#5 Amir Abrashi
Abrashi plays for SC Freiburg who secured promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2015-16. Probably the hardest working player in the Albanian ranks, the 26-year-old central midfielder ran an amazing 331 kilometres in 28 matches for Freiburg last season.
Having dual nationality, Abrashi had represented Switzerland U21 in Euro 2013. But indecision on the part of Ottmar Hitzfeld regarding his future in the senior national team led him to choose Albania instead. Abrashi won the German second tier in 2015-16 and has also won the Swiss league or Schweizer Pokal with Grasshopper in 2012-13.
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The son of a Swiss immigrant from Kosovo, Abrashi is no stranger to hardships, and it is his difficult childhood that had a profound impact on his playing style. His never say die attitude stems from his father’s stern advice to him to never surrender and fight till the final outcome is decided.
On Sunday, one can be certain that while Abrashi is on the pitch, the Romanians will not have a moments’ peace on the ball. Having made his senior debut in 2013, Abrashi has gone on to make 19 appearances for Albania, and is yet to find the back of the net.
