Klaus Gjasula

Klaus Gjasula
Personal information
Full name Klaus Fatmir Gjasula[1]
Date of birth (1989-12-14) 14 December 1989
Place of birthTirana, Albania
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
PositionDefensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Rot-Weiss Essen
Number 8
Youth career
PSV Freiburg
–2007Offenburger FV
2008Freiburger FC
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2008–2009Freiburger FC
2009–2010Bahlinger SC 25 (2)
2010–2012Waldhof Mannheim 50 (3)
2012–2013MSV Duisburg II 23 (0)
2013–2016Kickers Offenbach 77 (4)
2016Stuttgarter Kickers 16 (0)
2016–2018Hallescher FC 53 (6)
2018–2020SC Paderborn 53 (3)
2020–2021Hamburger SV 15 (0)
2021–2025Darmstadt 98 66 (1)
2025–Rot-Weiss Essen 30 (0)
International career‡
2019–2024Albania 29 (1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19 December 2025‡ National team caps and goals as of 19 June 2024

Klaus Fatmir Gjasula (Albanian pronunciation:[ˈkla.usɟaˈsula]; born 14 December 1989) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for German 3. Liga club Rot-Weiss Essen.

Gjasula began his senior career in the lower tiers of German football, playing for several Oberliga and Regionalliga clubs before making his professional debut with Stuttgarter Kickers in the 3. Liga in 2016. He went on to establish himself as a regular starter with Hallescher FC and later joined SC Paderborn, where he helped the team achieve promotion to the Bundesliga, making his top-flight debut in 2019. During that season, he set a league record for most yellow cards (17) and became known for wearing a protective headband. Subsequently, he played for Hamburger SV and Darmstadt 98, where he occasionally captained the team and contributed to their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2023, before joining Rot-Weiss Essen in 2025.

He represented the Albania national football team between 2019 and 2024, earning 29 caps, mostly as a starter, and appearing at UEFA Euro 2024, where he scored both an own goal and a goal to earn Albania a 2–2 draw against Croatia, their only point of the tournament.

Early life

Gjasula was born in Tirana, Albania, and moved with his family to Freiburg, Germany, shortly after his birth. His given name, Klaus, was inspired by the German actor Klausjürgen Wussow, who portrayed Professor Klaus Brinkmann in the popular 1980s television series The Black Forest Clinic (Die Schwarzwaldklinik). Gjasula’s grandmother was a devoted fan of the show, and his brother was named Jürgen after the same actor.[2] Growing up in the Breisgau region, Gjasula took his first steps in football with several local clubs, including PSV Freiburg, Offenburger FV and Freiburger FC.[3][4]

Club career

Early career

During the 2009–10 Oberliga Baden-Württemberg season, Gjasula played for Bahlinger SC, making 27 appearances and scoring 3 goals.[5]

He then moved to fellow Oberliga Baden-Württemberg side Waldhof Mannheim, where in his first season he made 26 appearances and scored 2 goals, helping the team win the league and gain promotion to the Regionalliga Süd.[5] During the 2011–12 Regionalliga season, he made 24 appearances and scored once.[4]

Gjasula continued playing in the fourth tier, joining MSV Duisburg II in the Regionalliga West, where he made 23 appearances.[4]

He then moved to Kickers Offenbach in the Regionalliga Südwest. In his first season, he made 27 appearances and scored 2 goals.[4] In the following 2014–15 Regionalliga season, he made his debut in the DFB-Pokal and recorded 31 league appearances, helping the team win the league title, although they failed to achieve promotion after losing the play-off to 1. FC Magdeburg.[5][4]

During the 2015–16 Regionalliga season, Gjasula made 17 appearances and scored 2 goals in the first half of the campaign, before moving to Stuttgarter Kickers in the 3. Liga.[4][6]

Stuttgarter Kickers

In January 2016, Gjasula signed for Stuttgarter Kickers in the 3. Liga, marking his transition to professional football.[4][6] He made his professional debut on 23 January 2016 in a 2–2 home draw against FC Erzgebirge Aue, playing the full 90 minutes and providing one assist.[7]

During the second half of the 2015–16 season, Gjasula went on to make 18 league appearances, scoring one goal and providing four assists in total,[8] but the club suffered relegation to the Regionalliga at the end of the campaign.[4][5]

Despite the setback, his performances drew attention for his composure and passing range as a defensive midfielder, which earned him a move to Hallescher FC the following summer.[9]

Hallescher FC

In June 2016, Gjasula joined Hallescher FC, signing a two-year contract and remaining in the 3. Liga.[6]

He quickly established himself as a key player in defensive midfield and became known for his leadership and tactical discipline. In his first season (2016–17), he made 30 league appearances, scoring three goals, and helped the team secure a comfortable mid-table finish.[5][6]

In the summer of 2017, he suffered a metatarsal fracture and missed the first ten matches of the 2017–18 season. Upon his return, he was named team captain, adding three goals in 23 appearances.[4]

Paderborn

In June 2018, Gjasula signed with SC Paderborn, who had just been promoted to the 2. Bundesliga. He made his league debut on 10 August 2018, scoring with a header in the 31st minute of a 2–0 home win against SSV Jahn Regensburg.[10] Throughout the 2018–19 season, Gjasula established himself as a key figure in defensive midfield, known for his physical play and leadership. He played a crucial role as Paderborn achieved a second consecutive promotion, returning to the Bundesliga after finishing second in the league.[6][4]

Gjasula made his Bundesliga debut on 17 August 2019 in a 3–2 away defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, playing the full match.[11]

During the 2019–20 season, he remained an undisputed starter in defensive midfield, noted for his strong tackling, positional discipline, and leadership qualities. He made 28 league appearances and scored twice.[6]

Despite Paderborn’s relegation at the end of the campaign, Gjasula’s performances were regarded as consistent and hard-working. Over the course of the season, he received 17 yellow cards, setting a new Bundesliga record for the most cautions in a single season, surpassing the previous record of 16 held by former Eintracht Frankfurt defender Tomasz Hajto.[12]

During his time at Paderborn, Gjasula frequently wore protective headgear — a precaution he adopted after suffering a fractured cheekbone (Jochbogen) in 2013 — and he has publicly suggested that helmets should be considered for professional footballers.[13][14]

Hamburger

Ahead of the 2020–21 season, Gjasula joined Hamburger SV, signing a two-year contract until June 2022.[15] Under new head coach Daniel Thioune, he started the first two league matches of the season in a 4–2–3–1 formation alongside Amadou Onana in defensive midfield.[4] In the second league match, a 4–3 win over his former club Paderborn, Gjasula was involved in two conceded goals following individual errors.[16] In the following weeks, he appeared mostly as a substitute.[4] On 25 October 2020, Gjasula came on as a late substitute in a 3–1 win over Würzburger Kickers, where he assisted the final goal after a long sprint in stoppage time.[17] After a run of four winless matches between November and December, Gjasula returned to the starting line-up, and Hamburg subsequently recorded three consecutive victories.[6][4] He then suffered a torn inner ligament in his left knee during training at the turn of the year.[18] The injury sidelined him for 11 matches. He made his comeback on 12 March 2021, coming on as a late substitute in the 90th minute of a 2–0 away win over VfL Bochum.[19] He played only a few matches afterwards, finishing the season with 16 league appearances, as Hamburg placed fourth in the table, four points below the promotion play-off spot.[4][5]

At the end of the season, Gjasula left Hamburg after his contract was mutually terminated.[20]

Shortly afterwards, he signed with SV Darmstadt 98 on a free transfer, joining the club ahead of the 2021–22 season.[21]

Darmstadt

Gjasula made his debut for Darmstadt 98 on 14 August 2021 against Ingolstadt 04, providing an assist in a 6–1 home victory.[22] He went on to make 23 league appearances during the campaign, helping Darmstadt finish in fourth place — matching his previous season’s record with Hamburg.[5][6]

2022–23 season

In the following 2022–23 season, Gjasula began as an undisputed starter for Darmstadt 98, featuring regularly in a new role for him as a centre-back. He played nearly every match during the opening months, contributing to the team's strong start and a nine-match unbeaten run.[4][6]

In late September 2022, he suffered a torn muscle bundle combined with adductor pain, which caused him to miss 12 matches in process.[6] Despite his absence, Darmstadt continued their unbeaten streak.[8] During his injury recovery period, Gjasula extended his contract with Darmstadt for one additional year, until June 2024, following the club’s initiative to retain his experience and leadership within the squad.[23] Gjasula returned to action in March 2023, at a time when the team was experiencing a slight dip in form, and initially appeared only as a substitute.[6] He regained full match fitness towards the end of the season, completing the full 90 minutes in the final two matches, including a decisive 1–0 victory against 1. FC Magdeburg in the penultimate round, which mathematically secured Darmstadt’s promotion to the Bundesliga.[24][4]

Darmstadt ended the campaign with 67 points, level with Heidenheim, but placed second on head-to-head record, securing automatic promotion to the Bundesliga for the 2023–24 season.[8][5]

2023–24 season

In his second Bundesliga season, Gjasula was once again deployed as a centre-back. After not featuring in the opening rounds,[4] he returned to the lineup on 1 October 2023, in matchday 6, contributing to a 4–2 home win over SV Werder Bremen — Darmstadt’s first league victory of the season.[25] On 28 October 2023, in an away match against FC Bayern Munich, Gjasula started again in central defence but was sent off in the 21st minute following a VAR review for a last-man foul, leaving Darmstadt with ten men. Earlier, Bayern’s Joshua Kimmich had also been dismissed, while Gjasula's teammate Matej Maglica was later shown a red card as well, reducing Darmstadt to nine players. Bayern went on to score all eight goals in the second half, with the match ending in an 8–0 defeat for Darmstadt.[26][27]

In the remainder of the season, Gjasula alternated between starting and substitute roles as Darmstadt continued their poor run of results, failing to win a match until matchday 30, when they defeated 1. FC Köln 2–0.[8] The team then ended the campaign with four straight losses without scoring, conceding 14 goals in total, and finished bottom of the table with just 17 points from 34 matches, resulting in relegation from the Bundesliga.[5] Gjasula had registered 22 appearances in total.[4][6]

2024–25 season

On 12 May 2024, Darmstadt announced that Gjasula, along with several other players, would leave the club at the end of the season.[28] However, two months later, in July 2024, Gjasula signed a new contract with Darmstadt after the club was impressed by his performances with the Albania national football team at UEFA Euro 2024, where he scored a goal during the tournament.[29][30]

Despite the club’s relegation, Gjasula chose to remain with Darmstadt out of loyalty, and was rewarded by being named team captain ahead of the 2024–25 season. He led the team onto the field wearing the captain’s armband in the opening matches of the campaign.[31]

However, during the whole first half of the 2024–25 season, Gjasula found himself often relegated to the bench and seeing limited playing time. According to reports, Gjasula had grown increasingly frustrated with limited playing time after the team’s relegation. He publicly expressed a desire for more minutes, which Darmstadt could not promise considering the squad rotation.[32][33]

Rot-Weiss Essen

After the lack of regular playtime at Darmstadt, Gjasula moved to Rot-Weiss Essen on 6 January 2025, joining the club in the 3. Liga.[34]

He made his debut on 26 January 2025 in a 3. Liga match against Hannover 96 II, starting in central midfield and contributing defensively throughout the match as Essen won 5–1. During the game, he won several duels and earned a key free kick in the attacking half.[35]

In the remainder of the 2024–25 season, Gjasula established himself as a rotational starter, appearing in 17 league matches and providing experience in both defensive midfield and centre-back roles, receiving a record of 10 yellow cards.[6] Rot-Weiss Essen finished 8th with 56 points.[8][5]

During the same season, he also made two appearances in the Lower Rhine Cup (Landespokal Niederrhein), helping Rot-Weiss Essen win the regional title and qualify for the following season’s DFB-Pokal.[4]

In the following 2025–26 campaign, he retained his starting role under coach Uwe Koschinat, completing most matches as a full 90-minute player.[6][4]

On 27 September 2025, during matchday 8 away against SV Waldhof Mannheim, Gjasula was sent off at score 2–0 after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on Kennedy Okpala, reducing Essen to ten men. The match ended in a heavy 6–1 defeat. Following the match, Gjasula publicly criticized the referee’s decision, leading the DFB to issue him both a fine and a three-match suspension.[36]

International career

Gjasula made his Albania national team debut under coach Edoardo Reja on 7 September 2019 in a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifier against France, replacing Ylber Ramadani in the 53rd minute and receiving a yellow card later in the match.[37] He quickly established himself as a regular starter ahead of Ramadani, completing all remaining fixtures of the qualification campaign.[6] Gjasula remained a key part of the squad during the subsequent editions of the UEFA Nations League and the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.[38]

Under new coach Sylvinho, he continued to feature regularly throughout the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers. However, a torn muscle injury and the rise of Kristjan Asllani saw him lose his starting role, finishing the campaign with five appearances.[6] Albania topped their group for the first time in history with 15 points—level with the Czech Republic but ahead on head-to-head record—securing qualification for their second-ever European Championship finals.[39] On 8 June 2024, Gjasula was named in Albania’s final UEFA Euro 2024 squad.[40] During the group stage match against Croatia on 19 June, Gjasula came on as a second-half substitute. In the 76th minute, he inadvertently scored an own goal that gave Croatia a 2–1 lead, but in stoppage time he equalised with his first international goal to secure a 2–2 draw for Albania. He also received a yellow card during the match.[41][42] By doing so, he became the first substitute in UEFA European Championship history to score both a goal and an own goal in the same match, and only the second player overall after Anton Ondruš.[43][44]

On 28 August 2024, Gjasula announced his retirement from international football, ending his national team career with 29 caps and one goal.[45]

Personal life

Gjasula was born in the capital of Albania, Tirana and raised in Freiburg, Germany. He holds both Albanian and German citizenship.[46][47] His older brother Jürgen Gjasula is a footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.

Gjasula was selected as one of two ambassadors by the Albanian Football Association for the 2025 UEFA European Under-17 Championship finals, to be held in Albania.[48] As part of his role, he participated in promotional activities, including a training session and open meeting with young players at the “Elite Youth Development Academy”, encouraging discipline, tactical understanding, and motivation.[49]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 19 December 2025[6][5][8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Waldhof Mannheim2011–12Regionalliga Süd251000000251
MSV Duisburg II2012–13Regionalliga West230000000230
Kickers Offenbach2013–14Regionalliga Südwest272000000272
2014–15Regionalliga Südwest 330300000360
2015–16Regionalliga Südwest 17200—00172
Total 77430—00804
Stuttgarter Kickers2015–163. Liga16000—00160
Hallescher FC2016–173. Liga 30321—00324
2017–183. Liga 23300—00233
Total 53621—00557
SC Paderborn2018–192. Bundesliga24130—00271
2019–20Bundesliga29220—00312
Total 53350—00583
Hamburger SV2020–212. Bundesliga 15010——160
2021–222. Bundesliga 0000——00
Total 15010—00160
Darmstadt2021–222. Bundesliga 23100——231
2022–232. Bundesliga 17010——180
2023–24Bundesliga 22000——220
2024–25Bundesliga 4000——40
Total 66110——671
Rot-Weiss Essen2024–253. Liga 17021——191
2025–263. Liga 7020——90
Total 30041——341
Career total 35814162000037416

International

As of 19 June 2024[5][38]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania201950
202040
202160
202260
202360
202421
Total291
As of match played 19 June 2024
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first.
List of international goals scored by Klaus Gjasula
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
119 June 2024Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany29 Croatia2–22–2UEFA Euro 2024

References

  1. ^Ekskluzive: Basha, Gjasula, Abrashi, Berisha e Llullaku me pasaportë shqiptare (dekreti)Archived 2016-05-13 at the Wayback Machine aSport.al
  2. ^"I lindur në Tiranë, gazeta zvicerane Blick: Ja pse heroi i Shqipërisë quhet Klaus Gjasula" [Born in Tirana, Swiss newspaper Blick: Here’s why Albania’s hero is called Klaus Gjasula] (in Albanian). Paparaci.com. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  3. ^"HSV verpflichtet Klaus Gjasula". HSV.de (in German). 15 July 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  4. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqrstKlaus Gjasula at WorldFootball.net
  5. ^ abcdefghijkl"Klaus Gjasula". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 12 October 2025.
  6. ^ abcdefghijklmnopqK. Gjasula at Soccerway. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  7. ^"Live statistics Stuttgarter Kickers vs Erzgebirge Aue - 3. Liga 2016". BeSoccer. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  8. ^ abcdefKlaus Gjasula at BeSoccer
  9. ^"Neu beim HFC: Klaus Gjasula" [New at HFC: Klaus Gjasula] (in German). Hallescher FC. 15 June 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  10. ^"SC Paderborn 07 – Jahn Regensburg 2:0". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  11. ^"Bayer Leverkusen vs SC Paderborn 3–2". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  12. ^"Gjasula stellt Gelb-Rekord in der Bundesliga auf" [Gjasula sets yellow-card record in the Bundesliga]. kicker (in German). 27 June 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  13. ^"Gjasula schlaegt Helmpflicht fuer Fussballer vor". n-tv (in German). 21 August 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  14. ^"Klaus Gjasula traegt Helm: "Gehe befreiter in Duelle"". Sueddeutsche Zeitung (in German). 21 August 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  15. ^"Klaus Gjasula verstärkt den HSV" (in German). Hamburger SV. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  16. ^"Trotz zweier Gjasula-Fehler: HSV jubelt nach wildem Ritt". kicker (in German). 28 September 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  17. ^"VIDEO / Sprinti i frikshëm dhe asisti i Klaus Gjasulës, lë shenjë me 6 minuta" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 25 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  18. ^"Gjasula und Gyamerah verändern die Planspiele". kicker (in German). 1 January 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  19. ^"Sieg in Überzahl: HSV beendet Abwärtstrend im Spitzenspiel". kicker (in German). 12 March 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  20. ^"HSV und Klaus Gjasula gehen getrennte Wege" (in German). Hamburger SV. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  21. ^"Klaus Gjasula wechselt zu den Lilien" (in German). SV Darmstadt 98. 8 July 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  22. ^"Darmstadt 98 – Ingolstadt 04 6–1". BeSoccer. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  23. ^"Bundesliga në horizont, mesfushori i Kombëtares rinovon edhe një vit me Darmstadt" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  24. ^"Zyrtare / Vitin tjetër në Bundesligë, nis festa për mesfushorin e Kombëtares shqiptare" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  25. ^"Darmstadt 98 – Werder Bremen 4:2" (in German). Kicker. 1 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  26. ^"VIDEO / Klaus Gjasula ndëshkohet me karton të kuq kundër Bayern Munchen, lojtari i Shqipërisë ndjek nga pas Kimmich në dhomat e zhveshjes" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 28 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  27. ^"Bayern Munich 8–0 Darmstadt 98". ESPN. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  28. ^"Before kick-off: SV 98 says goodbye to 15 players". SV Darmstadt 98. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  29. ^"Gjasula extends at SV 98". SV Darmstadt 98. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  30. ^"Zyrtare / Darmstadti nuk e lëshon Klaus Gjasulën, mesfushori shqiptar rinovon me ekipin gjerman" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 11 July 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  31. ^"I qëndroi besnik edhe në Bundesliga 2, Klaus Gjasula shpërblehet me shiritin e kapitenit" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 4 August 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  32. ^"Darmstadts Routinier Gjasula wechselt nach Essen" (in German). DIE ZEIT. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  33. ^"Ka përfunduar në stolin e rezervave, ofertë zyrtare për lojtarin shqiptar" (in Albanian). Newsport.al. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  34. ^"RWE verpflichtet Klaus Gjasula vom SV Darmstadt 98" [RWE signs Klaus Gjasula from SV Darmstadt 98] (in German). Rot-Weiss Essen. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  35. ^"Rot-Weiss Essen 5–1 Hannover 96 II". Sky Sports. 26 January 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  36. ^"Sperre und Geldstrafe: Gjasula darf erst wieder im Knaller in Duisburg ran" (in German). Kicker. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 15 October 2025.
  37. ^"France v Albania game report". UEFA. 7 September 2019.
  38. ^ abKlaus Gjasula at EU-Football.info
  39. ^"UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group E standings". UEFA. Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  40. ^"Trajneri Silvinjo publikon listën e Kombëtares me emrat e 26 lojtarëve për Kampionatin Europian "Gjermani 2024"" [Coach Sylvinho publishes the national team list with the names of 26 players for the European Championship "Germany 2024"] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  41. ^Wilson, Jonathan (19 June 2024). "Klaus Gjasula strikes late after own goal to snatch Albania draw with Croatia". The Guardian.
  42. ^Hassall, Paul (19 June 2024). "Croatia 2–2 Albania – Klaus Gjasula scores dramatic late equaliser after own goal to snatch draw against Croatia". Eurosport.
  43. ^Browning, Ben (19 June 2024). "🏆 Albanian star makes EUROs history in all-action substitute appearance". OneFootball.
  44. ^"Croatia 2–2 Albania: Gjasula the hero as he salvages late point for Eagles". beIN Sports. 19 June 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  45. ^"Klaus Gjasula vendos të tërhiqet nga Kombëtarja, FSHF: Bisedoi me Silvinjon dhe stafin teknik" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 14 October 2025.
  46. ^Soccerway profile
  47. ^Lord Helmchen grätscht sich durch den DFB-Pokal
  48. ^"The AFA selects Klaus Gjasula & Valbona Selimllari as ambassadors for UEFA U-17 EURO 2025 finals". Albanian Football Federation. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
  49. ^"Ambassador of Euro U-17: Training session & open meeting with Elite Youth Development Academy". FSHF. 3 May 2025. Retrieved 13 October 2025.
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