Alfred Zijai

Alfred Zijai (7 February 1961 – 11 February 2013) was an Albanian footballer who played as a midfielder.

Alfred Zijai
Personal information
Date of birth (1961-02-07)7 February 1961
Place of birth Vlorë, Albania
Date of death 11 February 2013(2013-02-11) (aged 52)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1979–1991 Flamurtari Vlorë
National team
1986–1987 Albania 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in Vlorë, Zijai spent his entire career with hometown club Flamurtari during the 1970s and 1980s, during the club's golden years alongside fellow international players like Sokol Kushta, Kreshnik Çipi, Petro Ruçi, Alfred Ferko and Rrapo Taho.[1] Playing for them between 1979 and 1991, he won the Albanian Cup in 1985 and 1988, and the Kategoria e Parë in 1991.[2] In the 1987–88 season, he and his Flamurtari teammates managed to knock-out Partizan Belgrade and Wismut Aue, before losing for a second successive year to Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the UEFA Cup.[3]

International career

He made his debut for Albania in an October 1986 European Championship qualification match away at Austria and earned a total of 3 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a November 1987 European Championship qualification match against Spain.[4]

Futsal

Zijai became a member of the Executive Committee of the Albanian Football Association, and he founded the Futsal Organisation of Albania.[2]

Personal life and death

He was a father of two and suffered from a liver disease.[3] He died on 11 February 2013, at the age of 52.[2]

Honours
  • Albanian Superliga: 1
1991 [5]
1985, 1988 [6]

References
  1. Rrapo Taho: Jam me rregulloren, por FSHF e di se pa Flamurtarin nuk ka kampionat - Sot News (in Albanian)
  2. "Albanian football mourns Alfred Zijai". UEFA. 11 February 2013.
  3. Alfrd Zijai: “Ishim një brez i artë” - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  4. "Alfred Zijai - national football team player". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
  5. Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
  6. Albania - Albania - List of Cup Finals - RSSSF
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