Xherdan Shaqiri is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire and the Switzerland national team. He was born on October 10, 1991. Shaqiri began his career with FC Basel, where he won three Swiss Super League titles before going on to Bayern Munich, where he won nine domestic and continental trophies despite playing less regularly.
He transferred to Inter Milan for €15 million in January 2015, and seven months later to Stoke City for a club record £12 million. Following Stoke’s relegation from the Premier League in 2018, Shaqiri was sold to Liverpool for a reported £13.5 million deal before to the following season. In his debut season, he was a member of the UEFA Champions League-winning side. Shaqiri has been a full international since 2010, and he has almost 100 caps and 26 goals for Switzerland, making him the country’s seventh-highest goalscorer.
Xherdan Shaqiri Bio/Wiki
| Birth Name | Xherdan Shaqiri |
| Nick Name | “The Alpine Messi” and “The Magic Dwarf” |
| Age | 32 years (as in 2023) |
| Religion | Islam |
| Sun Sign/Zodiac Sign | Libra |
| Birth Place | Gjilan, SFR Yugoslavia |
| Date of Birth | October 10, 1991 |
| Nationality | Albanian, Kosovar, Swiss |
| Residence | Hale, England |
| Home Town | Gjilan, SFR Yugoslavia |
| Hobbies | Listening to music |
Family |
|
| Mother’s Name | Fatime Shaqiri |
| Father’s Name | Isen Shaqiri |
| Brother | Erdin Shaqiri, Arianit Shaqiri |
| Sister | Medina Shaqiri |
Girlfriends/Affairs |
|
| Affairs/Girlfriends | Dhurata Ahmetaj |
Marital Status, Wife and Children |
|
| Wife/Spouse | Unmarried |
| Marriage Date | None |
| Children | None |
Education |
|
| School | Not Available |
| College/University | Not Available |
| Educational Qualification | Not Available |
| Profession | Professional Footballer |
| Brands Endorsed | Nike |
| Career Manager | Not Available |
Height, Weight, and Figure Measurements |
|
| Height (Approx.) | 1.69 meters |
| Weight (Approx.) | 72 kgs. |
Figure Measurements |
|
| Chest Size | 40 inches |
| Biceps Size | 15 inches |
| Waist Size | 32 inches |
Extra Ordinary Features |
|
| Race / Ethnicity | European |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| S*xual Orientation | Straight |
| Dress Size | Not Available |
| Shoe Size | 8 U.S. |
Favourite Things |
|
| Favourite Food | Grilled Fish |
| Favourite Book | Not Available |
| Favourite Colors | Not Available |
| Favourite Sport | Football |
| Controversies | Not singing the Swiss National Anthem against Albania |
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Life of Xherdan Shaqiri
Xherdan Shaqiri was born on October 10, 1991. He is a Swiss professional footballer who currently plays as a winger for the Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire and the Swiss national team.
Shaqiri was born to Kosovar Albanian parents in Gjilan, SFR Yugoslavia. He moved to Switzerland with his parents and three siblings in 1992. Arianit Shaqiri, his brother, is a young football coach. They settled in Augst, a little town near the French and German borders in the canton of Basel-Country.
Because his father did not know Swiss German, he had to start off washing dishes in a restaurant before working in road construction. His mother worked as a cleaner in city office buildings, which he and his brothers assisted with.
His father would send as much money as he could back to Kosovo to other family members, which meant that Xherdan and his family had no additional spending money save for birthdays. He idolised Brazilian striker Ronaldo, whom he said played “like magic”.
Xherdan Shaqiri began his career with FC Basel, where he won three Swiss Super League titles before going on to Bayern Munich, where he won nine domestic and continental trophies despite playing less regularly.
In his debut season, he was a member of the UEFA Champions League-winning side. In 2019, he also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, as well as the Premier League championship in 2020, Liverpool’s first in 30 years.
Xherdan Shaqiri has been a full international since 2010, and he has almost 100 caps and 26 goals for Switzerland, making him the country’s seventh-highest goalscorer. He represented his country in the FIFA World Cups of 2010, 2014, and 2018, as well as UEFA Euro 2016 and UEFA Euro 2020.
Personal Life
Xherdan Shaqiri is a Muslim, yet he celebrates Christmas, despite the fact that it is primarily a Christian event. This is because his family used to rejoice during his youth. He explained it in 2014, stating, “So we don’t celebrate it so often, but my younger sister loves to have a Christmas tree, so we always purchase one of them.”
Shaqiri was picked to appear with Lionel Messi on the cover of the FIFA video game FIFA 15. Nike, a clothing and equipment provider, sponsors Shaqiri. He wears Nike Mercurial Vapor boots and has the flags of Switzerland and Kosovo stitched on each heel for the 2018 World Cup. Shaqiri was the most Googled player in 2018 in Switzerland.
Playing Style
Xherdan Shaqiri is predominantly a right winger, and according to FIFA’s official website, he is “unpredictable on the ball, skilled with both feet, clinical in front of goal, and possessing outstanding vision.” The Daily Telegraph characterised him as “stocky and muscular,” with a “wand of a left foot.” He’s been dubbed “the Alpine Messi” and “the Magic Dwarf.”
Shaqiri, who can also play as an attacking midfielder, was defined as such in a 2011 scouting report by Jamie Sanderson of The Independent: “Shaqiri is a diminutive, agile, and pacy player with superb technique and balance. He’s left-footed, but he’s equally at home and productive on either flank or as a traditional playmaker, with superb vision and practically no back lift in his passing and shooting.”
He also stated that Shaqiri’s “tricks,” “direct running style,” and “comfort” made him “a dangerous player in practically any attacking area.” While recognising the teenage winger’s outstanding skill and potential to become a top player, he also stated that he had a low work rate and needed maturity.
Xherdan Shaqiri Net Worth
Xherdan Shaqiri is one of the most popular footballers in Switzerland. He is a rock-solid midfielder who can score and defend equally well. Thus, he makes a strong for a handsome salary. His recent contract with the Chicago Fire FC fetches him about 7.7 Million Euros per year. His market value, though not as high as it once was, is still at about 8 Million Euros. Shaqiri’s net worth stands at 25 Million Euros.
| Estimated Net Worth in 2023 (Approx) | 25 Million Euros |
| Estimated Net Worth in 2022 (Approx) | 20 Million Euros |
| Estimated Net Worth in 2021 (Approx) | 18 Million Euros |
| Annual Salary | 7.7 Million Euros |
| Monthly Salary | 641,666 Euros |
| Weekly Salary | 148,077 Euros |
| Market Value | 8 Million Euros |
| Cars Collection | Xherdan owns two cars namely, an Audi S7 and a Volkswagen Edel Limousine |
| Income Source | Professional Football |
Football Career
Club Career
FC Basel
Xherdan Shaqiri began his career at his hometown club, SV Augst, and was noticed by FC Basel at the age of eight. He played in the Under-15 Nike Cup 2007 for Basel’s young squad and was voted the tournament’s top player.
Despite interest from other teams, he chose to remain with Basel, where he played for their reserve team in the Swiss 1. Liga from 2007 to 2009. Two years later, on 2 January 2009, Shaqiri signed his first professional deal with Basel, which kept him at St. Jakob-Park until December 2011.
Shaqiri made his Basel club debut as a substitute in Basel’s 2009–10 season opener against FC St. Gallen at the AFG Arena on July 12, 2009. On November 9, 2009, he scored his first goal for Basel in a 4–1 home triumph over Neuchâtel Xamax. He won the national Double with Basel at the end of the 2009–10 season, and a year later he won the league title again.
Xherdan Shaqiri provided two assists in a match against Manchester United in December 2011, which Basel won 2–1. For the second time in his Basel career, he won the Double, consisting of the League championship and the Swiss Cup, at the end of the 2011–12 season.
Bayern Munich
On February 9, 2012, Basel confirmed that Shaqiri has accepted a move to German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich for the 2012–13 season. The reported transfer cost was €11.6 million, with Shaqiri signing a four-year contract with the German club.
The contract would run through 30 June 2016, paying him roughly €2 million per season. He was up against proven internationals Franck Ribéry, Arjen Robben, Toni Kroos, and Thomas Müller for a spot in the midfield.
Xherdan Shaqiri made his debut on July 10, 2012, in a 1–0 friendly win over SpVgg Unterhaching from Bavaria. He scored Bayern’s second goal and assisted Mario Manduki and Claudio Pizarro in Bayern’s 4–0 victory. He helped Bayern achieve first place in their 2012–13 UEFA Champions League group by scoring a goal and giving an assist in a 4–1 win over BATE Borisov.
Xherdan Shaqiri’s first Bundesliga goal came in the final league encounter of the 2012 calendar year, salvaging a point for Bayern in a 1–1 draw with Borussia Mönchengladbach, leaving Bayern in first position at the Christmas break. Shaqiri also scored a long-range goal in the DFB-Pokal semi-final against VfL Wolfsburg on April 16, 2013.
Although he did not participate in the final, Xherdan Shaqiri led Bayern Munich to the 2012–13 UEFA Champions League championship, as well as the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, making him one of the club’s first treble winners; he also won the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup that year. At the age of 22, Shaqiri was the most decorated Swiss footballer of all time by June 2014, with 13 medals to his name.
Inter Milan
Xherdan Shaqiri joined Inter Milan on 9 January 2015 for €15 million, signing a four-and-a-half-year contract, despite the fact that English club Stoke City had previously expressed interest in signing him. After Andrea Ranocchia took his old number of 23, Shaqiri picked the number 91 for his Inter jersey, which represents his birth year.
In Inter’s 3–1 win over Genoa at San Siro, he was an unused replacement. He made his Inter debut on January 17th, coming on as a 16-minute substitute for fellow new arrival Lukas Podolski. On 22 January, Shaqiri made his Coppa Italia debut against Sampdoria in the round of 16, scoring the game’s opening goal and guiding the club to a 2–0 win to advance to the quarter-finals.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored his first Serie A goal against Atalanta on February 15, 2015, in a 4–1 away win. Four days later, he scored his first European competition goal for Inter, coming off a Zdravko Kuzmanovi pass in a 3–3 UEFA Europa League tie against Celtic.
Stoke City
Stoke negotiated a £12 million price to sign Xherdan Shaqiri in July 2015, however the deal fell through when he did not consent to the move before the club’s deadline. However, the contract was resurrected a month later after Shaqiri agreed to personal conditions and underwent medicals.
Everton had showed interest in him as well, but only on a loan basis, whereas Inter preferred a permanent move. On August 11, Shaqiri signed a five-year contract with Stoke for a club-record cost of £12 million (€14.5 million). Eleven days later, he made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Norwich City at Carrow Road, assisting Mame Biram Diouf’s headed goal with a free kick.
Xherdan Shaqiri scored his first goals for Stoke on December 28th, a first-half brace in a 4–3 triumph over Everton. Bojan’s ball set up the second of these two goals, a half-volley over Tim Howard. His only other goal in 2015–16 came on March 2, 2016, against Newcastle United. In total, Shaqiri appeared 32 times for Stoke in 2015–16, as the club finished ninth.
On the first day of the 2016–17 season, Shaqiri scored a 20-yard free kick against Middlesbrough. However, a calf injury forced him to miss the following six weeks before returning to the squad on 24 September 2016 against West Bromwich Albion, where he assisted Joe Allen in a 1–1 draw.
On 22 October 2016, Xherdan Shaqiri scored two long-range goals against Hull City, becoming the first Stoke player to do it in a Premier League game. On 15 April 2017, he scored another long-range shot against Hull, which was crowned Stoke’s goal of the season. In 2016–17, Shaqiri made 22 appearances for Stoke, who finished 13th.
2017-2018 Season
Xherdan Shaqiri scored his first goal of the 2017–18 season against Newcastle United on September 16, netting the equalising goal in a 1–2 loss. He scored in a 2–2 draw against Leicester City on November 4. He scored in a 1–2 loss against Crystal Palace on November 25. Shaqiri scored in a 2–1 win over Swansea City in December.
He scored the first goal in a 1–2 loss against AFC Bournemouth on 3 February 2018. Xherdan scored a week later, on February 10, in a 1–1 tie with Brighton & Hove Albion. Shaqiri scored for the third time in three games against Leicester City on February 24.
In March 2018, with Stoke facing relegation, Shaqiri sparked controversy with an interview for the Swiss magazine Schweizer Illustrierte in which he stated that his Stoke colleagues lacked “class” and that even the appearance of Ronaldinho would not help the squad. He appeared in 38 games for the team this season, finishing as the club’s leading scorers with 8 goals and 7 assists.
Liverpool
Liverpool signed Xherdan Shaqiri to a five-year contract on July 13, 2018, after activating his £13.5 million release clause. On 12 August, he made his debut as a late substitution in a 4–0 triumph over West Ham United in the club’s first match of the season.
On October 27, Shaqiri scored his first goal for Liverpool, netting the third goal in a 4–1 win over Cardiff City. The following month, during the North West derby, he scored twice after coming on as a substitute to help Liverpool to a 3–1 triumph over Manchester United, the club’s first league victory over Manchester United since March 2014.
Xherdan Shaqiri received his second Champions League winner’s medal on June 1, 2019, despite not playing in the final against Tottenham Hotspur, which Liverpool won 2–0, but having played an important role in the semi-final against Barcelona.
He then stated that he wished to remain at Anfield. On 14 August, Shaqiri won his second title with the club, winning the UEFA Super Cup on penalties against Chelsea following a 2–2 regular-season stalemate.
Following a lengthy injury, Shaqiri scored his first goal of the 2019–20 season in the derby against Everton on December 4, tucking home Liverpool’s second in a 5–2 triumph. He was a member of the side that won the 2019 FIFA Club World Cup in December, defeating Flamengo 1–0 in the final.
Liverpool were crowned Premier League champions in June 2020, and Shaqiri earned a medal for making the requisite amount of appearances. Xherdan Shaqiri’s first goal of the 2020–21 season, and first for the club in almost nine months, came on September 24, 2020, when he scored the opening goal in a 7–2 EFL Cup victory over Lincoln City.
Lyon
Lyon confirmed the signing of Xherdan Shaqiri on August 23, 2021, paying Liverpool a sum of €6 million and agreeing a deal until 2024.
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Chicago Fire FC
On February 9, 2022, Shaqiri signed a deal with Major League Soccer team Chicago Fire FC as a Designated Player that would last until the 2024 season. His transfer cost was believed to be €6.5 million ($7.5 million), making him the most expensive signing in Chicago Fire history.
International Career
Youth
Xherdan Shaqiri made his under-21 debut for Switzerland on November 11, 2009, in a 3–1 win against Turkey in a 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier. He scored his first goal for them against Denmark in the opening game of the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship on June 11, 2011.
Senior
2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012
Xherdan Shaqiri was promoted to Switzerland’s senior team in 2010, making his debut in a 3–1 friendly loss to Uruguay on March 3, 2010. After an unexpected call-up from manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, he was named to the 2010 World Cup team. On September 7, 2010, he scored his first goal for them, a long-range left-footed strike in a 1–3 loss to England in a Euro 2012 qualifier.
On September 6, 2011, he scored a hat-trick in another Euro 2012 qualifier, as Switzerland recovered from behind to defeat Bulgaria 3–1. Switzerland also sought to choose him for the Olympic Football Tournament in 2012, but he chose to stay at his current club for pre-season training.
2014 FIFA World Cup
Xherdan Shaqiri did not sing the Swiss national anthem in a World Cup qualifier against his native Albania in Lucerne on September 11, 2012, and did not celebrate after he scored the first goal in a 2–0 win. For the game, he donned boots with the flags of Kosovo, Albania, and Switzerland.
Shaqiri was nominated to Switzerland’s roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in June 2014. FIFA crowned him the team’s first-ever man of the match when the Nati overcame Ecuador. He won the same title ten days later in Switzerland’s third and final group encounter, scoring a hat-trick against Honduras, including a 30-yard bending shot, to seal Switzerland’s place in the round of 16. They lost to Argentina 1-0 in the round of 16.
UEFA Euro 2016
Xherdan Shaqiri scored three goals in Switzerland’s victorious UEFA Euro 2016 qualification campaign, all of which came against Lithuania. He scored a brace in a 4–0 victory against them in St. Gallen on November 15, 2014, and an 84th-minute winner in a 2–1 triumph the following June.
In the final tournament in France, he started all four of Switzerland’s matches as they advanced to the last 16. He equalised with a bicycle kick from the edge of the penalty box as they drew 1–1 with Poland in Saint-Étienne; he scored again in the penalty shootout, but the Poles triumphed.
Following Switzerland’s first game at Euro 2016, Shaqiri announced his support for Kosovo if their manager made him captain, in response to Switzerland manager Vladimir Petkovi’s decision to leave him out of that post.
Despite already being a Swiss international, FIFA regulations would allow Shaqiri to represent Kosovo, which had joined the federation earlier that year. However, because Xherdan Shaqiri continued to play for Switzerland after Kosovo became a FIFA member, Shaqiri’s eligibility for Kosovo was also ruled out.
2018 FIFA World Cup
Xherdan Shaqiri was named to Switzerland’s 23-man roster for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which is being hosted in Russia. He scored the game-winning goal as Switzerland rallied from behind to overcome Serbia 2–1. He and his teammate, Kosovar-born Granit Xhaka, celebrated their goals with an eagle gesture, a symbol of ethnic Albanians.
Switzerland captain Stephan Lichtsteiner, who is not of Albanian ancestry, made the identical motion to celebrate Shaqiri’s goal, and afterwards supported both players. Xhaka and Shaqiri were fined 10,000 Swiss francs by FIFA for “unsporting behaviour contrary to the rules of fair play,” while Lichtsteiner was fined 5,000 Swiss francs.
In addition, with the goal, he equaled Stéphane Chapuisat’s international goal tally of 21 and moved into Switzerland’s top 10 scorers of all time. Shaqiri represented Switzerland in the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals in Portugal. Eventually, Shaqiri made it to the Tournament Team.
UEFA Euro 2020 and 2022 FIFA World Cup
Xherdan Shaqiri was nominated to Switzerland’s 26-man team for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020. In a group stage encounter against Turkey on 20 June 2021, he scored twice in the 26th and 68th minutes. He scored against Spain in the tournament’s quarterfinals in July 2021. The game ended 1–1 and went to a penalty shoot-out, which Spain won and advanced to the semi-finals.
When he began Switzerland’s final 2022 World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria on November 15, 2021, Shaqiri became only the sixth Swiss player to attain 100 caps.
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Xherdan Shaqiri FIFA 22
Xherdan Shaqiri was born on October 10, 1991. He is currently 32 years old and plays as a Wide Midfielder for Chicago Fire FC in United States. His overall rating in FIFA 22 is 77 with a potential of 77. Shaqiri has got a 5-star skillmoves rating. He prefers to shoot with his left foot. His workrates are Medium / Low. Shaqiri is 1.69 meters tall and he weighs an estimated 72 kg. Currently, İbrahim Öztürk Shaqiri is playing with number 10. His best stats are:
- Balance: 90
- Shot Power: 87
- Curve: 87
- FK Acc.: 82
- Ball Control: 80
Xherdan Shaqiri FIFA 22 Stats
| Reactions | 76 |
| Free-kick | 82 |
| Dribbling | 79 |
| Acceleration | 74 |
| Jumping | 51 |
| Shot Power | 87 |
| Interceptions | 55 |
| Heading | 45 |
| Agility | 75 |
| Composure | 79 |
| Ball Control | 80 |
| Sprint Speed | 67 |
| Long Passing | 77 |
| Short Passing | 78 |
| Curve | 87 |
| Balance | 91 |
Facts about Xherdan Shaqiri
- His 205 goals + assists and 18 trophies have eared Shaqiri one fantastic nickname: The Alpine Messi. Due to their shared heights (5’7), dominant foot (left), and danger going forward into attack, Shaqiri is often referred to with a localized moniker that proclaims him the Swiss version of Argentine legend Lionel Messi.
- Shaqiri won both the Swiss Super League and Swiss Cup titles in 2010 and 2012 with FC Basel, before going on to victory in the Bundesliga and German Cup with Bayern Munich in 2013 and 2014. 2013 saw Bayern also claim the UEFA Champions League Crown and the German Super Cup.
- In 2019-20 while with Liverpool, Shaqiri won the UEFA Super Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the English Premier League title.
- Shaqiri hit the century mark in appearances for the Switzerland Men’s National Team in November 2021 in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Bulgaria.
- Since signing his first professional contract with FC Basel in 2009, Shaqiri has appeared in 421 matches across all competitions at the club level.
- His 100 appearances currently ranks fifth all-time in the country’s history, and is the most of any of the country’s active players. Shaqiri has represented Switzerland at three-straight FIFA World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018) and back-to-back UEFA European Championships (2016, 2020).
- In his 521 appearances, Shaqiri has consistently been as lethal a scorer as he has been a distributor. His 205 combined career goals and assists break down almost exactly even, whether suiting up at the club or international level. In club play, he has 75 goals and 76 assists. For Switzerland, it’s 26 goals and 28 assists.
- Shaqiri has stocked his trophy cabinet with 18 trophies accumulated to-date despite being in the circuit for just 11 years.
FAQs
Xherdan is 32 years old.
Xherdan Shaqiri is a Muslim by faith.
Shaqiri plays for the US club Chicago Fire FC.
Shaqiri’s partner is Dhurata Ahmetaj.
