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Kevin Zefi

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kevin Zefi
Personal information
Date of birth (2005-02-11) 11 February 2005 (age 21)
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Sligo Rovers
Number 77
Youth career
–2019 St. Kevin's Boys
2019–2021 Shamrock Rovers
2021–2024 Inter Milan
2024–2025 Roma
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Shamrock Rovers II 11 (2)
2026– Sligo Rovers 3 (0)
International career‡
2019–2020 Republic of Ireland U15 4 (2)
2021–2022 Republic of Ireland U17 6 (1)
2021–2023 Republic of Ireland U19 11 (1)
2024 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10:09, 30 June 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:10, 17 November 2024 (UTC)

Kevin Zefi (born 11 February 2005) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Sligo Rovers.

Early and personal life

[edit]

Zefi was born in Dublin and grew up in the Clonsilla area.[2] He attended Luttrellstown Community College.[2] He is of Albanian descent.[3]

Club career

[edit]

Zefi began his career with Shamrock Rovers. In 2020 he was linked with a transfer away from the club, with Italian club Inter Milan and Dutch club PSV said to be interested.[4][5]

He began his senior career with Shamrock Rovers II in the League of Ireland First Division in the 2020 season,[6] becoming the youngest ever scorer in the League of Ireland, at the age of 15 years 206 days.[7][8] He had also been Shamrock Rovers II's youngest ever player, until that record was beaten by 14-year-old Sam Curtis in October 2020.[9]

He moved to Italian club Inter Milan in August 2021.[10][11] In December 2021 he scored a hat-trick for Inter's youth team.[12][13]

In February 2022 he spoke positively about his move to Italy, encouraging other young Irish players to do the same.[14]

In January 2024, Zefi joined fellow Italian club Roma on a permanent deal on a 3 year contract.[15][16]

In July 2025, Zefi left Roma and became a free agent, having stated that he suffered repeated racist abuse in Italy due to his Irish-Albanian heritage, which impacted his prospects at the club.[17][18]

On 15 July 2025, Zefi went on trial with League of Ireland Premier Division club Sligo Rovers, scoring for them in a friendly against EFL League One club Mansfield Town.[19] In May 2026 he signed for Sligo Rovers until the end of the season.[20]

International career

[edit]

Republic of Ireland

[edit]

Zefi has represented the Republic of Ireland at under-15, under-17 and under-19 level.[1][21] On 7 November 2024, he received a call-up to the national under-21 team for the friendly matches against Sweden.[22] His debut with Republic of Ireland U21 came ten days later in the second friendly match against Sweden after coming on as a substitute in the 71st minute in place of Jad Hakiki.[23]

Albania

[edit]

On 16 March 2025, Zefi confirmed that he received a call-up from Albania national under-21 team for the friendly matches against Greece and Luxembourg,[24] but was unable to join the national team due to injury.[25]

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 Kevin Zefi at WorldFootball.net Edit this at Wikidata
  2. 1 2 "Academy Stars". Shamrock Rovers FC.
  3. ↑ Fallon, John (25 January 2022). "Teenage kicks: The latest generation of Irish gems providing hope for our football future". Irish Examiner.
  4. ↑ "Ireland underage and Shamrock Rovers star lined up for sensational Inter Milan move". Extra.ie. 26 July 2020.
  5. ↑ O'Hehir, Paul (6 March 2020). "Rovers starlet Zefi could be lured abroad by Dutch side PSV Eindhoven". DublinLive.
  6. ↑ Kevin Zefi at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  7. ↑ Moore, Paul. "WATCH: 15-year-old Kevin Zefi of Shamrock Rovers is now the youngest scorer in LOI history". Balls.ie.
  8. ↑ "15-year-old on target in Shamrock Rovers II loss". The42.ie. 4 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Shamrock Rovers give first start to 14-year-old Sam Curtis in First Division". ExtraTime.ie.
  10. ↑ Rowan, Paul. "Kevin Zefi's move to Inter Milan is a big moment for the teenager and Irish game as a whole". TheTimes.co.uk.
  11. ↑ Taylor, Mark (7 September 2021). "Kevin Zefi - Ireland wonderkid tipped for stardom after Inter Milan transfer". Mirror.co.uk.
  12. ↑ O'Donoghue, Conor. "Watch: 16-year-old Dubliner Kevin Zefi net three for Inter Milan". The Irish Post.
  13. ↑ Connaughton, Gary. "Watch: Ireland's Kevin Zefi Nets Eye-Catching Hat-Trick For Inter Milan". Balls.ie.
  14. ↑ "'I would advise people to go' - Kevin Zefi blazing a trail to Italy for Irish kids to follow in move to Inter Milan". Independent.ie.
  15. ↑ Canicchio, Lorenzo (13 January 2024). "Roma, ecco l'ufficialità. Dall'Inter arriva Kevin Zefi". Gazzetta Regionale (in Italian). Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  16. ↑ Cooney, Gavin (13 January 2024). "Kevin Zefi swaps Inter Milan for Roma, Rovers confirm return of Trevor Clarke". The42.ie. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  17. ↑ Panorama Sport (18 September 2025). "Racizmi e largoi nga Roma, sulmuesi që la Irlandën për Shqipërinë del lojtar i lirë". Panorama Sport (in Albanian). Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  18. ↑ O'Toole, Fintan (17 September 2025). "Kevin Zefi speaks out on racism in Serie A after leaving Roma". SportsJOE.ie. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
  19. ↑ "Roma and Ireland star Kevin Zefi pictured playing for Sligo Rovers in pre-season friendly". Independent.ie. 16 July 2025.
  20. ↑ "'This place feels like home' - Zefi joins Sligo Rovers". RTÉ News. 28 May 2026.
  21. ↑ "Kevin Zefi brace helps Ireland U15s claim victory over England at St George's Park". Independent.ie.
  22. ↑ "Jim Crawford names Under-21 squad for Sweden friendlies". www.fai.ie. 7 November 2024.
  23. ↑ "REPORT | Ireland U21 3–2 Sweden U21". FAI.ie. 17 November 2024.
  24. ↑ "Miqësoret ndaj Greqisë & Luksemburgut, trajneri Bushi publikon listën" [Friendlies against Greece & Luxembourg, coach Bushi publishes the list] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 16 March 2025.
  25. ↑ "Sfidat me Greqinë & Luksemburgun/ Kombëtarja U-21 vazhdon përgatitjet. Kevin Zefi largohet për arsye dëmtimi, vjen Jordi Jaku" [Challenges with Greece & Luxembourg/ The U-21 National Team continues preparations. Kevin Zefi leaves due to injury, Jordi Jaku comes in] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Federation. 19 March 2025.
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