Mario Mitaj

Mario Mitaj (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈmaɾio miˈtaj]; born 6 August 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Serie A club Genoa on loan from Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. Born in Greece, he represents the Albania national team. Known for his versatility, he is also capable of playing in other defensive positions. A product of the AEK Athens academy, Mitaj made his professional debut in the Super League Greece at the age of 17, becoming one of the youngest foreign players to appear for the club. He went on to feature for both the first team and reserve side, AEK Athens B, before joining Lokomotiv Moscow in 2022. In 2024, he moved to Al-Ittihad on loan, with the transfer later being made permanent, and helped the club win a domestic double in the 2024–25 season, securing both the Saudi Pro League and the King's Cup. At international level, Mitaj represented Albania at various youth levels before making his senior debut in 2021 at the age of 17, narrowly missing out on becoming the nation's youngest-ever debutant. He established himself as a regular starter during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying campaign and played every minute of Albania's matches at the UEFA Euro 2024 final tournament in Germany, becoming the country's youngest player to appear at a major international tournament.