Përparim Hetemaj

Përparim Hetemaj
Hetemaj with Chievo in 2015
Personal information
Date of birth (1986-12-12) 12 December 1986
Place of birth Skenderaj, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Klubi 04 (assistant coach)
Youth career
1993–2003 HJK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004 Klubi 04 21 (6)
2004–2006 HJK 33 (1)
2006–2009 AEK Athens 19 (0)
2008Apollon Kalamarias (loan) 11 (1)
2009–2010 Twente 0 (0)
2010–2011 Brescia 34 (2)
2011–2019 Chievo 239 (6)
2019–2021 Benevento 64 (0)
2021–2022 Reggina 30 (1)
2022–2023 HJK 32 (2)
International career
2004–2005 Finland U-19 4 (2)
2005–2009 Finland U-21 16 (3)
2009–2017 Finland 49 (4)
Managerial career
2024– Klubi 04 (assistant)
Medal record
Representing  Finland
Baltic Cup2012
Baltic Cup2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Përparim Hetemaj (born 12 December 1986) is a Finnish football coach and a former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Born in Kosovo, Hetemaj arrived in Finland when he was six years old and played for HJK's youth teams; signing a professional contract in 2004 at age 17. He joined Greek side AEK Athens in 2006, and moved to Twente in 2009. Subsequently, in 2010, he was signed by Brescia and was transferred to Chievo in 2011. Hetemaj played a total of 300 matches in the Serie A, before returning to Finland in 2022 after a season with Reggina in the Serie B.

Hetemaj made his international debut for Finland in February 2009, at the age of 22, and made 50 appearances, including appearing in 2014 and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifications, before his retirement from international football in 2018.

On 25 November 2023, it was announced by HJK, that Hetemaj will end his professional playing career after the season, and will start working as an assistant coach of their reserve team Klubi 04 in 2024.

Hetemaj is regarded as a club legend of HJK Helsinki.