Biography
Who is Valon Behrami?
Early life and football beginnings
Born in Mitrovica, Valon Behrami moved to Switzerland as a child with his parents, Halime and Ragip, and his older sister, Valentina. The family settled in the village of Stabio, located in the Italian-speaking canton of Ticino. As a young boy, he was highly energetic and loved running. He started his football development with local Swiss clubs including FC Stabio, FC Chiasso, and finally FC Lugano. These early experiences in the Swiss league helped him prepare for a professional career. He began his professional football career in Switzerland with FC Lugano before catching the eye of Italian scouts.
Italian football career
After showing promise at Lugano, he signed with Genoa for the 2003–04 season to play in the Serie B championship. In January 2004, he completed a transfer to Udinese. Following an impressive season on loan at Verona, he joined Lazio on 25 July 2005. He made history with Lazio on 19 March 2008, scoring the winning goal in the 92nd minute of the Derby della Capitale against Roma. This goal secured the victory and impacted the Scudetto race. Later in his career, he joined Fiorentina in 2011 and Napoli in 2012. Valon Behrami returned to Genoa in 2020, making his second debut against Sassuolo, and finished his playing career at Brescia in 2022.
Time in England and Germany
West Ham United signed the midfielder on 23 July 2008 for a five-year contract worth 5 million pounds. He made his debut on 16 August 2008 during a 2–1 victory over Wigan Athletic. His first goal for the team came on 23 November 2008 against Sunderland. In March 2009, he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury against Manchester City that ended his season. After moving to Germany to play for Hamburg in 2014, he signed a three-year contract with Watford in 2015. He later had a two-year stint with Udinese starting in 2017 and a brief period at the Swiss club Sion in 2019.
International play and records
Valon Behrami earned 83 caps for the Swiss national team between 2005 and 2018. He made his senior debut against France on 8 October 2005. He participated in four FIFA World Cups: 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018. This achievement made him the first Swiss player to appear in four consecutive World Cup tournaments. During the 2018 tournament, he drew attention for his defensive work against Brazil's Neymar. He also played in UEFA Euro 2008 and UEFA Euro 2016. His defensive midfield style was characterized by high tenacity and physical tackling, which complemented teammates like Granit Xhaka.
Personal life and retirement
In July 2018, he married the Swiss alpine ski racer Lara Gut-Behrami. The couple married after dating for a few months. He won the Coppa Italia title with Napoli during the 2013–14 season. In 2025, he accepted a role as an assistant to the Sporting Director at Watford FC. He stands 184 cm tall. Throughout his career, he played in Switzerland, Italy, England, and Germany.
Birthday and age
Valon Behrami was born on April 19, 1985, which makes Valon 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aries sign. Valon shares the date with 29 other famous people.
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