Bekim Balaj

Bekim Balaj

Balaj on international duty with Albania U21 in 2009.
Personal information
Full name Bekim Balaj
Date of birth (1991-01-11) 11 January 1991
Place of birth Reç, Shkodër County, Albania
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Forward
Club information
Current team
 Rijeka
Number 9
Youth career
2002–2009 Vllaznia Shkodër
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2009–2010 Vllaznia Shkodër 38 (17)
2010–2011 Gençlerbirliği 1 (0)
2011–2012 Tirana 37 (16)
2012–2014 Sparta Prague 12 (3)
2013–2014 → Jagiellonia Białystok (loan) 31 (7)
2014 Slavia Prague 13 (3)
2015– Rijeka 44 (18)
National team‡
2008–2010 Albania U19 6 (3)
2010–2012 Albania U21 13 (4)
2012– Albania 13 (1)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 24 April 2016.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 March 2016

Bekim Balaj (born 11 January 1991 in Reç, Shkodër) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Croatian club Rijeka and the Albania national team.

Club career

Early career

Balaj started his football career with his hometown club Vllaznia Shkodër and made his professional debut at the age of 17 before going on to score 17 goals in 38 games for the club before moving to Turkey to join Gençlerbirliği. After little success in Turkey he returned to Albania and played for KF Tirana where he scored 15 league goals in 37 games before joining Sparta Prague in the Czech Republic in January 2013. During his time at Sparta Prague he was loaned out to Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok for the entire 2013–14 campaign where he scored 9 goals in 36 games in all competition before return to his parent club for the first half of the following season. He joined current club HNK Rijeka in January 2015 for a fee of €600,000 and he scored on his debut with the club in a 4–1 win over NK Lokomotiva.

Vllaznia Shkodër

Balaj joined his hometown club Vllaznia Shkodër as an 11-year-old in 2002, and his father had told the youth team coach Astrit Premçi to initially test the player as a goalkeeper as he was tall for his age. However, after only a few training sessions with Balaj, the coach Premçi realised the player was an able outfield player as he was good with his feet, so he then played him as a centre forward.[1]

He was invited to train with the first team by the coach Mirel Josa during the latter stages of the 2007–08 season, and he made his first team debut on 17 May 2008 at the age of 17 years, 4 months and 6 days in an away game against Besëlidhja Lezhë, coming on as a 70th-minute substitute for Albert Kaçi in the 4–2 loss.[2] He became a first team regular the following season, and he scored his first senior goal on his first appearances of the campaign in an Albanian Cup tie against Sopoti Librazhd, before going on to make 12 appearances in all competition, 7 of which were in the league and 10 of which were substitute appearances. He was part of the Vllaznia team that finished runners-up in the Albanian Superliga, finishing 4 points behind the eventual winners KF Tirana.

With the departures of Xhevahir Sukaj and James Boadu ahead of the 2009–10 season, Balaj became the club's main striker alongside Vioresin Sinani. He made his European debut on 2 July 2009 against Irish club Sligo Rovers, coming on as an 85th-minute substitute for Vioresin Sinani in the 2–1 away win.[3]

In April 2010 he went on trial with PSG alongside fellow Albanian youth international Odise Roshi, but neither players' trial was successful.[4] In June he went on another trial, this time in Turkey with Gençlerbirliği which proved to be successful as he was offered a contract to join the club immediately.

Gençlerbirliği

A top Turkish club had been tracking the young forward for most of the 2009–2010 season whilst he was at Vllaznia; the club was not identified in January 2010 as they did not make a bid,[5] however following the huge interest shown by Gençlerbirliği S.K. in May and June, it became clear who the unnamed Turkish club was. Balaj signed a four-year contract with Gençlerbirliği on 17 June 2010. The transfer fee was reported to be around €200,000 to €300,000, which was all given to his previous club Vllaznia in Albania.[6] Bala's manager Dritan Gjyrezi had only been a licensed FIFA agent for a year before managing this deal; this was his first deal in his career as an agent and he hoped to be able to send more Albanian players to Turkey as the two countries have very strong roots and the Albanian players who play in Turkey are treated very well.[7] Balaj signed the contract earning him €150,000 for the first year, making the deal to be worth around €600,000 for the full four years.[8]

KF Tirana

In January Balaj received offers from both KF Tirana and his former club Vllaznia for a return to Albania.[9] But after meeting with Refik Halili he signed a two-year contract for KF Tirana on 20 January 2011, earning €70,000 a season, which was a higher offer than Vllaznia's €50,000.[10][11][12]

He made his debut for his new club on 3 February in a home match against Skënderbeu Korçë which ended in 0–0 draw, with Balaj coming on at the start of the second half for Gilman Lika.[13] His first Tirana goal came in the Albanian Cup semi final second leg against Besa Kavajë on 6 April, scoring the equalising goal to secure his side's place in the final.[14] He then went on to score his first league goal just nine days later in a 6–1 thrashing of KF Elbasani.[15] Despite good performances since his January move, new coach Mišo Krstičević did not pick him to start in the final of the Albanian Cup. Balaj came on for Gilman Lika in the 54th minute and helped his side win the trophy despite ending the game with ten men and Balaj himself missing a penalty in the shootout which ended 4–3 after heroics from the keeper Ilion Lika.[16][17][18]

2011–12 season

He scored the winning goal in the 2011 Albanian Supercup against the league winners Skënderbeu, in a match delayed and disrupted by crowd trouble.[19][20] His first league goal of the season came on 17 September in the second week of the campaign, away at Kastrioti Krujë. Starting the game as a lone striker, he equalised for KF Tirana in the 48th minute and helped his side win the game 3–2, earning their first three points of the campaign.[21][22] Following KF Tiran's first win in the league, it had become evident that Balaj and Gilman Lika had formed an effective partnership from midfield to attack, both of who are from Shkodër.[23] His next goal came just four days later in the first round of the Albanian Cup against SK Himarë of the Albanian First Division. He scored in the 36th minute, a penalty in the 52nd minute and finally rounded off his hattrick in the 67th minute, before Julián Rubio being forced to replace the player following a strong challenge which left him with an ankle injury.[24][25] After scoring four goals in as many days he hoped he could one day force his way into the Albania national team, which he said would be a dream following a good start to the season.[26]

Sparta Prague

Balaj joined Sparta Prague on trial in July 2012 in order for the manager Vítězslav Lavička to get a closer look at the player before the deal to join the club was finalised. Lavička started with Balaj in a friendly against Graffin Vlašim on 17 July. Balaj started the game brightly, getting close to scoring with a header in the 5th minute, and eventually scoring in the 19th minute with a powerful shot on goal from just outside the 18-yard box to put Sparta Prague 3–0 up. He was substituted at half time and the game was won by Sparta Prague 5–0. After the friendly he returned to Albania to sort out his contract with KF Tirana, who did not want him to leave unless they received a fee of €100,000, with Sparta Prague only offering half that sum because Bala's deal with KF Tirana was due to expire in January 2013.

On 4 October 2012, Balaj scored an historical goal in his career at UEFA Europa League against Athletic Bilbao, a match valid for group stage finished in the victory 3–1.[27]

Jagiellonia

On 8 July 2013 he moved on loan for a year to Polish side Jagiellonia Białystok in the Ekstraklasa.

Return to Slavia Prague

After being returned to Sparta Prague from Jagiellonia where he was loaned for a year, he signed for the city's rivals SK Slavia Prague on 10 July 2014.[28] He made it his debut on 26 July 2014 in the opening 2014–15 season's match against Slovácko, also his debut brought his first goal as well, as he scored the victory goal 1–2, where the match result came from behind 1–0 of the first half.[29][30] On 11 August 2014 Balaj scored the opening goal in the 17th minute of the match victory 4–1 against Slovan Liberec.[31] On 1 November 2014 Balaj came in as a substitute in the 84th minute and scored in the 87' the goal of advantage to bring his team the 3–2 victory against Příbram.[32]

HNK Rijeka

On 7 January 2015 Balaj signed for Croatian club HNK Rijeka, which were the defending runners-up of the Prva HNL in the last season, also a rank table which kept in the current season in the first-half.[33] A few days after he scored first goal for Rijeka but in a friendly match.

2014–15 season

On 11 February 2015 Balaj made it his first competititve debut and managed to score as well, this time in the context of the Croatian Cup. Rijeka won against Lokomotiva Zagreb 4–1 in the first leg of the 2014–15 Croatian Cup quarterfinals and Balaj played the full 90-minutes match and scored the second goal of the match in the 59th minute.[34] Balaj made it his league debut also scoring a goal. He scored in the 13th minute the second goal in the Adriatic derby of Croatia between Rijeka and Hajduk Split on 18 February 2015, match finished in the 3–0 victory.[35] Balaj scored his second goal in the second league game in a row and third including both championships against RNK Split in the 56th minute of the match, to give his team the 1–1 draw.[36] During the entire league season, Balaj produced in total 9 goals in 15 matches all as a starter in where he substituted off in just 3 occasions. As it was in the start of the second-half of the 2014–15 season Rijeka managed to kept the 2nd place in the rank and finished as runners-up to secure a place in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League - Second qualifying round.[37] Balaj also managed to play in 3 2014–15 Croatian Cup matches and scored 1 goal where Rijeka managed to go until semi-finals when they eliminated by eventual champions of both Croatian Cup & League Dinamo Zagreb losing 2–1 on aggregate.[38]

2015–16 season

Balaj started a new season with Rijeka retaining his starting place on 10 July 2015 in a goalless draw against Inter Zaprešić, but got substituted off for Roman Bezjak in the 58th minute.[39] A few days later Balaj made his European debut for Rijeka playing the full 90-minutes match valid for the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League - Second qualifying round against Aberdeen, finished as a bad 0–3 loss.[40] In his second league match of the season Balaj scored a goal against Slaven Belupo Koprivnica in a 3–3 draw.[41]

International career

Under-19

Balaj was part of the Albania U-19 squad for the qualifying stage of the 2009 European Championship, where he made his debut on 8 October 2008 against England at Ballymena Showgrounds, Northern Ireland by replacing Guido Tepshi at half time and where the match finished in the 3–0 loss for Albania.[42] He scored his first and also Albania's only goal of the qualifying campaign, against Northern Ireland on 13 October 2008 at The Oval, Belfast in a 2–1 loss.[43]

Goals
Scores and results list Albania U19's goal tally first.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 18 November 2009 Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 2–0 4–1[44] 2010 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification
2 3–0

Under-21

Goals
Scores and results list Albania U21's goal tally first.
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 4 September 2010 Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan  Azerbaijan 2–3 2–3[45] 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification
2 11 October 2011 Grudziądz, Poland  Poland 2–3 3–4[46] 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification
3 6 June 2012 Estádio Municipal da Marinha Grande, Marinha Grande, Portugal  Portugal 1–2 1–3[47] 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification

Senior team

After his transfer to Sparta Prague and a successful debut with a number 9 jersey, Balaj is looking forward for a call from Albania's coach Gianni de Biasi.[48] He made it his debut for Albania national football team on 14 November 2012 against Cameroon by coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute in place of Edgar Çani. He made it his first international competitive debut in the closing match of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification on 15 October 2013 against Cyprus where he came in as a substitute in place of Hamdi Salihi in the 87th minute of the match which finished in the 0–0 draw.[49]

He scored his first goal for Albania on 7 September 2014, against Portugal in their opening Euro 2016 qualifiers, where Albania won 0–1 away.[50][51] Odise Roshi swung in a cross from the right which was behind Balaj, but on the turn he managed to get his foot to the ball and his right-footed volley found the bottom corner from 15 yards.[52] Balaj described his goal as a "striker" goal.[53]

Goals
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 4 October 2014 Estádio Municipal de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal  Portugal 1–0 1–0 UEFA Euro 2016 Qualification

Career statistics

Club

As of 24 April 2016 [54][55][56]
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
2007–08Vllaznia ShkodërAlbanian Superliga10——10
2008–097051—121
2009–1030965404014
Total 389116405315
2010–11GençlerbirliğiSüper Lig1010–20
Total 10100020
KF TiranaAlbanian Superliga13241—173
2011–122413146204019
2012–13—2020
Total 3715187405922
Sparta PragueGambrinus liga1232051194
Total 1232051194
2013–14Jagiellonia BiałystokEkstraklasa31752—369
Total 3175200369
2014–15Slavia PragueGambrinus liga 13310—143
Total 1331000143
RijekaCroatian First League 15931—1810
2015–16 29941203510
Total 441872205320
Career total 17655451715123673

International

As of 26 March 2016
Albania national team [55][57]
YearAppsGoals
201210
201330
201451
201530
201610
Total131

Honours

Club

Vllaznia Shkodër
Tirana
Sparta Prague
Rijeka

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Gjergj Kola (20 June 2010). "Bekim Bala: Po përjetoj njëlloj ëndrre në Turqi…" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. Retrieved 20 June 2010.
  2. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (21 March 2015). "Football - Match Kategoria superiore : Beselidhja Lezhe vs. Vllaznia Shkoder". Football Database. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  3. ↑ Sligo Rovers vs. Vllaznia Shkodër - 2 July 2009 - Soccerway
  4. ↑ Roshi - Bala, nis eksodi i shqiptareve drejt Evropes Arkiva Shqiptare e Lajmeve
  5. ↑ Jorgis Memo (17 December 2009). "Qipriotë dhe turq, për "yjet" e Superiores" (in Albanian). Albania-Sport. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  6. ↑ "Bekim Balaj transferohet te Gençlerbirligi" (in Albanian). Albania-Sport. 16 June 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  7. ↑ Gjergj Kola (17 June 2010). "Gjyrezi: Bala në Turqi, zgjedhja më e mirë" (in Albanian). Sporti Shqiptar. Retrieved 18 June 2010.
  8. ↑ "Turkish team signs Albanian striker" (in Albanian). World Bulletin. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 19 June 2010.
  9. ↑ "Bekim Balaj, me një këmbë te Tirana". Gazeta Shqiptare Online. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  10. ↑ Leonard Karaj (20 January 2011). "Balaj te Tirana per 70 mije". Info Arkiv. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  11. ↑ Gjergji Mima (21 January 2011). "Tirana firmos me sulmuesin Bekim Balaj". Yll Press. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  12. ↑ Besi Donati (20 January 2011). "Perfundimisht:Bekim Balaj te Tirana". Albania Soccer. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  13. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (3 February 2011). "KF Tirana 0–0 Skënderbeu". Football Database. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  14. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (6 April 2011). "Besa 1–1 KF Tirana". Football Database. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  15. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (15 April 2011). "KF Tirana 6–1 KF Elbasani". Football Database. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  16. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (22 May 2011). "KF Tirana 1–1 Dinamo Tirana". Football Database. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  17. ↑ Fatjon Pandovski (22 May 2011). "Tirana shade Dinamo in Albanian Cup final". UEFA.com. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  18. ↑ Altin Vorpsi (23 May 2011). "Ilion Lika i jep titullin e 14-te kampion Tiranes". Info Arkiv. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  19. ↑ "Skënderbeu 0–1 KF Tirana". Soccerway. 18 August 2011. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  20. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (18 August 2011). "KF Tirana 0–0 Skënderbeu". Football Database. Retrieved 28 August 2011.
  21. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (17 September 2011). "Kastrioti 2–3 KF Tirana". Football Database. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  22. ↑ "Kastrioti 2–3 KF Tirana". Soccerway. 17 September 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  23. ↑ Arbi Laçi (20 September 2011). "Bala: Unë dhe Lika, është një Tiranë "shkodrane"". Sport Ekspres. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  24. ↑ Oltian Ruçi (21 September 2011). "KF Himara 0–3 KF Tirana". Football Database. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  25. ↑ Arbi Laçi (22 September 2011). "Balaj shou, tre gola pë të hipotekuar turin tjetër". Sport Ekspres. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  26. ↑ "Bala: Pasi të fitoj Tiranën dua kombëtaren". Sport Ekspres. 23 September 2011. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  27. ↑ Sparta Praha vs. Athletic Club - 4 October 2012 - Soccerway
  28. ↑ Slavia získala útočníka Bekima Balaje SK Slavia Praha
  29. ↑ Slovácko vs. Slavia Praha - 26 July 2014 - Soccerway
  30. ↑ Balaj hero në Çeki, i jep fitoren Slavias Panorama Sport
  31. ↑ Slavia Praha vs. Slovan Liberec - 10 August 2014 - Soccerway
  32. ↑ Slavia Praha vs. Příbram - 1 November 2014 - Soccerway
  33. ↑ Bekim Balaj ne Kroaci, bashkohet me HNK Rijeka SuperSport
  34. ↑ Balaj shënon gol në Kupën e Kroacisë (video) aSport.al
  35. ↑ Balaj "bekon" me gol edhe derbin e Kroacisë (+Video) aSport.al
  36. ↑ Balaj shënon për Rijekën ndaj RNK Split Sport Ekspres
  37. ↑ Summary - 1. HNL - Croatia - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway
  38. ↑ Summary - HR Nogometni Cup - Croatia - Results, fixtures, tables and news - Soccerway
  39. ↑ Dinamo Zagreb vs. Rijeka - 29 May 2015 - Soccerway
  40. ↑ Rijeka vs. Aberdeen - 16 July 2015 - Soccerway
  41. ↑ Shënon Bekim Balaj, i jep Rijekës një pikë Telesport
  42. ↑ England U-19 3–0 Albania U-19 en.archive.uefa.com
  43. ↑ Albania U-19 1–2 Northern Ireland U-19 en.archive.uefa.com
  44. ↑ Albania U19 vs. San Marino U19 - 18 November 2009 - Soccerway
  45. ↑ Azerbaijan U21 vs. Albania U21 - 4 September 2010 - Soccerway
  46. ↑ Poland U21 vs. Albania U21 - 11 October 2011 - Soccerway
  47. ↑ Portugal U21 vs. Albania U21 - 6 June 2012 - Soccerway
  48. ↑ Erjon Saliu Sportekspres: Bala, rrjeta e parë: Nuk e mendoja një nisje kaq të mbarë 13/8/2012 Sport Ekspres
  49. ↑ Cyprus vs. Albania - 15 October 2013 - Soccerway
  50. ↑ Portugal vs. Albania - 7 September 2014 - Soccerway
  51. ↑ ""Bekim" kuqezi në Aveiro, Shqipëria shokon Portugalinë". Panorama Sport. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  52. ↑ "Portugal slump to home defeat by Albania in Euro 2016 qualifier". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 8 September 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  53. ↑ "Albania enjoy afterglow of Portugal success". UEFA.com. 7 September 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  54. ↑ Bekim Balaj profile at Soccerway
  55. 1 2 Bekim Balaj at National-Football-Teams.com
  56. ↑ Bekim Balaj – UEFA competition record
  57. ↑ Bekim Bala - national football team player EU-Football.info
  58. ↑ "Bekim Balës i jepet çmimi “Talenti i sezonit 2011-2012”". Gazeta Shqip. 30 May 2012. Retrieved 8 July 2015.

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