Thomas Strakosha

Thomas Strakosha is an Albanian goalkeeper born in Athens, Greece, on 19 March 1995. He began developing in Cyprus with APOEL before joining the Panionios youth academy in 2011. In 2012, Strakosha moved to Lazio, where he initially worked behind more experienced goalkeepers and later spent the 2015–16 season on loan at Salernitana in Serie B. His senior breakthrough came in 2016, and he went on to become Lazio’s established first-choice goalkeeper, helping the club win two Coppa Italia titles and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies. Strakosha also became a regular for Albania, representing the national team during its Euro 2024 campaign. In 2022, he joined Brentford, but appearances were limited as he competed with David Raya and Mark Flekken for selection. Strakosha returned to Greece in July 2024 to sign for AEK Athens. Known for quick reactions and long-range shot-stopping, he has also developed a more proactive approach to covering space behind the defence.