Euro 2024: 5 things to know about Albania’s villain-hero Klaus Gjasula
In less than 25 minutes on June 19, Klaus Gjasula became the first footballer to score twice at Euro 2024. However, the Albania midfielder scored at both ends after being brought on as a 72nd-minute substitute. Just who is this player who single-handedly provided the drama and kept his country in the reckoning at the end of the pulsating 2-2 draw with Croatia?
1. History maker
The Darmstadt defensive midfielder had never scored for his country in 28 previous appearances, but has now gone into the annals of football history for two milestones.
With his 74th-minute own goal and added-time equaliser, the 34-year-old became the first substitute at either the World Cup or European Championship to score for two teams in a single match. Czechoslovakia starter Anton Ondrus also achieved the feat in a 3-1 win over the Netherlands in the Euro 1976 semi-final.
At 94 minutes and 23 seconds, Gjasula’s goal is the latest leveller at any European Championship, excluding extra time.
2. He is named after German legends
Klaus and his older brother, 38-year-old professional and attacking midfielder Jurgen, were born in the Albanian capital of Tirana and raised in Freiburg, Germany.
Both were named after famous German footballers – Klaus Fischer was an acrobatic goalscorer who netted 32 times in 45 games for West Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, while Jurgen Klinsmann and Jurgen Kohler are German centurions.
3. Late bloomer
He was just a journeyman who plied his trade in Germany’s regional leagues with teams like Kickers Offenbach, before he was picked up by third-division Stuttgarter Kickers in 2016.
His big break came in 2018 when he signed with second-tier SC Paderborn, who achieved consecutive promotions to break into the Bundesliga. Gjasula made his top-tier debut in 2019 and went on to score twice in 29 games before making his international debut aged 29.
4. “Spartacus”
He is still known in Germany as Spartacus, or Gladiator Gjasula, because for the longest time he wore a protective helmet while playing. This was after he suffered a broken cheek in 2013 and he even claimed that he kept it on “even in the shower”.
He also advocated for helmets to be made mandatory for all players, saying: “It would make sense for all players to wear a helmet. It might look funny on the court, but it would definitely be the best for everyone’s health.”
5. Violent or committed?
In his first season in the top division, Gjasula set a Bundesliga record with 17 yellow cards in 29 games to go with his two goals and two assists.
He attributed the avalanche of cards to his warrior-like appearance and ditched his helmet in 2021.
According to football website Transfermarkt, he received 17 yellows and three reds in 48 league games before he wore his helmet. With the protective gear, he copped a whopping 101 yellows and two reds in 197 league matches. After he abandoned it, the count went down to 24 yellows and four reds in 77 league games.
What is not in question is his commitment to his team’s cause. After scoring at both ends to make it 2-2, he broke a Croatia counterattack with a cynical foul on Luka Modric. He got booked, of course, for the 10th time in 29 caps.