Erjon Bogdani

Erjon Bogdani
Personal information
Date of birth (1977-04-14) 14 April 1977
Place of birth Tirana, PSR Albania
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position Forward
Team information
Current team
Mantova 1911 (assistant sporting director)
Youth career
1987–1994 Partizani Tirana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1997 Partizani Tirana 69 (21)
1998 Gençlerbirliği 11 (1)
1998–2000 NK Zagreb 26 (8)
2000–2004 Reggina 70 (11)
2003–2004Salernitana (loan) 38 (8)
2004–2005 Verona 38 (17)
2005–2007 Siena 49 (13)
2007–2010 Chievo 61 (8)
2007–2008Livorno (loan) 17 (2)
2010–2012 Cesena 49 (8)
2012–2013 Siena 29 (6)
Total 468 (103)
International career
1996–1998 Albania U21 8 (2)
1997 Albania U23 1 (1)
1996–2013 Albania 75 (18)
Managerial career
2015–2016 Albania (assistant)
2016–2018 Albania U19
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Erjon Bogdani (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈɛrjɔn bɔɡˈdani]; born 14 April 1977) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player, who played as a forward. He is also known by the nicknames "Bogu" and "Er-Bomber".

Regarded as one of the most successful Albanian players of his generation, Bogdani began his senior career with Partizani Tirana in 1994 where he debuted at the age of 16, before playing for Gençlerbirliği in Turkey and Zagreb in Croatia, and later establishing himself in Italy, where he spent the majority of his career.

He competed extensively in Serie A and Serie B, representing several Italian clubs including Reggina, Salernitana, Hellas Verona, A.C. Siena, Chievo, Livorno and Cesena.

During this period, he was known for his physical style of play and aerial ability, recording multiple double-digit scoring seasons, scoring decisive goals in promotion and relegation campaigns, and registering a Serie A hat-trick during the 2005–06 Serie A season.

He became a free agent in May 2013 after his contract with Siena ran out, and retired from the sport in February 2014.

Bogdani has 75 caps for Albania national team, making his debut in 1996 and scoring his first goal three years later. With 18 goals, he is Albania's all-time top goalscorer, overtaking his former teammate Alban Bushi in 2011 by netting his 15th goal. He holds numerous Albanian records, including most goals as substitute and oldest goalscoring in history, and has been dubbed as the best striker to play for the Red and Black.

Following his retirement, Bogdani was initially appointed by Albanian Football Association as a youth talents scouter, starting the job in September 2014. He began his managerial career by being named Gianni De Biasi assistant in August 2015. In December 2016, he was named manager of Albania under-19 team.

In 2022 he returned to Italy serving as head of youth scouting for Palermo.

Since October 2025, he has served as assistant sporting director at Italian club Mantova 1911.