Liridon Latifi

Liridon Latifi
Personal information
Full name Liridon Latifi
Date of birth (1994-02-06) 6 February 1994
Place of birth Pristina, FR Yugoslavia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position Right midfielder
Club information
Current team
Skënderbeu Korçë
Number 27
Youth career
2005–2011 Flamurtari Prishtina
2012–2013 Prishtina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2015 Prishtina
2015– Skënderbeu Korçë 47 (10)
National team
2012–2013 Albania U19 1 (0)
2015–2016 Albania U21 9 (4)
2016– Albania 0 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 3 April 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 5 October 2016

Liridon Latifi (born 6 February 1994 in Priština) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Albanian club Skënderbeu Korçë in the Albanian Superliga.

Latifi starter his youth career at Flamurtari Prishtina in 2005 where he remained until 2011. Next year, he joined his hometown club Prishtina where he also made his professional debut. In January 2015, Latifi signed with Albanian champions of Skënderbeu Korçë and later aided the club to win its fifth-consecutive league title.[1]

Latifi was called-up for the first time in Albania U-19 side in 2012 where he made his competitive debut. In March 2015, he was called up to play with Albania U-21 side in their bid to qualify in the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Club career

Early career

Latifi started joined local side Flamurtari Prishtina at the age of 11 in 2005, initially joining the youth club and eventually working his way up the ranks to the first team which he joined in 2011. Soon after joining the first team he left Flamurtari and joined Kosovo's most successful club Prishtina in January 2012. He first played for the club's youth team before progressing through to the first team the following season. While at Prishtina, Latifi along with his teammates Enis Gavazaj and Lorik Aliu went on trial with German giants Borussia Dortmund which initially lasted a week, but was then extended so they players could feature in the Blue Stars FIFA Youth Cup and the RUHR-Cup International youth tournament. They three players were not offered contracts at the end of their trials and subsequently returned to FC Prishtina.[2]

Skënderbeu Korçë

On 28 December 2014, Latifi joined Albanian Superliga side Skënderbeu Korçë by signing a three-year deal, taking the vacant number 27 for the second part of 2014–15 season.[3] During his presentation, Latifi said: "My goals are the same as those of the club."[4] Latifi ended his first season with the club by winning the Albanian Superliga title, playing 19 matches in all competitions and scoring 5 league goals. Following the end of the season, Latifi agreed a contract extension with Skënderbeu Korçë, keeping him at Korçë for a further year.[5]

On 19 November 2015, Latifi received his first-ever career red-card during the 2–1 away lose to Kukësi; he was red carded for his violent behavior after he attacked the opposite player Gledi Mici.[6] After that, he was suspended for 5 matches for his behaviour by the Disciplinary Committee of AFA.[7]

International career

Youth teams

Latifi made his competitive debut with Albania U19 on 17 October 2012 by playing in the second half of the 2–0 home defeat to Belarus.[8]

He made his international debut in a friendly against Iran in January held in Antalya, Turkey.[9][10][11]

Following a good run of form since joining Skënderbeu Korçë in January 2015, he received his first Albania under-21 call up by Skënder Gega for a 2017 European Under-21 Championship qualifier against Liechtenstein on 28 March 2015.[12] He managed to score in his debut for the Albania U-21 side on 28 March 2015 against Liechtenstein, scoring in the 29th minute after an assist in the area by Enis Gavazaj and with the second goal scored in the 52nd minute by Rey Manaj they sign the Albania U21's 0–2 away victory.[13] Latifi was called up by a new appointed coach at the Albania U-21, Redi Jupi, for the qualifying matches against Israel and Portugal on 3 and 8 September 2015.[14] He played as a starter on 3 September 2015 against Israel and was substituted off in the 62nd minute with Endri Çekiçi which then scored the equalising 1–1 goal in the 82nd minute to make Albania U-21 taking a draw.[15]

Senior

Latifi got his first call up to the senior Albania side for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Spain in October 2016.[16]

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 April 2016[17][18]
Club Season League Cup Continental[lower-alpha 1] Other[lower-alpha 2] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Skënderbeu Korçë 2014–15 Albanian Superliga 14540195
2015–16 20310111324
Total 34850111509
Career total 34850111509
  1. Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. Including other competitions, such as Albanian Supercup

International goals

Scores and results list Albania U21's goal tally first.
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition Ref
1 28 March 2015 Sportpark Eschen-Mauren, Eschen, Liechtenstein 1  Liechtenstein 1–0 2–0 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification [19]
2 13 October 2015 Pancho Arena, Felcsút, Hungary 5  Hungary 2–1 2–2 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification [20]
3 16 November 2015 Elbasan Arena, Elbasan, Albania 7  Liechtenstein 1–0 2–0 2017 UEFA European U-21 qualification [21]

Honours

Club

Prishtina[17]
Skënderbeu Korçë[17]

References

  1. "Orelesi, Adeniyi Win Albanian League With Skenderbeu" Complete Sports Nigeria. Retrieved 2016-07-10.
  2. Avni Durmishi (24 April 2013). "Latifi, Gavazaj e Aliu: afër Borussia Dortmund" (in Albanian). FC Prishtina. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  3. Adriatik Balla (28 December 2014). "Liridon Latifi lë Prishtinën për Skënderbeun, Tirana ndjek rivalët" (in Albanian). Sot.com.al. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  4. "Latifi, kontratë 3-vjeçare me Skënderbeun" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 28 December 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  5. "Liridon Latifi rinovon i pari" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  6. "Kukësi vs. Skënderbeu Korçë 2 – 1". Soccerway. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  7. "FSHF dënon rëndë talentin Liridon Latifi" (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 19 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  8. "Albania U19 vs. Belarus U19 0 – 2". Soccerway. 17 October 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  9. "Shqipëria U-21 humb kundër Iranit" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 21 January 2015. Retrieved 21 January 2015.
  10. "Shpresat, zbor stërvitor me… vendës" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  11. "Lojërat Mesdhetare, Shqipëria debuton me futbollin" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 19 June 2013. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  12. "Shpresat nisin kualifikimet kundër Lihtenshtajnit" (in Albanian). aSport.al. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 17 March 2015.
  13. "U21, Shqipëria thyen 2-0 Lihtenshtejnin, vendosin golat e Latifit dhe Rei Manajt" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  14. "Grumbullohet kombetarja U-21" (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 28 August 2015. Retrieved 28 August 2015.
  15. "Shpresat barazojnë me 10 lojtarë ndaj Izraelit, Jupi: I kënaqur me reagimin e skuadrës" (in Albanian). UEFA.com. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  16. "Albania includes 4 newcomers in World Cup squad". heraldonline.com. 1 October 2016. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  17. 1 2 3 "Albania - L. Latifi - Profile with news, career statistics and history". Soccerway. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  18. "Football : Liridon Latifi". Football Database. 3 April 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  19. "Liechtenstein U21 vs. Albania U21 0 – 2". Soccerway. 28 March 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  20. "Hungary U21 vs. Albania U21 2 – 2". Soccerway. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
  21. "Albania U21 vs. Liechtenstein U21 2 – 0". Soccerway. 16 November 2015. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
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