Gjergji Muzaka
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gjergji Muzaka | ||
| Date of birth | 26 September 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Tiranë, Albania | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | KF Tirana | ||
| Number | 17 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2000 | Partizani Tirana | ||
| 2000–2001 | Paris Saint-Germain | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2001–2004 | Partizani Tirana | 59 | (15) |
| 2004–2005 | FC Iraklis | 3 | (0) |
| 2005–2008 | Partizani Tirana | 106 | (23) |
| 2008–2010 | KF Tirana | 59 | (12) |
| 2010–2011 | Dinamo Tirana | 15 | (1) |
| 2011–2012 | Skënderbeu Korçë | 40 | (16) |
| 2012–2013 | Flamurtari Vlorë | 24 | (12) |
| 2013–2014 | Skënderbeu Korçë | 31 | (4) |
| 2014 | Flamurtari Vlorë | 17 | (3) |
| 2015– | KF Tirana | 12 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2002–2003 | Albania U19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2003–2007 | Albania U21 | 9 | (2) |
| 2008– | Albania | 21 | (1) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 January 2015. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Gjergji Muzaka (born 26 September 1984 in Tiranë) is an Albanian footballer who currently plays for KF Tirana in the Albanian Superliga. He has been a member of the Albanian national team between 2008 and 2012, and has earned 21 senior international caps. He is typically an attacking midfielder, who operated primarily on the right side of the midfield, but he can also play through the middle as well as the left occasionally. He is known for his crossing and playmaking abilities but he is also an able goalscorer.
Career
Early career
Muzaka began his playing career with local side Partizani Tirana when he was just a teenager. He played for the Partizani U-17s where he attracted the interest of several foreign clubs with his performances on the right hand side of midfield. One of these foreign clubs was French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who in 2000 offered Muzaka a contract at the club. Muzaka accepted and left Partizani at the age of just 16, joining the PSG youth team. However, after just one year in France Muzaka moved back to Albania and back to Partizani before the beginning of the 2001–02 season.
Partizani (2001–05)
After returning to Albania Muzaka was placed into the Partizani first team.
KF Tirana (2008–10)
The president of KF Tirana, Refik Halili paid a total of €70,000 to buy the player from their fierce rivals Partizani in the summer of 2008.[1]
Dinamo (2010)
Muzaka signed a three year contract with the 2009–10 champions Dinamo Tirana on 16 June 2010. The transfer was managed by the FIFA licenced agent Elton Marini, of 'M&M Management Agency'.[2] The contact is worth a total of €210,000, with Muzaka earning €70,000 a season with Dinamo.[3]
KS Skenderbeu (2011–12)
In January 2011 Muzaka joined a half-season loan at KF Skënderbeu Korçë.
Return to Flamurtari
After becoming a free agent following the expiration of his one year contract with Skënderbeu Korçë, Muzaka re-joined Flamurtari Vlorë, where had played between 2012 and 2013. He officially signed a two year contract with Flamurtari on 10 June 2014.[4]
Return to Tirana
He left Flamurtari Vlorë during a mass exodus at the club in January 2015, after terminating his contract through mutual consent. He then returned to KF Tirana, signing a contract until the end of the 2014–15 campaign, reportedly worth €5,500 a month.[5] On 7 January he was officially unveiled as a KF Tirana player to the media, holding a press conference alongside the club's president Refik Halili and newly appointed director Devi Muka.[6]
International career
He is also playing for the Albania national football team. He scored his first goal against Romania in a Euro 2012 Qualifier, he came on the field in the 81st minute, just one minute after Romania had taken the lead. He made an immediate impact and in the 87th minute he managed to find a head onto Ansi Agolli's free kick which he guided past the Romanian goalkeeper, which levelled the tie at 1–1 and earned Albania a very important and well-deserved point in the opening match of the Euro 2012 qualifiers.[7][8]
International career
| International appearances and goals | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Final Score | Goal | Result | Competition |
| 2009 | |||||||
| 1 | 10 June 2009 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Georgia | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | Friendly |
| 2 | 14 November 2009 | A. Le Coq Arena, Tallinn, Estonia |  Estonia | 0–0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly |
| 2010 | |||||||
| 3 | 25 May 2010 | Gradski Stadium, Berane, Montenegro |  Montenegro | 1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly |
| 4 | 2 June 2010 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Andorra | 1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly |
| 5 | 11 August 2010 | Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania |  Uzbekistan | 1–0 | 0 | Win | Friendly |
| 6 | 3 September 2010 | Stadionul Ceahlăul, Piatra Neamţ, Romania |  Romania | 1–1 | 1 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 7 | 7 September 2010 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Luxembourg | 1–0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 8 | 8 October 2010 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 9 | 12 October 2010 | Dynama Stadium, Minsk, Belarus |  Belarus | 0–2 | 0 | Loss | Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 10 | 17 November 2010 | Skënderbeu Stadium, Korçë, Albania |  Macedonia | 0–0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly |
| 2011 | |||||||
| 11 | 9 February 2011 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Slovenia | 1–2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly |
| 12 | 26 March 2011 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | Belarus | 1–0 | 0 | Win | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 13 | 7 June 2011 | Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0–2 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 14 | 20 June 2011 | Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Argentina | 0–4 | 0 | Loss | Friendly |
| 15 | 10 August 2011 | Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania | Montenegro | 3–2 | 0 | Win | Friendly |
| 16 | 6 September 2011 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg, Luxemburg | Luxembourg | 2–1 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 17 | 7 October 2011 | Stade de France, Paris, France |  France | 3–0 | 0 | Loss | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 18 | 11 October 2011 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | Romania | 1–1 | 0 | Draw | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 19 | 11 November 2011 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania |  Azerbaijan | 0–1 | 0 | Loss | Friendly |
| 20 | 15 November 2011 | Goce Delcev Stadium, Prilep, Macedonia | Macedonia | 0–0 | 0 | Draw | Friendly |
| 2012 | |||||||
| 21 | 29 February 2012 | Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia | Georgia | 1–2 | 0 | Loss | Friendly |
Honours
Club
- Partizani Tirana
- Albanian Cup (1): 2003–04
- KF Tirana
- Skënderbeu Korçë
- Albanian Superliga (3): 2010–11. 2011–12, 2013–14
- Albanian Supercup (1): 2013
References
- ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka firmos për Dinamon" (in Albanian). Albania-Sport. 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka, lojtar i Dinamos" (in Albanian). Futboll Klub Dinamo. 2010-06-16. Retrieved 2010-06-16.
- ↑ "Gjergji Muzaka firmos për Dinamon" (in Albanian). Albania-Sport. 2010-06-17. Retrieved 2010-06-18.
- ↑ Muzaka firmos për 2 vite me Flamurtarin
- ↑ Muzaka: U riktheva në shtëpi, dua titullin
- ↑ Muzaka prezantohet te Tirana: Kthehem në shtëpi, jam borxhli ndaj bardhebluve
- ↑ ""Dakët" thyejnë brirët në "bunkerin" e Kuzhes" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
- ↑ "Romania 1-1 Albania". Football Database. 2010-09-03. Retrieved 2010-09-05.
External links
- Football Database
- Gjergji Muzaka at National-Football-Teams.com
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