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Meriton Korenica

Meriton Korenica
Personal information
Date of birth (1996-12-15) 15 December 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Rahovec, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
CFR Cluj
Number 17
Youth career
–2015 Rahoveci
2015–2016 Shkëndija
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Shkëndija 1 (0)
2016Metalurg Skopje (loan) 8 (0)
2016–2018 Liria 23 (2)
2018–2020 Prishtina 51 (20)
2020–2023 Ballkani 94 (14)
2023–2024 Manisa 10 (0)
2024Ballkani (loan) 19 (1)
2024– CFR Cluj 43 (10)
International career
2017–2018 Kosovo U21 4 (0)
2023– Kosovo 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17 August 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 9 June 2025

Meriton Korenica (born 15 December 1996) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga I club CFR Cluj and the Kosovo national team.

Early life

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Korenica was born in Rahovec, Kosovo. He began his football career at KF Rahoveci and later joined the youth setup of Shkëndija Tetovë in North Macedonia.

Club career

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Early years in Kosovo

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Korenica made his senior debut with KF Liria in the Kosovo Superleague. In 2018, he signed with FC Prishtina, where he won the Kosovar Cup (2019–20) and made over 50 appearances.

FC Ballkani

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In 2020, Korenica joined FC Ballkani. During his time at the club, Ballkani won the Kosovo Superleague three consecutive times (2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24), as well as the Kosovar Cup (2023–24) and Kosovar Supercup (2022). Korenica was a regular starter and contributed with both goals and assists.

Manisa FK and return to Ballkani

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In early 2024, he moved abroad to join Turkish club Manisa FK. After a brief spell, he was loaned back to Ballkani for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.

CFR Cluj

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On 9 July 2024, Korenica transferred to CFR Cluj in Romania's Liga I. In the 2024–25 season, he made 39 league appearances, scored 9 goals, and provided 6 assists. He helped the club win the Cupa României and was awarded CFR Cluj's Player of the Month twice. He was later named to the Liga I Team of the Season.

International career

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Korenica played for Kosovo U21 between 2017 and 2018. He made his senior international debut on 9 September 2023 against Switzerland in a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match, where he also delivered an assist. As of June 2025, he has 6 senior caps for Kosovo.

Style of play

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Korenica plays primarily as a left winger or central attacking midfielder. He is praised for his playmaking ability, technical skill, and tactical intelligence.

International career

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Korenica represented Kosovo U21 at 2019 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifications and played in four matches as a substitute. On 22 January 2018, he received a call-up from Kosovo for the friendly match against Azerbaijan.[1] The match however was cancelled two days later, which prolonged his debut.[2]

On 31 August 2023, Korenica received again a call-up from Kosovo for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Switzerland and Romania.[3] His debut with Kosovo came nine days later in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match against Switzerland after coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute in place of Milot Rashica,[4] and assists in his side's second goal during a 2–2 home draw.[5]

Career statistics

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International

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As of match played 9 June 2025[6]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Kosovo
2023 5 0
2024 0 0
2025 1 0
Total 6 0

Honours

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Prishtina
Ballkani
CFR Cluj
Individual
  • Kosovo Superleague "Star of the Week" Award: 2022–23 (Round 9)[7]
  • Liga I Team of the Season: 2024–25[8]
  • CFR Cluj – Player of the Month: Awarded twice during the 2024–25 season
  • Liga I – Player of the Week in Superliga Romania

References

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  1. ^ "Lajmi i fundit: Lista e Kosovës kundër Azerbajxhanit" [Breaking news: List of Kosovo versus Azerbaijan] (in Albanian). Korneri. 22 January 2018. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  2. ^ "Friendly match cancelled". Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Gliha publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjet e shtatorit" [Selector Gliha publishes the list of footballers for the September matches] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 31 August 2023.
  4. ^ "Kosova 2:2 Zvicra" [Kosovo 2:2 Switzerland] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 9 September 2023.
  5. ^ "Super Vedat Muriqi, Kosova merr barazim ndaj Zvicrës në kohën shtesë" [Super Vedat Muriqi, Kosovo gets a draw against Switzerland in extra time] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 9 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Meriton Korenica". European Football. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Meriton Korenica (KF Ballkani) – Ylli i javës (9)" [Meriton Korenica (FC Ballkani) – Star of the Week (9)]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 3 October 2022.
  8. ^ "SUPERLIGA – Echipa sezonului 2024-2025". lpf.ro.
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