Adnan Januzaj debut in 2014 and later that year played for Belgium at the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and 2018, reaching the semi-finals of the latter. Januzaj was born in Brussels, Belgium, where his Kosovar Albanian family had emigrated in 1992 so his father, Abedin, would avoid being conscripted by the Yugoslav People's Army for the war in Bosnia. Januzaj's father was the eldest of six children from Istok, Kosovo. Januzaj's uncles, Januz and Shemsedin, and aunt Lavi, were members of the Kosovo Liberation Army, which fought for Kosovar independence during the Kosovo War. Since Kosovo declared independence in 2008, Januzaj
Adnan Januzaj for Dortmund in the first half of the season, starting three times. On 12 August 2016, Januzaj agreed to join Sunderland on a season-long loan move from Manchester United, linking up with former Manchester United manager David Moyes. Januzaj made his debut the following day, coming off the bench against Manchester City in a 2–1 defeat on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. In his third game for Sunderland against Shrewsbury Town, Januzaj scored his first goal for the team, a late winner. Januzaj was sent off for two yellow cards on 18 September in a 1–0 loss