Brajan Gruda

Brajan Gruda (born 31 May 2004) is a German professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

Brajan Gruda

Personal information
Full name	Brajan Gruda[1]
Date of birth	(2004-05-31) 31 May 2004 (age 21)
Place of birth	Speyer, Germany[2]
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Brighton & Hove Albion
Number	8
Youth career
2010–2015	FV Speyer
2015–2018	Karlsruher SC
2018–2023	Mainz 05
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2023–2024	Mainz 05	30	(4)
2024–	Brighton & Hove Albion	22	(1)
International career‡
2019	Germany U15	1	(0)
2019	Germany U16	1	(0)
2022	Germany U18	2	(2)
2022	Germany U19	7	(4)
2023–	Germany U21	17	(3)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Germany UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-up 2025 Slovakia
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:52, 16 August 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:15, 29 June 2025 (UTC)

Club career

Mainz 05

Born in Speyer, Gruda began his career with local side FV Speyer, before joining Karlsruher SC in 2015.^[2] He joined Mainz 05 at the age of 14, and signed his first professional contract with the club in November 2022.^[3]

In January 2023, he was promoted to take part in first team training, and made his senior debut on 25 January 2023 in a 2–1 home Bundesliga defeat against Borussia Dortmund.^[4] Later that year, on 6 October, he scored his first goal in a 2–2 away draw against Borussia Mönchengladbach.^[5]

On 18 May 2024, he scored and assisted in a 3–1 victory against VfL Wolfsburg, confirming Mainz 05's survival in the Bundesliga on the last day of the season.^[6]

Brighton and Hove Albion

On 14 August 2024, Gruda signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on a contract until 2028.^[7] On 10 May 2025, Gruda scored his first goal in English football in a Premier League match during a 2–0 away win at Wolves.^[8]

International career

Gruda is of Albanian descent.^[9] He has represented Germany at youth international level.^[9][10]

In September 2023, he was first called up by Germany U21, and he made his U21 debut in a 3–0 victory against Kosovo, he provided three assists in the match.^[11][12]

In May 2024, he trained with the senior national team prior to the UEFA Euro 2024.^[13] He departed the training camp on 5 June after a calf injury.^[12]

Personal life

Gruda is the son of Albanian former Vllaznia Shkodër player Bujar Gruda.^[14] He is also related to fellow footballer Ildi Gruda.^[14] His ancestry traces to the Albanian Gruda tribe of Northern Albania.

Since Brajan Gruda started playing as a starter for Mainz, the Albanian federation has tried to convince him to play for Albania, but the player has refused. Albanian media have always asked during Sylvinho's press conferences whether Gruda could join the Albanian national team, but he avoided the question by saying "they were working on it".

In October 2024, in an interview on the German national channel, he stated: "I don't know what the future holds, my parents are Albanian but my heart says I want to play for Germany." ^[15][16]

In June 2025, coach Alban Bushi stated that he had spoken with Brajan's parents and was in contact with them, saying that Brajan will join Albania only if he doesn’t receive a call-up from Germany.^[17]

Career statistics

As of match played 16 August 2025^[18]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		League cup[b]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Mainz 05	2022–23	Bundesliga	2	0	1	0	—		3	0
	2023–24	Bundesliga	28	4	1	0	—		29	4
	Total		30	4	2	0	—		32	4
Brighton & Hove Albion	2024–25	Premier League	21	1	3	0	1	0	25	1
	2025–26	Premier League	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
	Total		22	1	3	0	1	0	26	1
Career total			52	5	5	0	1	0	58	5

1. Includes DFB-Pokal, FA Cup
2. Includes EFL Cup

Honours

Germany U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship runner-up: 2025^[19]

Individual

• Fritz Walter Medal U19 Silver: 2023^[20]