Elseid Hysaj
 Hysaj with Albania U21 in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Elseid Gëzim Hysaj | ||
| Date of birth | 2 February 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Shkodër, Albania | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Playing position | Right Back | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Napoli | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2009 | Shkodra | ||
| 2009–2012 | Empoli | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2012–2015 | Empoli | 102 | (1) |
| 2015– | Napoli | 33 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2010–2011 | Albania U17 | 3 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Albania U21 | 4 | (0) |
| 2013– | Albania | 16 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 April 2016. | |||
Elseid Gëzim Hysaj (born 2 February 1994) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a right back for Italian club Napoli and the Albania national team. Being born in the year 1994 he is also still eligible to represent the Albania national under-21 football team at the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.
He is an attack minded full back whose natural position is at right back, but is also comfortable playing at left back. He is an attacking fullback who is good at tracking back when faced with being caught out of position, as well as possessing good vision in order to pick out crosses as well as long range passes.
Hysaj was born in Albania and started youth career with KF Shkodra, a local team of Shkodër city, but joined his father in Italy at the age of 14, where he joined Empoli's youth setup in 2009, before going on to make his debut for the club in 2011 in the Coppa Italia. He made his league debut the following season in Serie B, and he quickly became the club's starting right back under the guidance of head coach Maurizio Sarri, making 34 league appearances during the 2012–13 campaign before going on to secure promotion with Empoli the following season. During his debut season in Serie A he had an impressive campaign, where he featured in 36 league games as his side comfortably avoided relegation. At the end of the season Sarri left as head coach and joined Napoli, where Hysaj soon followed in a €6million move, making it the second most expensive move involving an Albanian international behind of Lorik Cana which currently holds the record with a €6,75 million move from Galatasaray to Lazio in July 2011.[1][2]
He continued to impress under Sarri even following his move to Napoli, as he cemented his place in the starting lineup ahead of Zúñiga and Maggio. He is currently an integral part of the Napoli side and can play in multiple formations.
Early life
Two months after Elseid's birth his father Gëzim emigrated to Italy like many Albanians had done in the 1990s in search of employment opportunities in order to provide for his family. Elseid grew up in Shkodër with his mother and grandparents while his father worked in Italy as a bricklayer.
Hysaj himself started his youth career at KF Shkodra, an amateur club based in his birth-place Shkodër and managed by Taip Piraniqi.[3][4] While working at the home of football agent Marco Piccioli, his father mentioned that his son was a talented footballer, however due to Elseid being only 10 years of age at the time, Piccioli advised Gëzim to wait. When Elseid had turned 14 he traveled to Italy where he was assessed by Piccioli and attended trials at various clubs, including Fiorentina before eventually joining the Empoli academy.[5]
Club career
Empoli
Hysaj was first called for the Empoli senior squad for the 9th game week of the 2011–12 Serie B season against Varese on 9 October 2011, in which Hysaj was an unused substitute for the entire match.[6] During the second-half of the 2011–12 season he was called-up twice more for matches in March and April (2012) but again remained as an unused substitute.[7][8] He made his professional debut with the first team on 24 November 2011 playing the full 90-minutes match against Fiorentina, match valid for the Coppa Italia, finished in the 2-1 loss.[9]
2012–13 season
Hysaj made his league debut on 20 October 2012 in the 2012–13 Serie B match against Virtus Lanciano, which finished in away 0–3 victory, where he came on as a substitute in the 67th minute in place of Andrea Cristiano.[10] Empoli eventually finished the 2012–13 season in 4th place and therefore qualified for the promotion playoffs. In semifinals they played against Novara, in where Hysaj played full 90-minutes in both legs, first on 22 May 2013, with the match finishing in a 1–1 away draw[11] and in the second leg on 26 May 2013, which Empoli won 4–1.[12] Empoli then played in the two-legged final against Livorno. On 29 May 2013 Hysaj played another full 90-minutes in the first leg of the final against Livorno, finished in the draw 1–1[13] and another one in the second leg final on 2 June 2013, finished in the loss 1–0,[14] At this way Livorno promoted to 2013–14 Serie A on aggregate 2–1.
Hysaj finished 2012-13 season with Empoli, making a total of 35 appearances, by where 30 in Serie B, 1 in Coppa Italia and 4 in Serie B promotion playoffs.
2013–14 season
On 19 September 2013, he renewed his contract with Empoli until 2015.[15]
Hysaj scored his first professional goal on 17 April 2014 in the match against Virtus Lanciano. The goal came in the 4th minute after he received a pass in the entrance area, made an zig-zag move between three opponents then issued a left-foot shoot, which was stopped at the gate of the squad triangle, but the supergol was not enough, as Empoli loss the match within 2-1 result.[16][17]
On 30 May 2014, Empoli ended their six-year absence from Serie A by earning promotion from Italy's Serie B.
2014–15 season
He made his Serie A debut on 31 August 2014 in the opening match of the 2014–15 Serie A season against Udinese, which finished in a 2–0 defeat. During the season Hysaj and Empoli agreed to extend the contract until the June 2017 and also depending on the performance of the team for two next seasons, if will stay in Serie A or will fall again in Serie B, Hysaj's salary will go from 170.000 euros that takes currently, to 200.000 euros.[18]
Hysaj begun in the best way possible the year 2015, because after a goalless draw with his squad against Verona, he was selected by sports analysts in the best lineup of the 17th week of Serie A.[19]
In his last season at Empoli, Hysaj played 36 league games including 33 as a starter and 32 full 90-minute matches. He appeared also in 3 2014–15 Coppa Italia matches where he played two of them for full 90-minutes, where Empoli advanced until Round of 16 and were eliminated by Roma in extra-time and in this match Hysaj played as a substitute at second-half.
Napoli
In July 2015, Hysaj concluded a deal with the fellow Serie A side S.S.C. Napoli, following former Empoli coach Maurizio Sarri and player Mirko Valdifiori to the club. On 3 August 2015, Hysaj completed his transfer at Napoli and signed on a five-year contract for a reported fee of €5 million, becoming the second most expensive move invlolving Albanian international players behind of behind of Lorik Cana which currently holds the record with a €6,75 million move from Galatasaray to Lazio in July 2011.[20][21]
He made it his debut for Napoli 23 August 2015 against Sassuolo playing the full 90-minute match.[22] He showed an impressive form at the club to become an regular starter under the coach Maurizio Sarri and also playing the entire 90-minute matches, substituting off in just a few cases and leaving behind two fellow Napoli's defenders Juan Camilo Zúñiga and Christian Maggio.[23] Napoli managed to be the top of the Serie A table.
At Napoli Hysaj managed to make his first UEFA competition debut on 17 September 2015 by playing the full 90-minutes match against Club Brugge in a crucial 5–0 victory over Belgian side.[24]
On 8 February 2016 Hysaj was included in the best 11 of Serie A youth players by football analyst Gianluca Di Marzio among big names such as Juventus players, Paul Pogba, Paulo Dybala, Inter Milan player Mauro Icardi and Milan player M'Baye Niang.[25]
International career
Albania U17
Hysaj played with Albania national under-17 football team 3 games valids for the 2011 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round, on 25 September 2010 against Norway U-17 lost by 2–0,[26] Republic of Ireland U-17 on 27 September 2010 also lost by 2–0[27] and against Malta U-17 on 30 September 2010 drawn by 1-1.[28]
In a interview for Albanian media, Hysaj declared that he was invited once by Italian Football Federation but he has refused as he wanted to representing Albania at international level.[3]
Albania senior team
Following his good performances with Empoli in Serie B and some consults of assistant coach of the Albania national football team, Paolo Tramezzani, the Albania's head coach Gianni De Biasi decided to invite Hysaj for the friendly match against Georgia on 6 February 2013.[29]
In this game, at the age of 18, he made his debut, becoming the third youngest player after Blendi Nallbani and Iljaz Çeço to play for the Albania national team.[30]
Moving back temporary at Albania U21
After his performances with the senior team, he moved back temporarily to the Albania national under-21 football team, when he was called up for a friendly match against Austria U21 on 14 August 2013.[31]
He was called up for the senior team once again for a friendly match against Belarus on 15 November 2013.[32]
After a game against Belarus, three days later he played once more with Albania U21 against Spain U21, match valid for qualification to the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship where they lost 0–2.[33] On 5 March 2014, he played in last match valid for qualification to the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship against Austria U21, finished in the away victory 1–3 with goals scored by Enis Gavazaj, Vasil Shkurti and Herolind Shala, where Hysaj played full 90 minutes.[34]
Albania senior side - major competitions
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
He made his first competitive debut for Albania on 22 March 2013 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group E match against Norway coming on as a substitute in the 80th minute in place of Armend Dallku, match finished in a important away 0–1 victory.[35] He played also in the next match against Norway on 7 June 2015 as a substitute in place of Ervin Bulku in the 90+1' minute in a 1–1 home draw.[36] Hysaj was called up to the squad for the double-away matches against Slovenia & Iceland on 6 & 10 September 2013.[37] Hysaj was an unused substitute against Slovenia on 6 September 2013, match finished in the 1–0 loss.[38]
Career statistics
Club
| Season | Club | League country | League | League Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| 2011–12 | Empoli | Serie B | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012–13 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| 2013–14 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 1 | |||
| 2014–15 | Serie A | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | ||
| Total | 102 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 109 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16 | Napoli | Serie A | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 0 |
| Total | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 131 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 144 | 1 | ||
International
- As of 13 March 2016
| Albania national team [40][41][42] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 |
| 2014 | 7 | 0 |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 |
| 2016 | - | - |
| Total | 16 | 0 |
Honours
Club
- Empoli
References
- ↑ Lorik Cana Sky Sports profile
- ↑ Napoli kompleton transferimin e Hysajt KOHA.net
- 1 2 Elseid Hysaj: Refuzova Kombëtaren e Italisë për Shqipërinë Shkodra Press "Karrieren time e kam nisur me ekipin e Shkodra Sport me trajner Taip Piraniqin"; "Gjithashtu dua tiu them se me ka ftuar edhe Italia por e kam refuzuar sepse une kam lindur shqiptar dhe shqiptar do mbetem"
- ↑ KF Shkodra - Klub FSHF.org
- ↑ Udhëtimi magjik i Hysajt, që tashmë e kërkon Çelsi! Sport Ekspres
- ↑ Empoli vs. Varese - 9 October 2011 - Soccerway
- ↑ Empoli vs. Torino - 31 March 2012 - Soccerway
- ↑ Hellas Verona vs. Empoli - 27 April 2012 - Soccerway
- ↑ Fiorentina vs. Empoli - 24 November 2011 - Soccerway
- ↑ Virtus Lanciano vs. Empoli - 20 October 2012 - Soccerway
- ↑ Novara vs. Empoli - 22 May 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Empoli vs. Novara - 26 May 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Empoli vs. Livorno - 29 May 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Livorno vs. Empoli - 2 June 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Hysaj rinovon deri në vitin 2015 me Empolin aSport.al
- ↑ Hysaj shënon supergol, Empoli mundet (Video) aSport.al
- ↑ Virtus Lanciano vs. Empoli - 17 April 2014 - Soccerway
- ↑ Rinovon Elseid Hysaj, deri më 2017-ën tek Empoli Panorama Sport
- ↑ Hysaj në formacionin e javës në Serie A (FOTO LAJM) Albeu.com
- ↑ Hysaj gjen akord me Napolin! Sport Ekspres
- ↑ Hysaj signed for Napoli (in Italian) Napolisoccer.net
- ↑ Sassuolo vs. Napoli - 23 August 2015 - Soccerway
- ↑ Elseid Hysaj matches at Soccerway
- ↑ UEFA Europa League 2016 - Napoli-Club Brugge UEFA.com
- ↑ Hysaj në formacionin e Di Marcios minuta90.com
- ↑ Norway U17 vs. Albania U17 - 25 September 2010 - Soccerway
- ↑ Albania U17 vs. Republic of Ireland U17 - 27 September 2010 - Soccerway
- ↑ Malta U17 vs. Albania U17 - 30 September 2010 - Soccerway
- ↑ Gjeorgjia, eksperimenti i fundit Xhani De Biazit para Norvegjisë Telegrafi
- ↑ Gazeta Shqip (February 6, 2013). "Elseid Hisaj, historia e një ëndrre të bërë realitet".
- ↑ Elseid Hysaj e Tomas Strakosha dy “blerjet”e Gegës në ekipin e shpresave aSport.al
- ↑ Lista anti-Bjellorusi: De Biazi rikthen Memushajn, Sadikun e Mehën, Vajushi e Salihi jashtë aSport.al
- ↑ Albania U21 vs. Spain U21 - 18 November 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Austria U21 vs. Albania U21 - 5 March 2014 - Soccerway
- ↑ Norway vs. Albania - 22 March 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Albania vs. Norway - 7 June 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Shpallet lista: De Biasi 28 ushtarë ndaj Sllovenisë dhe Islandës aSport.al
- ↑ Slovenia vs. Albania - 6 September 2013 - Soccerway
- ↑ Elseid Hysaj profile at Soccerway
- 1 2 Elseid Hysaj at National-Football-Teams.com
- ↑ Elseid Hysaj - national football team player EU-Football.info
- ↑ Elseid Hysaj – UEFA competition record
External links
- Elseid Hysaj profile at Soccerway
- Elseid Hysaj at National-Football-Teams.com
- Elseid Hysaj – UEFA competition record
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