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Lorik Cana
Albanian footballer (born 1983) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Lorik Agim Cana (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈlɔɾik ˈtsana]; born 27 July 1983) is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a centre-back or midfielder. He is currently the Grassroots ambassador for children's football in Albania, a role assigned by the Albanian Football Association on 26 October 2017.
Cana played in the top divisions of France, England, Italy and Turkey, representing Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Sunderland, Galatasaray, Lazio and Nantes. He also represented the Albania national team, making 94[A] appearances from his debut in 2002 until his retirement in 2016. Initially a defensive and central midfielder, he later transitioned into a centre-back role. Cana captained Albania at their first major international tournament, UEFA Euro 2016 in France.
At the age of 16, Cana was invited for a trial with Arsenal but was unable to attend due to being denied a British visa.[2] He began his senior club career with Paris Saint-Germain before signing for their rivals Marseille in 2004, where he went on to become captain. In 2009, Cana joined Sunderland, becoming the first player of Albanian origin to play in the Premier League and was appointed captain immediately. He later played for Galatasaray in Turkey and then signed for Italian Serie A club Lazio in 2011, where he spent four seasons. During his career, Cana won the Coupe de France in 2003–04 with Paris Saint-Germain and the Coppa Italia in 2012–13 with Lazio. In 2015, Cana returned to France, signing a two-year contract with Nantes.
Eligible to represent Albania, Switzerland or France, as he held all three passports,[3] He chose Albania and made his international debut in June 2003 at the age of 19. Cana was named captain in 2011 and retired from international football following UEFA Euro 2016, making a total of 94 appearances,[A] setting a record for the most caps in national team history, which he held until 2025 when it was surpassed by Elseid Hysaj.
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Early life
Lorik Cana was born in Pristina, Kosovo, to parents originally from Gjakova. He is the son of Agim Cana, a former footballer who played for FC Prishtina. From an early age, Lorik regularly attended Prishtina's matches and described himself as an avid supporter of the team. Inspired by his father's career, he developed a passion for football, which he began to pursue after his family emigrated to Switzerland in 1992, amid the Yugoslav Wars.[4]
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Club career
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Early career / Paris Saint-Germain
In 1997, Cana joined the local club Dardania Lausanne, an amateur side founded by the Albanian community in Lausanne and coached by his father, Agim.[5] He played at Dardania until 2000, when he was spotted and signed by French club Paris Saint-Germain.
While still at Dardania, Cana was invited for a trial with Arsenal in 2000 at the age of 16 but was unable to attend because he was denied a British visa.[2] Shortly after, he was invited for a week-long trial with Paris SG, where reserve coach Antoine Kombouaré was impressed by his talent. Cana subsequently signed with PSG, joining their youth setup and later the reserve team competing in the fourth-tier Championnat de France Amateur.[6] He spent three seasons developing through the PSG ranks. During the 2000–01 season, while still involved with the youth sides, Cana made only four appearances with the reserves. The following season (2001–02), he suffered a knee injury but managed 12 appearances and scored his first goal. The following season (2002–03), he became a regular, making 21 appearances and scoring once, as the team won Group A of the league and earned promotion to Championnat National 1.[1] In April 2003, first-team coach Luis Fernández called Cana to train with the senior squad. With PSG having little left to play for late in the season, Fernández rotated the team, giving Cana his senior debut on 19 April 2003 against Nantes, where he played the full 90 minutes and provided an assist in a 1–1 draw.[7] He went on to make two further appearances that season.[8]
During the 2003–04 season, Cana established himself as a starter under coach Vahid Halilhodžić and was paired in midfield with another young defensive player, Modeste M'bami.[9] Despite their lack of experience, both played key roles in PSG's strong campaign, where Cana himself made 32 league appearances, scored once and received ten yellow cards, reflecting his combative style of play,[8][9] and PSG won the Coupe de France, finished second in Ligue 1—only one point ahead of Monaco—and qualified directly for the 2004–05 UEFA Champions League group stage. The team also boasted the second-best defensive record in the league, conceding just 28 goals, behind only champions Lyon (26).[10][11]
Cana remained a regular fixture for PSG throughout the following season (2004–05). He made his European debut in the UEFA Champions League group stage on 14 September 2004, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0–3 home loss against Chelsea.[12] A week later, he scored his first goal of the season, opening the scoring in the 45th minute of a 2–2 draw against RC Lens.[13]
Throughout the Champions League group stage, Cana was ever-present, starting in all six matches and helping PSG to notable results, including a home win and an away draw against reigning champions Porto and a draw against Chelsea. However, two defeats to CSKA Moscow left the team bottom of Group H.[9]
Domestically, Cana played 32 league matches, remaining a key figure in midfield during a turbulent campaign for the club. PSG struggled to replicate their previous year’s form, suffering from inconsistency both in Europe and in Ligue 1. Manager Vahid Halilhodžić was dismissed in February 2005 following a 2–0 home defeat to Lens, and reserve-team coach Laurent Fournier took over, guiding the side to a ninth-place finish in the league.[14][15]
Cana also made one appearance each in the Coupe de France—where PSG reached the Round of 16—and the Coupe de la Ligue, exiting in the third round. In total, he recorded 40 appearances across all competitions for the season, receiving 11 yellow cards.[8]
At the start of the 2005–06 season, coach Fournier remained in charge at PSG, but Cana found his playing time reduced, appearing in only two of the opening four league fixtures. Seeking regular first-team football, he opted for a move to the south of France, joining Marseille in late August 2005.[8]
Olympique de Marseille
After joining Marseille in late August 2005, Cana quickly established himself as a regular starter under coach Jean Fernandez. He scored the winning goal in his very first match against his former club PSG, netting a header in the 78th minute from a free-kick to secure a 1–0 victory.[16] He finished his first season at the club with 43 appearances in all competitions — 28 in Ligue 1, six in the Coupe de France, one in the Coupe de la Ligue and eight in the UEFA Cup 2005–06. Marseille recorded 60 league points, improving on the previous campaign to finish fifth in the table and qualify for the 2006 UEFA Intertoto Cup. The club also reached the 2006 Coupe de France Final, losing 1–2 against Cana's former side PSG.[17]
He retained his starting place during the 2006–07 season under coach Albert Emon. Cana featured in 33 full league matches as Marseille finished runners-up with 64 points, behind Lyon. He captained the team throughout the 2006–07 Coupe de France, leading them to another final, which Marseille lost 4–5 on penalties to Sochaux-Montbéliard after a 2–2 draw, with Cana successfully converting his spot-kick.[18]
2007–08 season
Cana was named the club's captain following the departure of Habib Beye to Newcastle United in the summer of 2007. In his first season as captain, he led the team in 34 out of 38 Ligue 1 matches, helping Marseille finish third and qualify for the following season’s UEFA Champions League. Cana also appeared in all six Champions League group stage fixtures. Marseille became the first French club to win at Anfield, defeating 2007 runners-up Liverpool 1–0, and collected six points from their opening two matches. Despite a strong start, they eventually finished third in their group, qualifying for the 2007–08 UEFA Cup final phase, where Marseille eliminated Spartak Moscow before being knocked out by eventual winners Zenit Saint Petersburg. Cana missed the first leg of the round of 16 through suspension but returned for the second leg, playing the full 90 minutes.[9] During the latter half of the season, he was occasionally deployed as a centre-back.
2008–09 season
Under new coach Eric Gerets, Cana retained the captaincy for a third consecutive season. He made 48 appearances in all competitions — the highest in a single campaign in his career — scoring three goals and providing three assists. Alongside Benoît Cheyrou, he formed a solid midfield partnership supported by Mathieu Valbuena and Samir Nasri, as Marseille finished second in Ligue 1 behind champions Bordeaux.
Cana left the club in August 2009 to join English Premier League side Sunderland. Although he did not win a trophy during his four years at Marseille, he became one of the club’s most admired captains, known for his leadership and combative style of play.
Sunderland
Cana joined Sunderland on a four-year contract for a fee of around £5 million on 24 July 2009.[19] He was soon handed the captaincy by manager Steve Bruce,[20] although Bruce initially stated that the team's permanent captain had yet to be decided.[21] Cana made his Premier League debut on 15 August 2009, delivering an impressive performance in a 1–0 away victory over Bolton Wanderers,[22] becoming the first Albanian footballer to appear in the Premier League.[23] On 3 September 2009, he was officially appointed as Sunderland’s club captain for the 2009–10 season.[24] He made 35 appearances in all competitions, leading the team to a 13th-place finish in the league, the FA Cup fourth round, and the EFL Cup round of 16.[25]
Galatasaray
"Joining the Turkish side was a difficult decision but one made partly to be closer to his family. 'This was not an easy decision... I hope people understand.'"
—Cana during his presentation at Galatasaray.[26]
Cana joined Galatasaray on 8 July 2010 for a €4.5 million transfer fee.[27] He signed a four-year contract worth €2 million per season, plus bonuses based on appearances.[28] During November 2010, Cana suffered an ankle injury which briefly sidelined him from the squad.[29][9] Under coach Frank Rijkaard, Cana was mostly used in rotation and struggled for a regular starting role. Galatasaray endured an inconsistent start to the 2010–11 Süper Lig season, suffering consecutive defeats in October, which led to the dismissal of Rijkaard on 20 October 2010 after a record of four wins and four losses.[30] He was soon reinstated as a key starter under new coach Gheorghe Hagi, who was appointed shortly afterwards.[31] Under Hagi, Cana became an undisputed starter, playing nearly all matches for 90 minutes and regaining his form and confidence.[8] Despite his efforts, Galatasaray’s overall results did not improve significantly and the team continued to drop points in the league.[9] Cana scored his first and only goal for the club on 6 February 2011 in the 20th round of the Süper Lig, helping Galatasaray to a 4–2 home win over Eskişehirspor at the Türk Telekom Stadium.[32] On 23 March 2011, following continued poor results that left the team outside the top 10, Hagi was dismissed from his position as head coach.[33] Bülent Ünder was appointed as interim manager for the remaining eight league matches of the season. Cana featured only briefly during this period due to a muscle tear injury that sidelined him for several weeks.[9] Galatasaray recorded some positive results late in the campaign and ultimately finished eighth in the league, missing out on European qualification.[9]
In total, Cana made 24 league appearances, four in the 2010–11 Turkish Cup, where Galatasaray reached the quarter-finals, and three in the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League qualifying third and play-off rounds, exiting at the play-off stage.[8] He concluded the season with 39 appearances in all competitions and earned praise from supporters for his determination and leadership despite the club’s turbulent year.[8]
Following the election of new club president Ünal Aysal and the announcement that Fatih Terim would return as head coach, reports from Turkish media suggested that several foreign players, including Cana, were set to leave the club as part of a planned squad overhaul.[34]
Lazio
On 3 July 2011, Cana completed a transfer to Italian Serie A club Lazio as part of Fernando Muslera's transfer to Galatasaray.[35] The transfer was completed for €800,000 with the player signing until June 2016 with a wage of €1.7 million per season.[35] He was given squad number 27 and made his competitive debut later on 21 September by entering in the last minutes of the 1–2 win at Cesena.[36] His first score-sheet contributions came on his 7th Lazio appearance later on 10 December versus Lecce, netting the second of the match only one minute after coming on in an eventual 2–3 away win.[37] Cana's first months at capital club were marred by constant niggling injuries and on 31 January 2012, Lazio confirmed that Cana would miss six weeks due to a back injury sustained in training.[38]
Cana hit form following the return, winning a place in the starting lineup, also thanks to Lazio's players being haunted with injuries and suspensions. He netted the second of campaign on 6 May 2012, a 25-yard goal versus Atalanta, to keep Lazio's UEFA Champions League hopes alive.[39] He concluded his first season in Rome by making 15 league appearances as Lazio finished 4th in the championship.
Cana begun utilised as centre-back under manager Vladimir Petković in the 2012–13 season. The move was praised by Italian media.[40] On 23 February 2013, Cana made a great performance in the 2012–13 Europa League round of 16 2–0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach which earned him a place at UEFA's best XI of the week.[41] Cana spent the 2012–13 season between bench and playing field, collecting 38 appearances in all competitions, including 24 in league. He also made 5 cup appearances, including the final as Lazio beat city rivals Roma to win the trophy for the 6th time.[42] This win constituted his first trophy win at Lazio.
Cana was a regular starter during the first part of 2013–14 campaign. He netted his first goal of the season on 24 November 2013, a last-minute equalizer to save a 1–1 draw at Sampdoria.[43] It was his first goal after 18 months. However, Cana struggled to play in the second part under new manager Edy Reja, as the Italian did not see him as a lineup player.[44] Cana scored his second of the campaign later on 2 March 2014, an early goal via a bicycle kick, as Lazio won 1–0 at Fiorentina.[45] Cana finished his second Lazio season by playing 32 matches in all competitions. With 344 balls recovered in 16 matches, Cana was ranked fourth-best defender in Serie A.[46]
Cana struggled for minutes in the 2014–15 season due to rivality with newly signed defenders Stefan de Vrij and Santiago Gentiletti.[47] Cana however played full-90 minutes in the opening match of 2014–15 Serie A versus Milan, a 1–3 loss at San Siro.[48] He made his 100th Lazio appearance on 7 December by entering as a substitute in the 1–2 win over Parma.[49] He spent the majority of his 4th season in Italy on bench, recording only 20 appearances between league and cup. He left the club afterwards.
Nantes
After four years in Italy with Lazio, on 31 August 2015 Cana returned to Ligue 1 by signing a two-year contract with Nantes.[50][51] He made his competitive debut for Nantes in September and soon became one of the team's most experienced figures.[8]
On 21 November 2015, Cana reached a personal milestone by making his 200th appearance in the French top flight during a 1–0 away defeat to Monaco.[52][53]
During the 2015–16 Ligue 1 season, Cana made 21 league appearances, mostly playing the full 90 minutes, although he also spent several matches as an unused substitute.[9] He captained the team in three matches in the Coupe de France campaign, where Nantes were eliminated 3–2 after extra time by Sochaux in the quarter-finals.[8]
He left the club in the summer of 2016.[54]
Retirement
After leaving Nantes in the summer of 2016, Cana remained without a club amid reports that he was suffering from heart-related health problems that prevented him from continuing to play at a professional level.[55] In an interview with L'Équipe published in October 2017, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with myocarditis — an inflammation of the heart muscle — following a viral infection, and that medical specialists had advised him to end his career for health reasons.[56] Cana stated that he had effectively stopped playing shortly after captaining Albania at UEFA Euro 2016, describing his condition as a key factor in the decision.[57]
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International career
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2002–09: First years
Cana was eligible to play for either Albania, Switzerland or France, as he held all three passports.[3] His choice was Albania and joined the team in September 2002 where he made his debut in a friendly match against his native Kosovo after coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute in place of Besnik Hasi.[58] Cana received his Albanian passport on 6 March 2003,[59] and made his competitive debut a few months later, on 11 June 2003 at the age of 19, appearing as a substitute in the Euro 2004 qualifying match versus Switzerland, finished in a 3–2 away loss.[60] He went on to play 2 other matches in the qualifying campaign, both versus Georgia in September, as Albania lost away 3–0 and took a win home 3–1, finishing 4th above Georgia in Group 10 with 8 points.[61]
Cana was switched to centre-back in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification due to absence Geri Çipi. He was a regular starter under Hans-Peter Briegel and performed well, missing only matchday 8 against Georgia due to the yellow card suspension, despite Albania finishing 5th in Group 2.[62] Cana scored his first international goal on his 16th appearance, netting the second of the 2–1 win over Azerbaijan at Qemal Stafa Stadium.[63]
Cana was given a new role under new manager Otto Barić, who switched him as a defensive midfielder along with Altin Lala. During the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying, Cana received his first red card in Albania colours on 12 September 2007 in the match against Netherlands after an altercation with Wesley Sneijder and Ruud van Nistelrooy; with ten men Albania conceded a 91st-minute goal to lose the game 0–1.[64] As a result of misconduct Cana was suspended for two next matches. Cana returned to the field on 17 November in the match against Belarus where he provided an assist for Erjon Bogdani's temporary equaliser. Albania eventually slumped in a 2–4 home defeat.[65] Albania concluded the campaign ranking in the 5th place out 7 teams of Group G with 11 points equalled to Slovenia but was ranked ahead due to better goal difference.[66] Cana himself appeared in 8 matches.
2008–11: 50th appearance, assuming the captaincy
Cana continued to be a regular starter in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification, collecting 720 minutes from 8 matches as Albania finished Group 1 in 5th place, leaving behind only Malta.[67] He started the qualifying campaign by playing as a defensive midfielder and subsequently played as a centre-back, often along Debatik Curri.[68][69]
Cana captained Albania for the first time in a friendly game against Montenegro on 25 May 2010.[70] His first competitive match as captain was on 8 October 2010 against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the matchday 3 of UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying. The match ended in a 1–1 draw at Qemal Stafa Stadium which put Albania temporarily on top.[71] Cana reached half-century appearances for Albania later on 7 June 2011 against the same opponent as the ten-man Albania was defeated 0–2.[72] After the end of the Euro 2012 qualification campaign in October 2011, Altin Lala and Ervin Skela retired from international football, thus making Cana the regular captain of Albania.[73]
2012–13: Rising with De Biasi
Albania become a more dangerous opponent during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification under management of Gianni De Biasi.[74] With Cana as captain, Albania was at one point second on the group with 4 matches remaining but the team did not maintain the form and eventually finished 5th with 11 points. Albania reached some impressive results however, like winning 1–0 at home versus Slovenia,[75] the first ever win against them,[76] and achieving a historic 1–0 win against Norway.[77][78]
Cana was included in the best XI of the players that missed out at the 2014 FIFA World Cup final stages because of failing to qualify with their national team.[79]
2014–16: Record breaking caps and UEFA Euro 2016 glory
Cana started the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign by playing the full 90 minutes[80] in an historical 1–0 away victory against Portugal.[81] It was also the first ever win against Portugal.[82] Later on 14 October during the delicate match versus Serbia, Cana wrestled a Serbian fan to the ground.[83] The fan had previously hit Bekim Balaj with a chair, bit Cana's finger and tried to cut it with his teeth. Cana reported that he had been injured by this.[84] After the match, Cana, along with Taulant Xhaka, were declared honorary citizens from the mayor of the city of Mitrovica, Kosovo, for the bravery shown in protecting national symbols.[85] Cana received a similar award by the city of Bajram Curri in northern Albania.[86]
In the last qualifying match versus Armenia, Albania had only one way to secure direct qualification and that was to win at the Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium. Cana captained Albania as they achieved a historic 3–0 win which clinched them second place in Group I and a spot to the UEFA Euro 2016[87][88] which was Albania's first ever appearance at a major men's football tournament.[89]
On 21 May 2016, Cana was named in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016,[90] and in Albania's final 23-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad on 31 May.[91]
Cana captained Albania in their opening Group A match against Switzerland. He was booked early on for a foul on Blerim Džemaili before becoming the first player to be sent off in the tournament just before half-time, receiving his marching orders after handling the ball outside the box.[92] He got returned to play as a substitute for Migjen Basha in the 83rd minute against Romania in an Albania's historical 1–0 win with a goal scored by Armando Sadiku.[93] Albania finished the group in third place with three points and a goal difference of –2, ranking last of the third-placed teams.[94]
Retirement and stats
Cana announced his retirement from international football on 23 June 2016.[95]
Cana was Albania's all-time most capped player with 94[A] appearances until October 2025 when it was surpassed by Elseid Hysaj.[96] He also holds the records for the most appearances by an Albanian international in the FIFA World Cup qualification along Ervin Skela with 28 in overall,[97] for the most appearances at the UEFA European Championship final and qualifying phases counted together with 29 in overall and the most appearances as captain with 41, being such from 2011 until his participation in the first major international competition for Albania, the 2016 UEFA European Championship held in France. He has also the worst disciplinary record of any Albanian international, receiving 26 yellow cards and 2 red cards.[98]
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Post-football
On 26 October 2017, he was named by the Albanian Football Association as the grassroots ambassador for football in Albania.[99]
Personal life
Cana is the son of retired footballer Agim Cana.[100] His father's career brought the family to Kosovo, but because of war in the region, Lorik and his family were forced to flee to Lausanne, Switzerland.[101] He is a UNO ambassador against poverty.[100][102] In an interview, Cana stated that archeology is one of his biggest interests and that he plans to work in the Albanology field after his footballing career, following his university degree in history.[100] He married Monica Ercoli, an Italian, on 8 June 2014 and the ceremony took place on 27 June 2014. They also have a son named Boiken. They currently reside in Tirana, Albania.[103][104] On 15 January 2015, Cana was named Honorary Ambassador of Kosovo.[105]
Cana is a cousin of siblings Genta Cana,[106] a former sports presenter at Klan Kosova and Granit Cana, a former footballer known for his appearances in the Kosovo First League and in the Albanian Kategoria Superiore with Teuta,[107] where after retiring from football, he participated in Big Brother VIP Albania season 1 in 2022.[108]
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Career statistics
Club
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Two appearances in UEFA Intertoto Cup, three appearances in UEFA Cup
- Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Cup
- Eight appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Cup
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cana goal.
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Honours
Paris Saint-Germain[9]
- Coupe de France: 2003–04;[111] runner-up: 2002–03
- Trophée des Champions runner-up: 2004
Marseille
Lazio[9]
- Coppa Italia: 2012–13; runner-up: 2014–15
- Supercoppa Italiana runner-up: 2013, 2015
Individual
- Albanian Footballer of the Year: 2003
- Albanian Fan's Footballer of the Year: 2009
- Albanian Sports Ambassador: 2018[112]
Notes
- This includes two friendly matches that Cana played against the Kosovo national team in 2002 and 2015;[1] however, as Kosovo was not affiliated with either UEFA or FIFA at the time, these matches are not recognized as official international games.
References
External links
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