Arsen Sykaj

Arsen Sykaj

Sykaj with Albania U21
Personal information
Full name Arsen Sykaj
Date of birth (1990-04-16) 16 April 1990
Place of birth Shkodër, Albania
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Besëlidhja Lezhë
Number 3
Youth career
2000–2007 Vllaznia Shkodër
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007–2012 Vllaznia Shkodër 57 (1)
2012–2013 Kastrioti Krujë 22 (1)
2013–2015 Vllaznia Shkodër 60 (0)
2015– Besëlidhja Lezhë 1 (0)
National team
2008–2009 Albania U19 3 (0)
2009 Albania U20 1 (0)
2010–2012 Albania U21 13 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Arsen Sykaj (born 16 April 1990 in Shkodër) is an Albanian football player who currently plays as a central defender for Besëlidhja Lezhë in the Albanian First Division.

Career

Early career

Sykaj is a product of the Vllaznia Shkodër academy, where he took his first steps into football by joining his hometown club in 1997 at the age of 8. He progressed through the youth ranks at the club and eventually played for the under-17s before joining the under-19s, where he became a key player and impressed the coaches enough to earn him a call up to the senior team in 2007 to train with the first team players whilst still playing for the under-19s side.

Tërbuni

Sykaj was loaned out to Albanian First Division side Tërbuni Pukë at the beginning of the 2008–09 season in order to gain first team experience. Upon his arrival at Tërbuni he immediately became an important first team player as a centre back. His loan deal at the club expired prematurely in March 2009 following Tërbuni Pukë's disqualification from the First Division, thus leading to Sykaj's return to his parent club Vllaznia.

Vllaznia

Following his return to Vllaznia, Sykaj became a first team player and he featured in 16 games during the 2009–10 season, 11 of which were substitute appearances. He also featured in Vllaznia's Albanian Cup run, which saw his side finish as runners-up, after being defeated by Besa Kavajë in the final. Sykaj played in the first leg of the quarter finals as well as the second leg of the semi finals, but did not feature in the final. The following season he established himself further as a first team player, featuring in 22 league games, 20 of which were as a starting player, as he helped his side reach 3rd and earn a Europa League qualifying place.

Besëlidhja

In the summer transfer window Sykaj, together with Arsen Hajdari left Albanian Superliga side Vllaznia to join the Albanian First Division team Besëlidhja which its primary priority was to reach promotion to highest division.[1] He played the full time at the first match of the 2015–16 season against newly promoted team KF Korabi winning the match 1–0.

International career

Senior team

Sykaj was first called up to the senior Albania team on 30 September 2011 by Josip Kuže for the last two Euro 2012 qualifying games against France and Romania.[2][3]

References

  1. ↑ "Sykaj firmos te Besëlidhja, "dhurata" e Krepit për ditëlindje". Telesport.al. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Kuzhe shpall listën për Francën dhe Rumaninë" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. 30 September 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.
  3. ↑ "Rinovimi, Kuzhe fton 4 emra të rinj në kombëtare" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. 1 October 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2011.

External links

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