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'{{pp-blp|expiry=October 22, 2014|small=yes}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2013}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Taulant Xhaka | fullname = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1991|3|28|df=yes}} | birth_place = [[Basel]], [[Switzerland]] | death_date = | height = {{height|m=1.72}} | position = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]] | currentclub = [[FC Basel]] | clubnumber = 34 | youthyears1 = 2000–2002 | youthclubs1 = [[FC Concordia Basel|Concordia Basel]] | youthyears2 = 2002–2009 | youthclubs2 = [[FC Basel|Basel]] | clubs1 = [[FC Basel#Reserve team (under-21)|Basel U21]] | years1 = 2008–2010 | caps1 = 30 | goals1 = 3 | clubs2 = [[FC Basel]] | years2 = 2010– | caps2 = 47 | goals2 = 4 | clubs3 = → [[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshopper Club]] (loan) | years3 = 2012–2013 | caps3 = 38 | goals3 = 0 | nationalteam1 = [[Switzerland national under-17 football team|Switzerland U17]] | nationalyears1 = 2008–2009 | nationalcaps1 = 14 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalteam2 = [[Switzerland national under-18 football team|Switzerland U18]] | nationalyears2 = 2009–2010 | nationalcaps2 = 6 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | nationalteam3 = [[Switzerland national under-19 football team|Switzerland U19]] | nationalyears3 = 2009–2010 | nationalcaps3 = 9 | nationalgoals3 = 0 | nationalteam4 = [[Switzerland national under-20 football team|Switzerland U20]] | nationalyears4 = 2010–2011 | nationalcaps4 = 8 | nationalgoals4 = 0 | nationalteam5 = [[Switzerland national under-21 football team|Switzerland U21]] | nationalyears5 = 2011–2013 | nationalcaps5 = 4 | nationalgoals5 = 0 | nationalyears6 = 2014– | nationalteam6 = [[Albania national football team|Albania]] | nationalcaps6 = 2 | nationalgoals6 = 0 | pcupdate = 25 October 2014 | ntupdate = 11 October 2014 }} '''Taulant Xhaka''' (born 28 March 1991 in [[Basel]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fcb.ch/sport/show/playerDetailByID/-/30167/72/9/36/de-de/-/25328|quote=Geburtsort:Basel|title=Taulant Xhaka}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/2011/11/16/xhaka-zgjodha-pa-hezitim-zvicren-shqiptaret-me-thone-tradhtar/|title=Xhaka: Zgjodha pa hezitim Zvicrën, shqiptarët më thonë tradhtar!|quote=Granit, familja juaj vjen nga Kosova, po ju ku keni lindur? Në Zvicër, në Bazel kam lindur. Ashtu si Taulanti, vëllai im. Disa burime informacioni, duke përfshirë këtu edhe "Ëikipedia", kanë njoftuar se kam lindur në Kosovë, por kjo nuk është e vërtetë}}</ref>) is an [[Albania|Albanian]] [[Association football|footballer]] who plays as a defender for the [[Swiss Super League]] club [[FC Basel|Basel]]. ==Early life== Xhaka is the elder brother of [[Granit Xhaka]], who is also a professional footballer. Their family moved from [[Kosovo]] to [[Switzerland]] before either were born.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.20min.ch/sport/fussball/story/14450158|title=Albanien hat schon telefoniert|quote=Bei Granits Mutter beisst der albanische Fussballverband denn auch auf Granit: «Unsere Kinder sind hier geboren worden und zur Schule gegangen. Sie gehören in die Schweiz.»}}</ref> <img src="taulant_xhaka.jpg" alt="Taulant Xhaka" style="width:304px;height:228px"> ==Club career== The brothers started their youth football by [[FC Concordia Basel]] and both moved to FC Basel in 2002. Taulant played for various FC Basel youth teams and from 2008 became a regular member of the U-21 team for two years in the [[Swiss 1. Liga (football)|Swiss 1. Liga]]. At the beginning of the [[2010–11 Swiss Super League|Season 2010/11]] both brothers moved up into the first team squad. Taulant played as a [[Defender (association football)|defender]]. He made it his first team debut on 19 September 2010 in the 5:0 [[Swiss Cup]] win against [[FC Mendrisio-Stabio]].<ref name=" Match Report: FC Mendrisio-Stabio - FC Basel ">{{cite web | last = Dünner | first = Urs | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2010 | url = http://www.fcb.ch/sport/show/matchReport/-/2076/38/8 | title = Der FCB gewinnt im Schweizer Cup mit 5:0 (2:0) gegen Mendrisio | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 | accessdate = 19 September 2010}} {{de icon}}</ref> He gave his Super League debut on 27 February 2011 in the 1:0 away win against [[FC Luzern]].<ref name= "Match Report: FCL – FCB 27.02.2011" >{{cite web | last = Meister | first = Remo | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2011 | url = http://www.fcb.ch/sport/show/matchReport/-/2092 | title = Wichtiger 1:0-Arbeitssieg für den FCB | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 | accessdate = 27 February 2011}} {{de icon}}</ref> At the end of the [[2010–11 Swiss Super League]] season Taulant Xhaka won the Super League Championship title with FC Basel. Taulant Xhaka made it his [[UEFA Champions League]] debut for Basel on 27 September 2011 as a substitute in the 3:3 away draw in the [[Old Trafford]] Stadium against [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]].<ref name="eufa">{{cite web | last = Simon | first = Remo | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2011 | url = http://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/season=2012/matches/round=2000263/match=2007589/postmatch/report/index.html | title = United strike late to deny Basel famous win | work = | publisher = eufa.com | accessdate = 27 September 2011}}</ref> On 18 January 2012 it was announced that Xhaka would be lent out to the Grasshoppers to gain first team playing experience. After a year and a half Basel recalled him into their squad.<ref name="fcb 2013-06-03">{{cite web | last = Basler Zeitung | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2013 | url = http://www.fcb.ch/news/show/byItemID/-/10045/30621 | title= Vieles ist klar – vielleicht | format = | work = | publisher =Basler Zeitung | accessdate = 2013-06-03}} {{de icon}}</ref> At the end of the [[2013–14 Swiss Super League|2013–14 Super League season]] Xhaka won his second league championship with Basel.<ref name="fcb 2014-05-18">{{cite web | last = Grossenbacher | first = Sacha | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2014 | url = http://www.fcb.ch/de-CH/Saison/Saisonspiel?m=2816 | title= Fotos vom Spiel gegen Lausanne sowie den anschliessenden Feierlichkeiten | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 | accessdate = 2014-05-18}} {{de icon}}</ref> They also reached the final of the [[2013–14 Swiss Cup]], but were beaten 2–0 by [[FC Zürich|Zürich]] after extra time. During the [[2013–14 UEFA Champions League|2013–14 Champions League season]] Basel reached the [[2013–14 UEFA Champions League group stage|group stage]] and finished the group in third position. Thus they qualified for [[2013–14 UEFA Europa League knockout phase|Europa League knockout phase]] and here they advanced as far as the quarter-finals. ==International career== ===Switzerland youth level national teams=== Xhaka has played for Swiss youth squad at the [[Switzerland national under-17 football team|U-17]] level. He was part of the [[2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship squads#.C2.A0Switzerland|Swiss U-17 squad]] that played in the [[2008 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship]] in [[Antalya]], Turkey. During the years 2009 and 2010 he played for the [[Switzerland national under-18 football team|Switzerland U-18]] and the [[Switzerland national under-19 football team|Switzerland U-19 teams]]. He made his [[Switzerland national under-20 football team|Swiss U-20]] debut on 6 September 2010 in the [[Stadion Breite]], [[Schaffhausen]], as [[Defender (association football)#Full back|right back]] in the 2:3 home defeat against [[Germany national under-20 football team]]. Taulant Xhaka made his [[Switzerland national under-21 football team|Swiss U-21]] debut as substitute on 7 October 2011 in the 1:0 away win against [[Georgia national under-21 football team|Georgia U-21]].<ref name="nzz">{{cite web | last = nzz | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2011 | url = http://www.nzz.ch/nachrichten/sport/aktuell/sporttickerdepartment/urnnewsmlwwwsda-atsch20111007brz020_1.12887579.html | title = U-21-Auswahl in Georgien mit Auswärtsieg | work = | publisher = Neue Zürcher Zeitung AG | accessdate = 7 October 2011}} {{de icon}}</ref> In the return game on 10 November, a 5:0 home win in the [[Cornaredo Stadium]], he played in the starting team. ===Albania=== Media reported on May 2013 that Taulant Xhaka would welcome a call-up from [[Albania national football team|Albania]]. <ref name="Panorama1">{{cite web | last = Panorama| first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2013 | url = http://www.panorama.com.al/2013/05/24/shqiperia-i-merr-zvicres-nje-xhaka/| title = Shqipëria i merr Zvicrës një Xhaka| work = | publisher = Panorama Sport| accessdate = 20 October 2013}} {{sq icon}}</ref> Taulant confirmed later in an interview that his choice of Albania was definitive.<ref name="Shekulli1">{{cite web | last = Shekulli| first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2013 | url = http://www.shekulli.com.al/web/p.php?id=25800&kat=97| title = Taulant Xhaka: Zgjodha Shqipërinë, Zvicra s’më donte| work = | publisher = Shekulli| accessdate = 20 October 2013}} {{sq icon}}</ref> In October 2013 he accepted that in his choise he was convinced by the younger brother [[Granit Xhaka|Granit]], which didn't wanted him to repeat his mistake, choosing [[Switzerland national football team|Switzerland]] instead of their descence national team, Albania.<ref>[http://www.sportishqiptar.com.al/newsite/2013/10/17/taulant-xhaka-graniti-me-tha-te-zgjidhja-shqiperine/ Taulant Xhaka: Graniti më tha të zgjidhja Shqipërinë] ''[[Sporti Shqiptar]]''</ref> On 18 December 2013, Xhaka received Albanian citizenship and to be able to play for [[Albania national football team]], he must receive the go ahead from [[FIFA]].<ref>[http://asport.info/taulant-xhaka-merr-shtetesi-shqiptare-foto-dekreti/ Taulant Xhaka merr shtetësi shqiptare (Foto Dekreti) | aSport.info]</ref> Xhaka received his first call up by [[Albania national football team|Albania]]'s coach [[Gianni De Biasi]] for a friendly match against [[Malta national football team|Malta]] on 5 March 2014,<ref>[http://www.supersport.al/artikull.php?id=20869 Risia per Malten, Taulant Xhaka vishet kuqezi | Lajme Futboll | SuperSport]</ref> but he was replaced by [[Renato Arapi]] because he had been injured on 2 March 2014 during a match between [[FC Basel|Basel]] and [[FC Thun|Thun]] which finished in a 2–2 draw, where due to an injury he substituted off in the 72nd minute.<ref>[http://asport.info/demtohet-xhaka-therritet-arapi/ Dëmtohet Xhaka, thërritet Arapi | aSport.info - Albania Sport]</ref> Xhaka received the second consecutive call-up for an trio friendly matches of Albania against [[Romania national football team|Romania]], [[Hungary national football team|Hungary]] & [[San Marino national football team|San Marino]] respectively on 31 May, 4 & 8 June 2014.<ref>[http://asport.info/aliti-dhe-cikalleshi-risite-pritet-prezantimi-i-xhakes-de-biasi-bunjaki-premtojne-bashkepunim/ Aliti dhe Cikalleshi risitë, pritet prezantimi i Xhakës… | aSport.info - Albania Sport]</ref> Days later he declared that withdrew again due to injury.<ref>[http://asport.info/xhaka-drejt-refuzimit-te-shqiperise/ Xhaka drejt refuzimit të Shqipërisë? | aSport.info - Albania Sport]</ref> On 25 June 2014 Xhaka received the go ahead from FIFA, which answered the [[FSHF]] request and Xhaka became eligible to play for Albania also in the international official matches.<ref>[http://www.panorama-sport.com/legjionaret/fifa-jep-ok-taulant-xhaka-zyrtarisht-kuqezi/ FIFA jep “OK”, Taulant Xhaka zyrtarisht kuqezi | Panorama Sport]</ref> ====Euro 2016 qualifiers==== [[File:T.Xhaka.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The portret of Taulant Xhaka, drawn by Albanian fans as soon as after the match against the serbia]] Xhaka received his third consecutive call-up for the match against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]] on 7 September 2014, valid for the start of [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group I|UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers]].<ref>[http://fshf.org/index.php/sq/lajme/2550-de-biazi-flet-per-ndeshjen-me-portugaline De Biazi flet për ndeshjen me Portugalinë - (Në fund trajneri i Kombëtares së Shqipërisë publikoi edhe listën me 24 lojtarë të grumbulluar për këtë takim. Ata janë:) - FSHF.org]</ref> He made it his first debut on 7 September 2014 playing full 90-minutes in the 0–1 away victory against [[Portugal national football team|Portugal]]. <ref>[http://uk.soccerway.com/matches/2014/09/07/europe/european-championship-qualification/portugal/albania/1653150/?ICID=HP_MS_136_08 Portugal vs. Albania - 7 September 2014 - Soccerway]</ref> He made it a good performance in his first debut and was included in the best eleven team of the first round matches of the [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying]].<ref>[http://www.goal.com/en/news/12/spain/2014/09/10/5094843/euro-2016-team-of-the-week-lewandowski-and-muller-unstoppable-as- Euro 2016 Team of the Week: Lewandowski & Muller unstoppable as Albania make their mark - Goal.com]</ref> Xhaka was included in the starting line up for the [[UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group I#Serbia v Albania|UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying Group I]] match against [[Serbia national football team|Serbia]] played on 14 October 2014. In the 40th minute of that match, the English referee [[Martin Atkinson]] halted the play for a second time after flares had been thrown from the crowd in the direction of Albanian players. Meanwhile, at the same time, a drone seemingly remote-controlled was seen hovering above the pitch, parallel to the top of the stand, before falling towards the pitch 15 yards into the Serbian half. The [[Greater Albania]] insignia referred to the notion of an extended area in which all ethnic Albanians reside one that would include [[Kosovo]]. The [[Serbia national football team|Serbia]] player [[Stefan Mitrović (footballer)|Stefan Mitrović]] caught the flag and was immediately accosted by Xhaka and the fellow Albanian player [[Andi Lila]] who took the flag away from the Serbian player.<ref>[http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/oct/14/serbia-albania-euro-2016-flag-halted Serbia v Albania abandoned after players and fans brawl on pitch | Football | The Guardian]</ref> After the match Xhaka, along with [[Lorik Cana]] were declared citizens of honor from the mayor of the city of [[Mitrovica]], [[Kosovo]], for the bravery shown in ''protecting national symbols''.<ref>[http://koha.net/?id=9&l=29960 Bahtiri shpall Xhaken e Canen qytetare nderi te Mitrovices]</ref> == Honours == '''Basel''' * [[Swiss Super League]]: [[2010–11 Swiss Super League|2010-11]], [[2013–14 Swiss Super League|2013–14]] * [[Swiss Cup]] runner up: [[2013–14 Swiss Cup|2013–14]] * [[Uhrencup|Uhren Cup]] : 2011, 2013 * U-18 Swiss Cup: 2007–08<ref name="fcb 2008-06-15">{{cite web | last = FC Basel 1893 | first = | authorlink = | coauthors = | year = 2008 | url = http://www.fcb.ch/news/show/byItemID/de-de/-/20378/27/7/7 | title = Zwei weitere Nachwuchstitel für den FCB | format = | work = | publisher = FC Basel 1893 | accessdate = 2008-06-15}} {{de icon}}</ref> ==Career statistics== ===Club=== {{updated|25 October 2014}} <ref>[http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/56971/Taulant_Xhaka.html Taulant Xhaka | National Football Teams]</ref><ref>[http://uk.soccerway.com/players/taulant-xhaka/134236/ Albania - T. Xhaka - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway]</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |- !rowspan="2"|Season !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|League country !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Total |- !Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |[[2008–09 in Swiss football#1. Liga#Group 1|2008–09]]||rowspan="3" valign="center"|[[FC Basel#Reserve team (under-21)|Basel U21]]||rowspan="3"|[[1. Liga Promotion]]||1||0||-||-||-||-||1||0 |- |2009-10||12||0||-||-||-||-||12||0 |- |rowspan="2"|2010–11||16||3||-||-||-||-||16||3 |- |rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[FC Basel]]||rowspan="1"|[[Swiss Super League]]||6||0||1||0||1||0||8||0 |- |rowspan="4"|2011–12||rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[FC Basel#Reserve team (under-21)|Basel U21]]||[[1. Liga Promotion]]||1||0||-||-||-||-||1||0 |- !colspan="2" valign="center"|Total Basel U-21 !30!!3!!0!!0!!0!!0!!30!!3 |- |rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[FC Basel]]||rowspan="3"|[[Swiss Super League]]||5||1||0||0||1||0||8||1 |- |rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshopper]]||13||0||1||0||-||-||14||0 |- |2012–13||rowspan="1" valign="center"|[[Grasshopper Club Zürich|Grasshopper]]||25||0||2||0||-||-||27||0 |- |- !colspan="3" valign="center"|Total Grasshopper !38!!0!!3!!0!!0!!0!!41!!0 |- |2013–14||rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[FC Basel]]||rowspan="2" valign="center"|[[Swiss Super League]]|||23||2||4||0||14||0||41||2 |- |2014–15||13||1||1||0||2||0||16||1 |- |- !colspan="3" valign="center"|Total FC Basel !47!!4!!6!!0!!18!!0!!71!!4 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !115!!7!!9!!0!!18!!0!!142!!7 |} ===International=== {{updated|11 October 2014}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" ! colspan=3 | [[Albania national football team|Albania national team]] <ref>[http://eu-football.info/_player.php?id=28806 Taulant Xhaka - national football team player - EU-Football.info]</ref> |- !Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |- |2014||2||0 |- !Total||2||0 |} ==References== {{Reflist|2}} ==External links== * [http://fcb.ch/sport/show/playerDetailByID/-/30167/72/9/36/-/-/25328 Profile at FC Basel] {{de icon}} * [http://www.sfl.ch/de/Raiffeisen-Super-League/Klubs-Raiffeisen-Super-League/Grasshopper-Club-Zuerich/Kader-Grasshopper-Club-Zuerich/Portrait-Grasshopper-Club-Zuerich.aspx/tid-52460/p-486553/ Profile at Swiss Football League] {{de icon}} * [http://www.soccerway.com/players/taulant-xhaka/134236/ Soccerway profile] {{FC Basel Squad}} {{Persondata | NAME = Xhaka, Taulant | ALTERNATIVE NAMES = | SHORT DESCRIPTION = Footballer | DATE OF BIRTH = 28 March 1991 | PLACE OF BIRTH = Basel, Switzerland | DATE OF DEATH = | PLACE OF DEATH = }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Xhaka, Taulant}} [[Category:1991 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Basel-Stadt]] [[Category:Association football midfielders]] [[Category:Swiss footballers]] [[Category:FC Basel players]] [[Category:Grasshopper Club Zürich players]] [[Category:Swiss Super League players]] [[Category:Swiss people of Kosovar descent]] '