Mirto Uzuni recounts childhood migration and struggle for success

Albanian international footballer Mirto Uzuni, currently playing for Austin FC in MLS, has shared the difficult circumstances of his childhood. To escape poverty, Uzuni's family paid 20,000 euros to illegally migrate from Albania to Greece when he was ten years old.

During their time on the island of Zakynthos, the family worked various manual labor jobs to survive. Uzuni recalled performing various undocumented jobs, stating, "I worked as a waiter, washed dishes, picked olives, cleaned houses, garages... All off the books." Despite interest from Olympiakos, the family's undocumented status prevented a professional contract, eventually forcing them to return to Albania after seven years.

Uzuni's professional journey continued through Albanian clubs Apolonia and Laçi, followed by a move to Lokomotiva Zagreb. His career later progressed through Ferencváros to Granada in Spain, before his 2025 move to the United States. He has earned 48 caps for the Albanian national team.