Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | 26 June 1968 | ||
Place of birth | Shkodër, Albania | ||
Date of death | 10 January 2014 45) | (aged||
Place of death | Speyer, Germany | ||
Position(s) | Defender | ||
Youth career | |||
?–1987 | Vllaznia Shkodër | ||
1987–1988 | Veleçiku | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1988–1989 | Vllaznia | ||
1989-1990 | Partizani | ||
1990–1991 | Vllaznia | 33 | (1) |
1991 | Budućnost | 8 | (0) |
1992–1993 | Vllaznia | 9 | (0) |
1994–1995 | FV Speyer | ||
1995–1996 | Waldhof Mannheim | 0 | (0) |
1996–1997 | Viktoria Griesheim | ||
2000–2007 | FV Speyer | ||
International career | |||
Albania U-21 | |||
Albania Olympic | |||
1991–1997 | Albania | 5 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2000–2007 | FV Speyer | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Zamir Shpuza (26 June 1968 – 10 January 2014) was an Albanian international football player and coach. [1]
Born and raised in a traditional family from Shkodër, Shpuza was noticed on the U19 team of KF Vllaznia Shkodër, debuting for the senior squad in the season 1988–89. [2] At that time Albania was still ruled by a communist regime, and in a secret meeting of the local communist party committee, Zamir was playing for Vllaznia U17 team, were expelled from the team as party enemies because their uncles were considered undesired by the party. Their uncle was caught illegally crossing the border and then labeled as "traitor". Nicknamed Tutoja, Zamir and his brother didn't give up football, and joined Veleçiku from Koplik. [2] Soon after, democratic transition began in Albania, and Zamir and Luan joined democratic and anti-communist moviments in Shkodër. They joined the Democratic Party. Coaches Astrit Hafizi and Neptun Bajko took Zamir to the capital to join Albanian giants FK Partizani Tirana. [2] He had the opportunity to show his exceptional talent there, and was rewarded with first calls to Albanian national U21 and Olympic teams. [2]
In 1991 he moved to the Yugoslav side Budućnost Titograd along his compatriot Ramiz Bisha. [2] He played in the 1991–92 Yugoslav First League. [3] and became known as "Albanian Belodedici". [2] In 1992 he returned to Albania, joining KF Vllaznia Shkodër and winning the Albanian championship in 1992. [4] In 1994, he moved to Speyer, Germany, asking for asylum, where is a large Albanian community. [2] There he joined local side FV Speyer. [2] In the 1995–96 season he played with 2. Bundesliga side Waldhof Mannheim but failed to make any league appearance. [5] In 1996 he joined Viktoria Griesheim. [6] Between 2000 and 2007 he was a player-coach of FV Speyer. [7]
He played for Albanian national U21 and Olympic teams before debuting for the main team in 1991. [2] He made his senior debut for Albania in a May 1991 European Championship qualification match against Czechoslovakia and earned a total of 5 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a June 1997 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Portugal. [8]
Shpuza died in Germany in January 2014 from sudden brain hemorrhage. [4] He had a wife and two children. [1]
Vllaznia
Klubi i Futbollit Tirana is an Albanian professional football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 recognized major domestic trophies. They are the only football club in Albania with two stars in their crest after winning the 20th championship in 2003, each star corresponds to ten championships. Making them the first and only Albanian club to have achieved such a feat. They play their home games at the Selman Stërmasi Stadium and the Air Albania Stadium in Tirana and they play in the Abissnet Superiore.
Klubi I Futbollit Vllaznia Shkodër, commonly known as Vllaznia is an Albanian football club based in the city of Shkodër. It is the association football branch of the Vllaznia Sports Club, which was founded on 16 February 1919. It is also the oldest club in Albania which means it is the first club created in Albania. The club have competed in every edition of Kategoria Superiore since 1930, which is the top tier of football in Albania, besides in the 1956–57, 1961–62 and 2018–19 football seasons.
Rudi Vata is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a defender, and had also a short stint as a manager of Albanian team KF Vllaznia Shkodër.
Football is the most popular sport in Albania, both at a participatory and spectator level. The sport is governed by the Football Association of Albania (FSHF).
Vioresin Sinani is an Albanian former footballer who played as a striker. He spent the majority of his career at Vllaznia Shkodër as well as stints with Dinamo Tirana, Tirana and Besa Kavajë in Albania. He also played for NK Varteks in Croatia and Kayserispor in Turkey. He is Vllaznia's and the Albanian Superliga's record goalscorer.
Ramazan Rragami was an Albanian football player and coach. He played for the Albania national team and for Vllaznia Shkodër, becoming one of the club's most notable players of all time. He became a member of The Disciplinary Committee affiliated with The Albanian Football Federation.
Bekim Balaj is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Albanian club Vllaznia Shkodër and the Albania national team.
Armando Vajushi is an Albanian professional footballer who last played as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Liga I club Petrolul Ploiești.
Antonio Marku is an Albanian footballer who plays as a left back for KF Vëllaznimi in Kosovo.
Erjon Vucaj is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Flamurtari.
Sebastián Sosa Sánchez is an Uruguayan football player, who plays as a forward for Chilean club Everton on loan from Vélez Sarsfield.
Stefan Cicmil is a Montenegrin professional footballer who plays for Montenegrin First League club FK Podgorica.
Astrit Hafizi is an Albanian former footballer and coach of Vllaznia, as well as coach of Albania for a two years span (1997–1999).
Artan Bushati was an Albanian football coach who is most noted for leading the Albania U21 national team between 2005 and 2011.
Argjend Malaj is a Kosovar-Albanian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Swedish side Trollhättan.
Esin Hakaj is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Vllaznia Shkodër in the Albanian Superliga.
Alen Sherri is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Albanian club Egnatia in Kategoria Superiore and the Albania national team.
Rubin Hebaj is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Saudi First Division League club Al-Orobah.
Ramiz Bisha is an Albanian retired international footballer.
Brajan Gruda is a German professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Bundesliga club Mainz 05.