Kemal Ademi

Kemal Ademi — Biography

Kemal Ademi is a center-forward who has played in several European countries and is best known in Turkey for his move to Fenerbahçe in October 2020. His 1.97 m frame earned him the nickname Zlatan. In 2024 he moved to Osijek in Croatia.

Born in Germany and raised in Herisau, Switzerland, he comes from a family from Prizren in Kosovo. His professional path began at St. Gallen and continued at Hoffenheim II; in July 2018 he signed his first professional contract with Neuchâtel Xamax. In June 2019 he joined Basel on a four-year deal, made his debut in a Champions League qualifier against PSV in July 2019 and scored 16 goals in 52 games for the club. At Fenerbahçe he wore number 99; he came on as a substitute in his league debut against Trabzonspor and scored his first goal against Sivas Belediyespor. In February 2021 he was loaned to Fatih Karagümrük until the end of the season. In August 2021 he signed a three-year contract with Khimki in Russia and a year later moved to SV Sandhausen in Germany. He returned to Switzerland with Luzern in 2023, but the contract ended by mutual consent after one season.

Through his family he was eligible for Kosovo, Albania, Germany and Switzerland; in 2020 a FIFA decision allowed him to play for Switzerland. In January 2022 he drew attention by saying that agents in Turkey had a strong influence on how squads were put together.