Kosovare Asllani (; born 29 July 1989) is a Swedish professional footballer who plays as a striker or attacking midfielder for and captains both Women's Super League club London City Lionesses and the Sweden national team.
Asllani began her club career with Vimmerby IF and has played in the Damallsvenskan for Linköpings FC and hometown club Kristianstads DFF. In the 2010 season she played in the United States, with Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer (WPS). She returned to Sweden to play for Kristianstad, before moving to Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and then back to Linköping.
Club career Childhood and early career Asllani is of Kosovar Albanian descent, born in Kristianstad to Kosovar parents who had migrated to Sweden. Asllani grew up playing both football and ice hockey, but chose to focus her talents on football. At the age of 15, Asllani started her career at second division team Vimmerby IF. During her time at Vimmerby, she scored 49 goals in 48 matches, establishing herself as a football prodigy. Former coach Cecilia Wilhelmsson praised Asllani's football technique and fitness. After receiving offers from many clubs, Asllani accepted a move to Damallsvenskan team Linköpings FC in 2007, where she made quick progress.
Linköpings FC, 2007–2009 During Asllani's first season, she generally came off the substitutes' bench early in the games to help her settle into the Damallsvenskan. During the following season, Asllani established herself as a regular starter and was an increasingly valuable member of the squad. In 2009, she helped Linköping win both the Svenska Cupen and the club's first ever Damallsvenskan title.
Chicago Red Stars, 2009–10 On 4 December 2009, American Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) club Chicago Red Stars confirmed that they had signed Asllani from Linköpings FC. Asllani spent a single season in the WPS. She was established as a fan's favourite and in the 7th week of the season, Asllani received the WPS Player of the Week award after Chicago Red Stars' defeat of FC Gold Pride. After her season with the Red Stars, Asllani returned to Sweden and Linköpings FC.
Return to Linköping, 2010–11 Asllani's presence boosted Linköping, especially in the UEFA Women's Champions League. She scored goals against Sparta Praha and Arsenal. However, her season was disrupted by a thigh injury and she departed Linköping at the end of the campaign.
Kristianstads DFF, 2011–12 In December 2011, she moved back to her hometown Kristianstad to play with Kristianstads DFF who had finished seventh in the previous year's Damallsvenskan.
Paris Saint-Germain, 2012–16
When Asllani had a month left on her contract with Kristianstad she was subject to a transfer bid from Paris Saint-Germain. Although the teams were in dispute over the size of the transfer fee, Asllani flew to Paris and signed a two-year contract in September 2012, after completing a medical. At PSG, Asllani was presented to the media by sporting director Leonardo and player Zlatan Ibrahimović, who declared: "If you want to win you need a Swedish striker." Asllani scored 17 goals in her 19 appearances in the 2012–13 Division 1 Féminine, as PSG finished second in the table behind Lyon. On 4 January 2016, Asllani announced on her Instagram account that she had ended her contract with Paris Saint-Germain, where she had played for three-and-a-half years.
Manchester City, 2016–17 On 22 January 2016, English FA WSL club Manchester City revealed that they had signed Asllani to a two-year contract.
Third spell with Linköpings FC, 2017–19 On 10 August 2017, it was announced a two-and-a-half-year contract had been agreed for Asllani to return to Linköpings FC. She departed the club by mutual consent on 15 July 2019.
CD Tacón/Real Madrid, 2019–22 After her departure from Linköpings FC, Asllani signed with CD Tacón/Real Madrid on 18 July 2019.
Upon Real Madrid's purchase of their license, CD Tacón would operate as Real Madrid's women's team from 2020, making Asllani the first Galáctica. Asllani scored 5 goals in 17 league appearances for Tacón in the prematurely ended 2019–20 Primera Iberdrola season. After the rebrand of the team to Real Madrid CFF, she scored 8 goals in the first 8 league appearances despite playing in an unfamiliar out-and-out-striker role. In 2021–22, Asllani scored 3 league goals.
AC Milan, 2022 On 30 June 2022, Asllani joined Italian club AC Milan. She scored 9 goals in her first season in Serie A.
London City Lionesses, 2024–26 Asllani joined the London City Lionesses of the Women's Championship on 28 June 2024.
The club was promoted to the Super League for the 2025–26 season. In their first game against Arsenal on 6 September 2025, Asllani scored London City's first goal in the top flight of football.
In March 2026, Asllani suffered a ‘‘complex’’ multi-ligament which included a rupture of her anterior cruciate ligament. On 14 July 2026, Asllani signed a one-year contract extension with the club.
International career In September 2008 Asllani made her debut for the Sweden national team against Romania. Next year she was called up to represent Sweden in the UEFA Euro 2009. Asllani was an important member of the national team during the qualification rounds of the 2011 World Cup, but coach Thomas Dennerby controversially did not select her in the squad sent to the finals. Football pundits, including Pia Sundhage, the Swedish coach of the United States national team, expressed surprise at Asllani's omission.
Dennerby recalled Asllani to the national squad for the 2012 London Olympics.
Asllani played for Sweden at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where the team won a silver medal. She failed to score a single goal during the tournament, despite playing in all six of Sweden's games. She scored in the penalty shootout against the United States in the quarterfinals, in which Sweden won the shootout 4–3 after being tied 1–1 during extra time. She again stepped up to take a penalty against Brazil in the semi final, but her weak effort was saved.
She scored in the 5–1 and 2-0 wins over Thailand and Chile at the 2019 World Cup respectively.
In 2021, Asllani was selected for the Sweden squad at the 2021 Summer Olympics. Like in 2016, her only goal was a penalty, this time in the quarter final vs Japan. She took a crucial penalty in the final against Canada, but missed the target from twelve yards, as Sweden lost the shootout, and once again had to settle for silver medals.
On 13 June 2023, she was included in the 23-player squad for the 2023 World Cup. She made the final goal in Sweden's match against Australia on 19 August 2023. Sweden won and secured the bronze medals for the team.
Personal life Asllani was born in Sweden to ethnic Albanian parents from Koshutovë, Kosovo. She has a tattoo of a black double-headed eagle, symbolising Albania, on her ankle. She also has the words "Stay Strong" tattooed on the inside of her right biceps.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupContinentalTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLinköpings2007Damallsvenskan1122—— 332008Damallsvenskan21900—— 2192009Damallsvenskan221235—31 2818Total4422570031 5230Chicago Red Star2010Women's Professional Soccer132——— 132Linköpings2010Damallsvenskan7300—44 1172011Damallsvenskan19442—— 236Total267420044 3413Kristianstads DFF2012Damallsvenskan15732——189Paris Saint Germain2012–13D1 Féminine191745——23222013–14D1 Féminine17710—202072014–15D1 Féminine171330—9129142015–16D1 Féminine6200—0062Total593985001117845Manchester City2016Women's Super League1113030812522017Women's Super League4110—3182Total1524030112334Linköpings2017Damallsvenskan9062——1522018Damallsvenskan19934—4026132019Damallsvenskan6100——61Total341091600404716Real Madrid2019–20Primera División17511——1862020–21Primera División291611——30172021–22Primera División17311—32214Total63243300326927AC Milan2022–23Serie A17911——18102023–24Serie A17630——206Total34154100003816London City Lionnesses2024–25Women's Championship1652110— 1962025–26Women's Super League1922000—212Total357411000408Career total 338 128 44 27 4 0 36 10 422165
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsSweden200820200914220101222011312012113201315520141152015124201612320171752018121201917620206020211222022135202313220241012025153202620Total20950
Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Asllani goal.
+ List of international goals scored by Kosovare AsllaniNo.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition128 August 2009Turku, FinlandEuro 2009223 September 2009Gothenburg, Sweden2011 World Cup qualification326 February 2010Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal2010 Algarve Cup423 June 2010Gothenburg, Sweden2011 World Cup qualification521 January 2011Chongqing, China2011 Four Nations Tournament631 March 2012Malmö, SwedenFriendly715 September 2012Gothenburg, SwedenFriendly823 October 2012Växjö, SwedenFriendly98 March 2013Albufeira, Portugal2013 Algarve Cup101113 March 2013Lagos, Portugal2013 Algarve Cup1213 July 2013Gothenburg, SwedenUEFA Euro 20131331 October 2013Gothenburg, Sweden2015 World Cup qualification145 March 2014Albufeira, Portugal2014 Algarve Cup155 April 2014Portadown, Northern Ireland2015 World Cup qualification1614 June 2014Motherwell, Scotland2015 World Cup qualification171821 August 2014Starogard Gdański, Poland2015 World Cup qualification1913 January 2015La Manga, SpainFriendly20219 March 2015Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal2015 Algarve Cup2230 May 2015Toronto, CanadaFriendly2302 June 2016Łódź, PolandEuro 2017 qualifying246 June 2016Gothenburg, SwedenEuro 2017 qualifying25268 March 2017Albufeira, Portugal2017 Algarve Cup272819 September 2017Varaždin, Croatia2019 World Cup qualification2924 October 2017Borås, Sweden2019 World Cup qualification303130 August 2018Gothenburg, Sweden2019 World Cup qualification3227 February 2019Faro/Loulé, Portugal2019 Algarve Cup3311 June 2019Rennes, France2019 FIFA World Cup3416 June 2019Nice, France2019 FIFA World Cup356 July 2019Nice, France2019 FIFA World Cup363 September 2019Liepāja, LatviaUEFA Euro 2022 qualifying378 October 2019Gothenburg, SwedenUEFA Euro 2022 qualifying3823 February 2021Paola, MaltaFriendly3930 July 2021Saitama, Japan2020 Summer Olympics4020 February 2022Algarve, Portugal2022 Algarve Cup417 April 2022Gori, Georgia2023 World Cup qualification424312 April 2022Gothenburg, Sweden2023 World Cup qualification4417 July 2022Leigh, Greater Manchester, EnglandUEFA Women's Euro 20224519 August 2023Brisbane, Australia2023 FIFA Women's World Cup465 December 2023Málaga, Spain2023–24 UEFA Women's Nations League473 December 2024Stockholm, SwedenUEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying play-offs484 April 2025Solna, Sweden 2025 UEFA Women's Nations League A498 July 2025Allmend Stadion Luzern, Lucerne, Switzerland2–03–0UEFA Women's Euro 20255017 July 2025Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich, Switzerland1–02–2
Honours Linköpings FC Damallsvenskan: 2009, 2017 Svenska Supercupen: 2009 Svenska Cupen: 2008, 2009
Manchester City FA WSL: 2016 FA WSL Continental Cup: 2016
Sweden Summer Olympics runner-up: 2016, 2020 FIFA Women's World Cup third place: 2019., 2023 Algarve Cup: 2018
Individual Swedish women's footballer of the year: 2017 Swedish women's midfielder of the year: 2017 Women's Golden Foot: 2022
References
Match reports
External links
Profile at SvFF (archive) Player French football stats at statsfootofeminin.fr Profile at Paris Saint-Germain Linköping FC profile