Niko Bespalla

Niko Bespalla

Personal information
Full name	Niko Bespalla
Date of birth	1 January 1938
Place of birth	Durrës, Albania
Playing position	Forward
Youth career
	Teuta Durrës
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1956–1957	Teuta Durrës
1957–1960	Partizani Tirana
1960	Teuta Durrës	0	(0)
1961–1962	Dinamo Tirana
1962–1963	Erzeni Shijak
1963–1967	Teuta Durrës
1964	→ Partizani Tirana (loan)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (goals)

Niko Bespalla (born 1938 in Durrës, Albania), was an Albanian footballer. He played for Teuta Durrës, Partizani Tirana, Dinamo Tirana and Erzeni Shijak in his career before being persecuted by the Communist regime in 1967.^[1] His only surviving child Justin Bespalla was also a footballer who played for Teuta Durrës and Erzeni Shijak amongst others.

Career

Bespalla was born in Durrës in 1938 into a Russian family who had moved to Albania in the 1920s, first living in Tiranë before settling in Durrës. His father, Spiridon Bespalov, married his mother Varvara in Podgorica, and then changed their last name from Bespalov to Bespalla. He grew up in Durrës along with parents and his two sisters, which is where he began playing football with the youth team of Teuta Durrës. He captained the Teuta Durrës under-19 side to the national championship before being promoted to the senior team by the coach Adem Karapici in 1957 at the age of 19.^[2]

References

1. Bespalla, djali i një rusi, i cili u bë mit i futbollit shqiptar
2. Veterani futbollit Niko Bespalla: Nuk bënim kurrë kompromise për të shitur e për të blerë ndeshje