Esi Lufo

Last updated

Esi Lufo
Esi-Lufo-me-dy-kupa-644793286.jpg
Lufo in 2020
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-09-10) 10 September 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Tirana, Albania
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 TRU WolfPack
Number 10
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023– TRU WolfPack 14 (1)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2016–2018 Kinostudio 46 (52)
2019 Tirana AS 12 (15)
2019–2022 Vllaznia 63 (68)
2023 Rivers FC 11 (5)
2023–2024 Vllaznia 9 (1)
International career‡
2017–2019 Albania U19 10 (1)
2019– Albania 15 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024

Esi Lufo (born 10 September 2001) is an Albanian footballer who plays as a forward for the TRU WolfPack in the Canadian university system and the Albania women's national team.

Contents

Early life

Lufo began playing football at the age of 5. [1]

University career

In 2020, she had been set to attend the University of Charleston and play for the women's soccer team, but ultimately did not play. [2]

In 2023, she moved to Canada to attend Thompson Rivers University, where she will play for the women's soccer team. [3] [4] On September 16, 2023, she scored her first goal in a match against the Saskatchewan Huskies. [5]

Club career

Lufo began her senior career with Kinostudio in the Albanian Women's National Championship, where she played for three years. [6] She made her professional debut at age 14. [7]

Afterwards, she joined Tirana. [8]

In 2019, she joined Vllaznia, the top club in the Albanian league. [9]

In 2023, she joined Rivers FC in League1 British Columbia. [10] She scored in her debut on April 30 against Altitude FC. [11]

In November 2023, she returned to Vllaznia. [12]

Career statistics

Club

As of August 27, 2024 [13] [14]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Kinostudio 2016–17 Kategoria Superiore Femra 182122—2023
2017–18 181922—2021
2018–19 101200—1012
Total465244005056
Tirana 2018–19 Kategoria Superiore Femra 121521—1416
Vllaznia 2019–20 Kategoria Superiore Femra 182232502624
2020–21 181600202016
2021–22 192400302224
2022–23 860050136
Total6368321508170
Rivers FC 2023 [11] League1 British Columbia 115——115
Vllaznia 2023–24 Kategoria Superiore Femra 91000091
Total14114197150165148

International

As of match played 4 June 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania 201920
202010
202161
202220
202320
202420
Total151

International career

She made her debut with the Albania U19 team in a friendly against Montenegro U19. [15]

She scored her first senior international goal against Armenia in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory. [16]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. ↑ "Lufo: Unë jam krenare dhe falënderuese që jam pjesë e një familje të tillë si Vllaznia" [Lufo: I am proud and grateful to be part of a family like Vllaznia]. ShkodraSport (in Albanian). 8 March 2022.
  2. ↑ "Esi Lufo Charleston Golden Eagles profile". Charleston Golden Eagles .
  3. ↑ "Albanian soccer star Lufo brings Champions League experience to WolfPack". TRU Wolfpack . 8 February 2023.
  4. ↑ "Lufo to bring Champions League experience to WolfPack". Kamloops This Week . 12 February 2023.
  5. ↑ "Hard-luck WolfPack dealt defeat on the road". TRU WolfPack . 16 September 2023.
  6. ↑ "Kur dashuria për futbollin i mund fjalët! Historia e Esi Lufos, luftëtares kuqezi që frymëzohet nga Ibra" [When love for football beats words! The story of Esi Lufo, the red and black warrior who is inspired by Ibra]. Albanian Football Association (in Albanian). 8 March 2022.
  7. ↑ Alexander, Emily (9 February 2023). "Albanian soccer star joins TRU WolfPack". Kamloops Now.
  8. ↑ Omeri, Klesiana (3 March 2019). "Të guximshmet e fushës së blertë! Vajzat e futbollit që nuk njohin pengesa" [The brave of the green field! Soccer girls who know no obstacles]. Shqiptarja (in Albanian).
  9. ↑ Trent, Tyler (9 March 2023). "A New Adventure – The Story of Albanian Forward Esi Lufo". The WoSo Collective.
  10. ↑ @goRiversFC (12 February 2023). "Player Signing ✍🏼 Esi Lufo" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. 1 2 "Esi Lufo 2023 L1BC Stats". League1 British Columbia .
  12. ↑ Fortuzi, Arbi (25 November 2023). "Liga e Kombeve për vajza/ Sfidat e fundit të grupit ndaj Irlandës së Veriut e Hungarisë, Grima fton 20 futbolliste" [Women's League of Nations/ Final group challenges against Northern Ireland and Hungary, Grima invites 20 footballers]. Albanian Telegraphic Agency (in Albanian).
  13. ↑ "Garat".
  14. ↑ Esi Lufo at Soccerway
  15. ↑ "Esi Lufo: Si e theva rekordin e Vllaznisë" [Esi Lufo: How I broke Vllaznia's record]. Panorama Sport (in Albanian). 17 March 2017.
  16. ↑ Mima, Gjergji (24 November 2021). "Kombëtarja e femrave, Elezaj dhe Lufo: Vlerësim maksimal për kundërshtaret" [Women's national team, Elezaj and Lufo: Maximum rating for opponents]. Albanian Telegraphic Agency (in Albanian).
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