senior team staff.[4] His maturity on and off the pitch led AEK to promote him to first-team training sessions in the summer of 2020.
AEK Athens
On 12 August 2020, Mitaj signed his first professional contract with AEK Athens and officially became part of the senior squad.[5]
Just two months later, on 18 October 2020, he made his first Super League Greece appearance in a 1–1 draw against PAOK, becoming the youngest foreign player in AEK’s history to feature in an official match, at only 17 years, 2 months, and 13 days old.[6] His debut came in a high-profile away fixture in Thessaloniki, where he delivered a composed and promising performance despite his young age, drawing positive notes from sports media.[7]
Following his debut season, on 2 February 2021, AEK rewarded him with a new contract running until the summer of 2023, reflecting the club’s confidence in his potential.[8] Under managers Massimo Carrera and later Vladan Milojević, Mitaj gradually earned more first-team minutes, often used as a deputy for experienced left-back Ehsan Hajsafi. Known for his composure, intelligent positioning, and ability to advance play from the back, he established himself as one of the most technically refined young defenders in the Greek league.
On 10 August 2021, the Albanian left-back extended his contract until 2026, securing his long-term future with the club.[9] During the 2020–21 season, he featured in 13 matches across all competitions, including the Super League Greece and the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers, earning recognition from Greek sports media as one of the most promising young defenders in the competition.[10]
During the 2021–22 campaign, besides making three further appearances with the first team, Mitaj was also registered with AEK Athens B, the club’s reserve side newly established that season and competing in the Super League Greece 2. He became a regular starter for AEK B, making around 20 league appearances throughout the season and gaining valuable experience at the senior professional level.[11] His performances with the B team were noted for consistency and maturity, reinforcing his reputation as one of AEK’s most promising academy graduates.
Throughout his time at AEK, Mitaj has been recognized for his composure, tactical discipline, and leadership qualities uncommon for a player of his age, which have also earned him regular call-ups to the Albania national senior team. His technical ability, confidence under pressure, and maturity made him a key prospect for both AEK and the Albania national team, with several European clubs reportedly monitoring his development.[12] He was also regarded as one of the brightest products of the club’s academy, alongside Konstantinos Galanopoulos. Greek media often described him as a modern full-back with strong tactical awareness and confidence on the ball.[13] His performances reportedly attracted interest from Italian clubs such as Udinese and Torino, though AEK opted to keep him as part of their long-term project.[14]
In total, Mitaj made 16 official appearances for AEK Athens’ first team and played 20 matches for AEK Athens B in the Super League 2 before leaving the club in 2022.[15]
Lokomotiv Moscow
On 27 August 2022, Mitaj signed a five-year contract with Russian Premier League club Lokomotiv Moscow.[16] The transfer fee was reported to be €3 million, with AEK Athens retaining a sell-on percentage for any future transfer.[17]
Mitaj made his debut for Lokomotiv on 31 August 2022 in a Russian Cup match against Pari Nizhny Novgorod, suffering a 2–0 away loss.[18] Four days later, on 4 September 2022, he made his League debut against Akhmat Grozny in a 2–1 defeat.[19]
By the end of the season, Mitaj had made 14 league appearances, accumulating a total of 774 minutes on the pitch, with the club finishing 8th in the league table.[20] He also appeared in 4 matches in the cup competition.[11] He was noted for his defensive contributions and versatility, sometimes being used off the bench.[21][22][23][24][25]
During the 2023–24 Russian Premier League season, Mitaj established himself as a regular starter under head coach Mikhail Galaktionov, primarily operating as a left-back in both four-man and three-man defensive systems. His consistent performances earned him praise from Russian sports media for his tactical discipline and crossing ability.[26]
By the end of the 2023–24 campaign, Mitaj had featured in over 25 league matches and contributed several assists, helping Lokomotiv finish in the 4th place in league ranking[20] and reach the quarter-finals of Russian Cup.[15] His growing influence at the club led to reports linking him with moves to Italian Serie A sides ahead of the 2024 summer transfer window.[27][28]
At the start of the 2024–25 season, Mitaj remained part of the Lokomotiv squad and appeared in four league and cup matches during July and August 2024, recording one assist in a 4–0 Russian Cup victory over Khimki.[29] Shortly afterward, he moved abroad for the first time in his career.
Al-Ittihad
On 3 September 2024, Mitaj was loaned to Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad for one year, with an option to buy.[30] The fee was reported to be around €1.2 million. During his loan spell, he quickly established himself as a regular starter for the Saudi side, making 18 league appearances and scoring once. Having missed match action since 1 February due to injury, Mitaj returned to the starting lineup against Al-Riyadh under coach Laurent Blanc.[31] Mitaj played a key role in Al-Ittihad’s title-winning campaign, helping the club secure the 2024–25 Saudi Pro League championship in his debut season.[20] Alongside the league triumph, Al-Ittihad also won the King’s Cup, completing a domestic double in the 2024–25 season — the club’s first since 2018.[32] He featured prominently in the King’s Cup, including playing 105 minutes in the quarter-final win over Al-Hilal decided by penalties, and starting in the final, where Al-Ittihad defeated Al-Qadisiya 3–1 to lift the trophy.[33][34] He also registered an assist in a 2–0 league victory over Al-Fateh in November 2024, which temporarily placed Al-Ittihad at the top of the standings.[35] On 31 January 2025, Al-Ittihad exercised their option and purchased Mitaj for a reported fee of €4 million.[36]
In the 2025–26 season, Mitaj has appeared as a starter in two league matches so far, keeping one clean sheet and receiving a yellow card.[37] Across all competitions, he has played three full matches in domestic Saudi competitions, without scoring or assisting.[38] On 19 August 2025, Mitaj featured in the 2025 Saudi Super Cup semi-final against Al-Nassr, starting the match against five-time Ballon d'Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo as Al-Ittihad were eliminated following a 2–1 defeat.[39] He made his AFC Champions League debut on 15 September 2025 in the group stage against Al-Wahda of the United Arab Emirates, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 draw.[40]
International career
Having grown up in Nea Ionia, Attica, Mitaj was eligible to represent both Albania and Greece. He chose to play for Albania, progressing through all national youth levels from under-17 to under-21.
Youth
Mitaj made his youth international debut for the Albania under-17s in October 2018, featuring in the whole 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualification at the age of 15. He started in all matches and scored a decisive goal in the victory over Azerbaijan, which provided Albania’s only points in the campaign.[41][42] In 2019, he was appointed captain of the Albania U-17 side, leading the team in a series of ten friendly matches in which he scored three goals, before participating in the 2020 UEFA Euro U-17 qualifiers.[43][44][41]
In 2020 he made his debut for the Albania under-21s at the age of 17, appearing in the closing stages of the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification and becoming an undisputed starter also participating in the following campaign of 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification, completing 11 matches throughout the whole process.[41][15] During the 2022–23 period, he also featured in seven friendly matches for the youth setup, including two appearances for a temporary Albania under-20 side, before moving subsequently to senior side.[11]
Senior
Mitaj made his senior debut for Albania on 31 March 2021 in a World Cup qualifying match against San Marino, starting in a 2–0 away victory and becoming Albania’s second-youngest ever senior international at the age of 17.[45] Mitaj returned to senior team later in 2023 for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign; his standout performances during the second-half of 2022–23 for Lokomotiv Moscow, consistent starts, and contributing both defensively and offensively, made Sylvinho to entrust Mitaj as Albania’s first-choice left-back,[46][47][48] playing every minute of the qualifiers and earning praise for his defensive consistency and tactical discipline.[49]
Albania finished top of their group for the first time in history, collecting 15 points—level with the Czech Republic but ahead on the head-to-head record—thus qualifying for the final tournament of a European Championship for only the second time ever.[50] In June 2024, Mitaj was included in Sylvinho’s final 26-man list for UEFA Euro 2024, hosted in Germany.[51] He played every minute also in the finals in UEFA Euro 2024 Group B, where Albania finished bottom of the group with a single point and were eliminated from the tournament.[15][52]
During the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, Mitaj was included in the Team of the Qualifiers selected by Sofascore, being rated as the highest-performing left-back of the competition, receiving an overall rating of 7.62 across the qualifying matches, ranking him among standout players. Mitaj missed two opening matches against England and Andorra due to injury, and the closing match against England, as a precaution by coach Sylvinho to avoid suspension ahead of the play-off round. In the remaining five fixtures of the campaign, in which Albania earned two draws followed by three consecutive victories, Mitaj started each game and was noted for his consistent impact, contributing to his recognition as an indispensable part of the national squad.[53]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 27 December 2025
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Supercup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| AEK Athens | 2020–21 | Super League Greece | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |
| 2021–22 | Super League Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| AEK Athens B | 2021–22 | Super League Greece 2 | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | 20 | 0 | |||
| Lokomotiv Moscow | 2022–23 | Russian Premier League | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Russian Premier League | 21 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 0 | |||
| 2024–25 | Russian Premier League | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 4 | 0 | |||
| Total | 36 | 0 | 13 | 0 | — | — | 49 | 0 | ||||
| Al-Ittihad (loan) | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 12 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Al-Ittihad | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2025–26 | Saudi Pro League | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 1 | |
| Total | 25 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 2 | ||
| Career total | 92 | 2 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 124 | 2 | ||
- ^ Includes Greek Cup, Russian Cup, King's Cup
- ^ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
International
- As of match played 13 November 2025[20][48]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022[a] | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 29 | 0 | |
- ^ Conclude with Non-FIFA international football
Honours
Al-Ittihad
- Saudi Pro League: 2024–25[54]
- King's Cup: 2024–25[55]
References
- ^ "Mario Mitaj". FC Lokomotiv Moscow. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ "'The kidnapping of the decade', Mario Mitaj". VoxNews.al. 13 September 2023.
- ^ "Mario Mitaj, futbollisti shqiptar që po rrëmben Greqinë" (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. 24 October 2020.
- ^ "Ο Μάριο Μιτάι, ο 17χρονος της ΑΕΚ που κεντρίζει τα βλέμματα" (in Greek). Gazzetta.gr. 19 July 2020.
- ^ "Επαγγελματίας με την ΑΕΚ ο Μάριο Μιτάι" [Mario Mitaj signed a professional contract with AEK!]. AEK F.C. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ^ "ΘΕΜΑ Μάριο Μιτάι: Ο νεότερος ξένος στην ιστορία της ΑΕΚ" [SUBJECT Mario Mitai: The youngest foreigner in the history of AEK]. amna.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 1 April 2021.
- ^ "Mario Mitaj, futbollisti shqiptar që po rrëmben Greqinë" (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. 24 October 2020.
- ^ ""Έδεσε" και τους Μιτάι και Μαχαίρα η ΑΕΚ (vid)" (in Greek). Retrieved 2 January 2021.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ: Επέκτεινε το συμβόλαιο του Μιτάι μέχρι το 2026" (in Greek). sport24.gr. 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Μάριο Μιτάι: Ο νεότερος ΑΕΚ της επόμενης ημέρας" (in Greek). Sport24. 12 December 2021.
- ^ a b c d Mario Mitaj at BeSoccer
- ^ "Μάριο Μιτάι: Η ΑΕΚ έχει τον επόμενο μεγάλο αριστερό μπακ" (in Greek). Gazzetta. 5 May 2022.
- ^ "Μάριο Μιτάι: Ο επόμενος μεγάλος αριστερός μπακ" (in Greek). Sportime.gr. 15 February 2022.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ: Ενδιαφέρον από Ιταλία για τον Μιτάι" (in Greek). Sport24.gr. 27 June 2022.
- ^ a b c d e Mario Mitaj at Soccerway
- ^ "МАРИО МИТАЙ – НОВЫЙ ЗАЩИТНИК "ЛОКОМОТИВА"" (in Russian). Lokomotiv Moscow. 27 August 2022.
- ^ "Al-Ittihadi pritet t'i vazhdojë kontratën mbrojtësit të Shqipërisë". Koha.net. 25 January 2025.
- ^ "Pari NN v Lokomotiv Moscow". Soccerway.
- ^ "Akhmat Grozny v Lokomotiv Moscow". Soccerway.
- ^ a b c d "Mitaj, Mario". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
- ^ "Марио Митай – новый защитник «Локомотива»" (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 27 August 2022.
- ^ "В завершившемся сезоне... Марио Митай запомнился прежде всего универсализмом" (in Russian). lokomotiv.info. 24 June 2024.
- ^ "EXCITING/ Mario Mitaj is transferred to the star team". CNA.al. 2 September 2024.
- ^ "VIDEO/ I mjaftojnë 12 minuta… asisti i Mario Mitaj" (in Albanian). Newsport.al. 2023.
- ^ "Mario Mitaj – Player profile". WhoScored. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "Как играет Марио Митай — главный открытие защиты «Локомотива»" (in Russian). Championat.com. 19 April 2024.
- ^ "Two Italian clubs are interested in the services of Mario Mitaj". Telegrafi. 2024.
- ^ "E bujshme/ Mitaj drejt kalimit në Serie A, zbulohen klubet që e kërkojnë" (in Albanian). Sport CNA. 2024.
- ^ "Mitaj assists, Lokomotiv Moscow wins deep". Koha.net. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "Митай на правах аренды перешёл в саудовский "Иттихад"" (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 3 September 2024.
- ^ "After not playing since February 1, Mario Mitaj returns to the starting lineup with Al-Ittihad". Sport Alfa Press.
- ^ "Three Takeaways: Al-Ittihad wins King's Cup to complete first Double". Al Arabiya English. 31 May 2025.
- ^ "Al-Ittihad eliminate Al-Hilal, Mitaj plays 105 minutes" (in Albanian). A2 CNN. 18 April 2025.
- ^ "Mitaj wins King's Cup with Al-Ittihad". Koha.net. 30 May 2025.
- ^ "Al-Ittihad go top of the league". Saudi Pro League. 25 November 2024.
- ^ "Митай продолжит карьеру в «Аль-Иттихаде»" (in Russian). FC Lokomotiv Moscow. 31 January 2025.
- ^ "2025–26 season stats – Mario Mitaj". Saudi Pro League.
- ^ "Mario Mitaj statistics – current season". FCTables.
- ^ "Ronaldo leads Al-Nassr past Al-Ittihad in Saudi Super Cup semi-final". Goal. 19 August 2025.
- ^ "Al-Ittihad held to 1–1 draw by Al-Wahda in AFC Champions League opener". Asian Football Confederation. 15 September 2025.
- ^ a b c Mario Mitaj at the Albanian Football Association (in Albanian and English)
- ^ "Albania U17 – UEFA U17 European Championship Qualifiers 2018/2019 Appearances". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "You searched for Mitaj u-17" (in Albanian). FSHF. Retrieved 10 October 2025.
- ^ "Albania U17 – UEFA U17 European Championship Qualifiers 2019/2020 Appearances". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
- ^ "ΑΕΚ: "Έκλεισε" στην Αλβανία ο Μιτάι και "έγραψε" ιστορία". Newsit.gr (in Greek). 1 April 2021.
- ^ "Mitaj e nis mbarë sezonin e ri në Rusi. 90 minuta si titullar…" (in Albanian). Shkodra Sport.
- ^ "Mitaj shines in his new role, chosen as Player of the Match in the Derby". Sport CNA. 21 October 2023.
- ^ a b Mario Mitaj at EU-Football.info
- ^ "Mitaj rekordmeni për vetëm 9 ditë, Berisha surpriza e madhe e Sylvinhos" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group E standings". UEFA. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ Sinani, Renaldo (8 June 2024). "Trajneri Silvinjo publikon listën e Kombëtares me emrat e 26 lojtarëve për Kampionatin Europian "Gjermani 2024"" (in Albanian). FSHF. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "UEFA Euro 2024 – Group B standings". UEFA. Retrieved 8 October 2025.
- ^ "Mario Mitaj është unik, statistikat e vendosin si më të mirin për kualifikueset e Botërorit". Panorama Sport. 19 November 2025. Retrieved 19 November 2025.
- ^ "Ittihad seals league title away from Jeddah once again". Saudi Gazette. 15 May 2025. Retrieved 16 May 2025.
- ^ "Al Ittihad end six-year wait to reclaim King's Cup crown". Saudi Gazette. 31 May 2025. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
External links
