Andi Lila (born 12 February 1986) is a former Albanian professional
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby le ...
who played as a
defensive midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for the
Albania national team. He was a versatile player, having played primarily as a
right back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
early in his career as well as
left back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
, but in recent years he played predominately in a
defensive midfield
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
role, as well as a
right midfielder
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
.
Lila began his career with local side
Besa Kavajë Besa or BESA may refer to:
Arts & entertainment
* ''Besa'' (newspaper), a newspaper published in Albania
* ''Besa'' (TV series), a Serbian-British television series produced by Adrenalin and Red Planet Pictures
* ''The Besa'', a novel by Albanian ...
, where he made his debut in 2002 as a 16-year-old and soon became a regular first team player, which earned him a move to Greek club
Iraklis
Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...
in January 2007. He soon returned to Besa Kavajë after failing to settle at Iraklis, and he shortly became the club captain, guiding them to a third-place finish in the
Albanian Superliga
The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football compet ...
before moving to
KF Tirana
Klubi i Futbollit Tirana (KF Tirana) is an Albanian football club based in the country's capital city, Tirana. The men's football club is part of the multi-disciplinary sports club SK Tirana, and is the most successful in Albania, having won 54 ...
after just one year back in Kavajë. He was a fan favourite at KF Tirana as during his three years at the club, and he won the Albanian Superliga title in his first season there, as well as helping his side reach the
Albanian Cup
The Albanian Cup ( sq, Kupa e Shqipërisë) is the main "knockout" competition in Albanian football. The competition started in 1939 as Kupa e Mbretit (English:"The King's Cup"). Just after a year the cup was suspended as the Second World War st ...
final which he missed and his side lost in. His last game with the club came in the 2011 Albanian Cup final which his side lost on penalties after extra time, before moving to Greece for a second stint, this time with
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
.
He quickly established himself in the first team at PAS Giannina and helped his side achieve a mid table finish in his first season back in Greece, and then reach the Superleague playoffs in his second season at the club before a bottom half finish in his third season. He joined struggling
Serie A
The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...
side
Parma
Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...
on loan for the second half of the 2014–15 campaign, but he could not help the club escape relegation and returned to his parent club PAS Giannina following the bankruptcy of Parma. Since his return he has struggled to recapture his place in the first team, and has been limited to mostly substitute appearances in the league.
Lila has represented Albania at
under-17,
under-19,
under-21 and
senior
Senior (shortened as Sr.) means "the elder" in Latin and is often used as a suffix for the elder of two or more people in the same family with the same given name, usually a parent or grandparent. It may also refer to:
* Senior (name), a surname ...
levels. He made his senior international debut in 2007 against
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
and has since earned 59 caps but has yet to score a senior international goal. He became Albania's first choice right back in 2010 under
Josip Kuže
Josip Kuže (13 November 1952 – 16 June 2013) was a Croatian football manager and footballer. He was a player and later a manager of Dinamo Zagreb where he played for 10 years, making a total of 384 appearances and scoring 14 goals.
Playing c ...
, and he also began to play in the defensive midfield position. Under
Gianni De Biasi
Giovanni "Gianni" De Biasi (, sq, Xhovani "Xhani" De Biazi), born 16 June 1956 is an Italian football coach and former player. He holds dual Italian and Albanian citizenship. De Biasi was the first coach of the Albania national team to lead th ...
he has primarily played as a right midfielder or right winger since 2014, and he has helped Albania qualify for its first major international tournament as they reached
Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe ...
. He was also heavily involved in the infamous
Serbia v Albania match on 14 October 2014, which resulted in the match being abandoned and Albania eventually being awarded a walkover victory over Serbia.
Club career
Besa Kavajë
Lila started his career with hometown club,
Besa Kavajë Besa or BESA may refer to:
Arts & entertainment
* ''Besa'' (newspaper), a newspaper published in Albania
* ''Besa'' (TV series), a Serbian-British television series produced by Adrenalin and Red Planet Pictures
* ''The Besa'', a novel by Albanian ...
. He made his debut for the club during the 2002–03 season in the
Albanian Superliga
The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football compet ...
on 14 December 2002 in an away match against
Teuta Durrës
Teuta ( Illyrian: *''Teutana'', 'mistress of the people, queen'; grc, Τεύτα; lat, Teuta) was the queen regent of the Ardiaei tribe in Illyria, who reigned approximately from 231 BC to 228/227 BC.
Following the death of her spouse Agro ...
. Lila came on as a substitute at half time by replacing Ervin Bardhi. However it was not a game to remember for the young Lila as it finished 5–0 to Teuta Durrës.
Iraklis
Lila's performances at
right-back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
paved the way for his move to Greek club
Iraklis
Gymnasticos Syllogos Iraklis ( el, Γυμναστικός Σύλλογος Ηρακλής, en, Gymnastics Club Heracles), commonly referred to as Iraklis, is a Greek multi-sports club based in Thessaloniki. The club was founded in 1908 as "Mace ...
in January 2007, where he joined fellow
Albanians
The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
,
Enea Koliçi
Enea Koliçi (born 13 February 1986) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Ballkani.
Koliçi started his career in Iraklis' youth squads. He also played for Olympiacos Volou, Odysseas Kordeliou, Panserraikos an ...
,
Elvis Kaja and
Indrit Fortuzi
Indrit Shaban Fortuzi (born 23 November 1973) is an Albanian retired national football forward who has played almost all his career for Tirana.
Club career
Nicknamed ''Zogu'' (bird), he has also played for Dinamo Tirana and in Greece for Ira ...
. Despite making his dream move abroad a reality, Lila struggled to settle in Greece and after only 6 months and 3 appearances he moved back to his original club Besa Kavajë.
Return to Besa Kavajë
Following his return, he was made captain of the team. During the 2007–08 season he played 26 times without scoring a goal.
The team also was defeated at the
2007 Albanian Supercup
The 2007 Albanian Supercup was the 14th edition of the Albanian Supercup since its establishment in 1989. The match was contested between the Albanian Cup 2007 winners Besa Kavajë and the 2006–07 Albanian Superliga champions KF Tirana.
Detail ...
by Tirana. Lila played his final match with Besa in the
Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup (from la, Inter, 'between' + german: toto, 'betting pool'),Most precisely, from (football pool); cf. often abbreviated and more known in the German-speaking world as UI Cup and originally called the International Foot ...
against
Grasshopper
Grasshoppers are a group of insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera. They are among what is possibly the most ancient living group of chewing herbivorous insects, dating back to the early Triassic around 250 million years ago.
Grasshopp ...
which finished in a 0–3 loss.
Tirana
![Lila Andi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Lila_Andi.jpg)
Lila completed his move to
Tirana
Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...
on 21 July 2008 after him and his agent Sokol Haxhia agreed to terms with the capital club and its president
Refik Halili Refik Halili is the chairman and main sponsor of KF Tirana. Since 2003, Halili had been one of the sponsors of the club. His duty as Chairman of KF Tirana started on May 29, 2008. He is a businessman and founder and owner of one of Albania's leading ...
. His first game as a Tirana player was the opening game of the season against
Vllaznia Shkodër in which he played full-90 minutes of the goalless draw. His first score-sheet contributions with the team came on 14 September in his third appearance in the capital derby against
Partizani Tirana
Futboll Klub Partizani, or FK Partizani for short, is an Albanian professional football club based in Tirana, that competes in the Kategoria Superiore. Founded in 1946, the club was historically affiliated to the Albanian army. Partizani's curren ...
, netting a later winner to hand his team the three points.
Lila didn't have to wait long for another goal as it came less than a week later on 20 September 2008 against
Apolonia Fier
KF Apolonia is an Albanian football club based in Fier. The club was founded on 17 June 1925 and took its name from the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Apollonia. The club currently compete in the Kategoria e Parë and they play their home ...
, his goal came in the 28th minute of the game. During the entire 2008–09 season he became the club's first choice
right back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
and he played 29 games, he also proved that he has attacking qualities as well by scoring 4 goals during the campaign. Tirana concluded the league season by winning its 24 title in history, leaving Vllaznia Shkodër four points behind. Tirana also went into the final of
2008–09 Albanian Cup, where "The White and Blues" were defeated 2–1 by
Flamurtari Vlorë
Flamurtari FC is a professional football club based in Vlorë, Albania. The club plays in the Kategoria e Parë, which is the second tier of football in the country.
Founded in 1923, the club is one of the oldest in Albania, and it is also one ...
, in a match where Lila was an unused substitute.
Lila started his second season with Tirana on 15 July 2009 by making his European debut with Tirana against
Stabæk in the first leg of
2009–10 UEFA Champions League
The 2009–10 UEFA Champions League was the 55th season of Europe's premier club football tournament organised by UEFA, and the 18th under the current UEFA Champions League format. The final was played on 22 May 2010, at the Santiago Bernabéu St ...
's first round. He was a starter even in the returning leg with Tirana slumped into a 4–0 defeat at
Telenor Arena
Telenor Arena, sometimes referred to as Fornebu Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located at Fornebu in Bærum, outside Oslo, Norway. It serves as a venue for a variety of events, including concerts, exhibitions, action shows, family shows ...
, crashing out of competition 1–5 on aggregate. Later, on 16 August, Lila won his second silverware at Tirana, the
Albanian Supercup
The Albanian Supercup is a single match usually at the beginning of the season between the winners of the Kategoria Superiore and Albanian Cup.
Supercup final was not played in the occasions when the champion team won the Double (association foot ...
, where he aided the team to beat Flamurtari Vlorë 1–0 at
Qemal Stafa Stadium
The Qemal Stafa Stadium ( sq, Stadiumi Qemal Stafa), named after Qemal Stafa (1920–1942), a Albanian Resistance of World War II, World War II hero, was a national stadium and the largest football (soccer), football stadium in Tirana, Albania. ...
.
PAS Giannina
Lila completed a transfer to Greek side
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
on 24 June 2011 by signing a three-year contract worth €200,000 plus bonuses.
He was given squad number 3 and made his competitive debut on 27 August by starting in the goalless draw against
Aris Thessaloniki
Athlitikos Syllogos Aris Thessalonikis, means Athletic Club Aris Thessaloniki
...
in the opening week of
2011–12 Superleague Greece. In his first full season at ''Ajax of Epirus'' Lila contributed with 21 league appearances, scoring no goals as the team finished 8th in championship. With 8 yellow cards, Lila had the second worst disciplinary record within the team.
Lila begun his second season on 25 August 2012 by playing in the 0–0 draw versus
Platanias
Platanias (Greek: Πλατανιάς) is a village and municipality on the Greek island of Crete. It is located about west from the city of Chania and east of Kissamos, on Chania Bay. The seat of the municipality is the village Gerani. Platania ...
at
Zosimades Stadium
The National Stadium of Ioannina ( el, Εθνικό Στάδιο Ιωαννίνων), more commonly known as Zosimades Stadium ( el, Στάδιο "Ζωσιμάδες") is a multi-purpose stadium based on Ioannina, Greece and named after the 18th-c ...
. He made his first
Greek Football Cup
The Greek Football Cup ( el, Κύπελλο Ελλάδος Ποδοσφαίρου), commonly known as the Greek Cup or Kypello Elladas is a Greek football competition, run by the Hellenic Football Federation.
The Greek Cup is the second most im ...
appearance later on 29 November in the 1–0 win against
Panserraikos
Panserraikos Football Club ( el, Πανσερραϊκός 1964), the ''All-Serres Football Club'', is a Greece, Greek Association football, football club based in Serres in Central Macedonia, Greece. Panserraikos is one of the most important and ...
in the
first leg of third round. His first score-sheet contributions for the club came later on 8 December as he netted the opener of the 0–2 win at
Kerkyra
Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
. His second of the season came on 24 January of the following year in the second leg of Greek Football Cup against
Fostiras
Fostiras Football Club ( el, Α.Π.Ο. Φωστήρας Ταύρου) is a Greek football club based in Tavros, a suburb of Athens, Greece. They play in the Gamma Ethniki, the fourth tier of the Greek football league system. They played Alpha Et ...
, leading his team into a 2–3 win and progression to quarter-finals. He concluded his second season in Greece by playing 35 matches between league and cup, as PAS Giannina finished 5th in
championship
In sport, a championship is a competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.
Championship systems
Various forms of competition can be referred to by the term championship.
Title match system
In this system ...
and was eliminated by
Olympiacos
Olympiacós Sýndesmos Filáthlon Peiraiós ( el, Ολυμπιακός Σύνδεσμος Φιλάθλων Πειραιώς, Olympic Club of Fans of Piraeus) is a major multi-sport club based in Piraeus, Greece. Olympiacos is parent to a number ...
at the quarter-finals of cup. Once again he had the second worst disciplinary record within the team.
On 12 July 2014, Lila had even declared that his contract with
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
had come to an end, allowing him to sign a contract with
Croatia
, image_flag = Flag of Croatia.svg
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
, anthem = "Lijepa naša domovino"("Our Beautiful Homeland")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, capit ...
n side
HNK Rijeka
Hrvatski nogometni klub Rijeka ( en, Croatian Football Club Rijeka), commonly referred to as NK Rijeka or simply Rijeka, is a Croatian professional association football, football club from the city of Rijeka.
HNK Rijeka compete in Croatia's top ...
, however, he eventually opted against this and signed a new three-year contract with
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
.
Loan to Parma
On 28 December 2014, Lila was sent on loan at
Serie A
The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Coppa ...
club
Parma
Parma (; egl, Pärma, ) is a city in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna known for its architecture, Giuseppe Verdi, music, art, prosciutto (ham), Parmigiano-Reggiano, cheese and surrounding countryside. With a population of 198,292 ...
. The transfer was made official on 1 January 2015 when the
transfer window
A transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other playing staff into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA. "Transfer win ...
reopened. During his presentation, Lila stated that moving to Serie A is a dream come true, adding that Serie A is the best league in the world. Eleven days later, the club announced that the deal temporary with an option to purchase, due to ongoing financial difficulties of the club.
He made his debut for Parma on 14 January 2015, starting in the
Coppa Italia
The ("Italy Cup") is an annual knockout cup competition in Italian football organized by the FIGC until the 2009–10 season and the Lega Serie A ever since.
History
The beginning of the tournament was turbulent, due to the complexity of ...
match against
Cagliari
Cagliari (, also , , ; sc, Casteddu ; lat, Caralis) is an Italian municipality and the capital of the island of Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Cagliari's Sardinian name ''Casteddu'' means ''castle''. It has about 155,000 inhabitant ...
. After 13 minutes, however, Lila was forced off the field with a thigh muscle problem. In his first game back after returning from injury, Lila scored his first goal for Parma against
Sassuolo
Sassuolo (; egl, label=Modenese dialect, Modenese, Sasól ) is an Italian town, ''comune'', and industrial centre of the Province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna.
Standing on the right bank of the river Secchia some southwest of Modena, the town ...
on 15 March 2015; having played from the start, with the match ending as a 4–1 defeat for the ''Gialloblù''.
Return to PAS Giannina
After his loan spell at Parma ended, Lila initially refused to return with the hopes of finding a new club in Serie A. He then begun training with Albanian side
Skënderbeu Korçë
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468
, predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti
, successor = Gjon Kastrioti II
, spouse = Donika Arianiti
, issue = Gjon Kastrioti II
, royal house = Kastrioti
, father ...
in the first days of August 2015 in order to maintain his form. After that, Lila left the team to returning to parent club PAS Giannina for the new season, where he was acollated his old squad number 3.
He made his 100th
Superleague Greece
The Super League Greece 1 ( el, Ελληνική Σούπερ Λιγκ 1), or Super League 1, is the highest professional association football league in Greece. The league was formed on 16 July 2006 and replaced ''Alpha Ethniki'' at the top of ...
on 24 January 2016 by playing 70th minutes in the 0–2 win against
Atromitos Atromitos (Greek: Ατρόμητος, "fearless") may refer to:
* Atromitos F.C., a football team based in Peristeri, Athens, Greece
* Atromitos Piraeus, a football team based in Piraeus, Athens, Greece
* Atromitos Yeroskipou, a football team curr ...
.
Lila started the 2016–17 season by making his Europa League debut for the club on 14 July 2016 by starting in the first leg of
first qualifying round
First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1).
First or 1st may also refer to:
*World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement
Arts and media Music
* 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and reco ...
against
Odds BK
Odds provide a measure of the likelihood of a particular outcome. They are calculated as the ratio of the number of events that produce that outcome to the number that do not. Odds are commonly used in gambling and statistics.
Odds also have ...
as the team achieved a comfortable 3–0 win. He also played in the returning leg a week later as
PAS Giannina
PAS Giannina Football Club ( el, ΠΑΕ ΠΑΣ Γιάννινα 1966), or with its full name Panepirotikos Athlitikos Syllogos Giannina ( el, Πανηπειρωτικός Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Γιάννινα, ''Panepirotic Athleti ...
won at extra-time after regular time ended 3–0. Lila ended his European campaign with 4 matches after the team was eliminated by
AZ Alkmaar
Alkmaar Zaanstreek (), better known as AZ Alkmaar or simply AZ (), is a Dutch professional football club from Alkmaar and the Zaan district. The club plays in the Eredivisie, the highest professional football league in the Netherlands, and ho ...
in the
second qualifying round
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds eac ...
.
On 25 March 2017, Lila was recorded making fun with a certain Greek priest while on international duties. This led the club to ask for his contract to be terminated. Three days later, he reacted and apologised for the incident, stating that his behaviour was "extremely inappropriate". Lila then went to personally meet the priest and to apologize to him in person, also giving him a gift. On 1 April, he was left on bench in the 1–1 home draw versus
Xanthi
Xanthi ( el, Ξάνθη, ''Xánthi'', ) is a city in the region of Western Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi (regional unit), Xanthi regional unit of the modern regions of Greece, region of East Macedonia and Thrace.
A ...
. He returned on the starting lineup four days later by playing 64 minutes in the 3–0 loss at
Veria
Veria ( el, Βέροια or Βέρροια), officially transliterated Veroia, historically also spelled Berea or Berœa, is a city in Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia, northern Greece, capital of the regional unit of I ...
, and scored his first of the campaign later that month, an opener in an eventual 1–1 home draw against
AEK Athens
A.E.K ( el, AEK , formally Αθλητική Ένωσις Κωνσταντινουπόλεως; Athlitikí Énosis Konstantinoupόleos, ''Athletic Union of Constantinople''), known as A.E.K, is a major Greece, Greek multi-sport club based in Nea ...
in the matchday 30. He concluded his 6th season with the club by making 22 appearances in all competitions.
On 21 July 2017, Lila signed a new contract until June 2020. On 1 July 2019 Lila mutual solved his contract with the club.
International career
![And Lila](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/And_Lila.jpeg)
Lila was first called up to the
Albania national team by
Otto Baric
Otto is a masculine German given name and a surname. It originates as an Old High German short form (variants ''Audo'', '' Odo'', ''Udo'') of Germanic names beginning in ''aud-'', an element meaning "wealth, prosperity".
The name is recorded f ...
in late 2007; it was his performances as a
right back
In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield position whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring.
Centre-backs are usually positioned in pairs, with one full-back on either s ...
for
Besa Kavajë Besa or BESA may refer to:
Arts & entertainment
* ''Besa'' (newspaper), a newspaper published in Albania
* ''Besa'' (TV series), a Serbian-British television series produced by Adrenalin and Red Planet Pictures
* ''The Besa'', a novel by Albanian ...
in the
Albanian Superliga
The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football compet ...
that caught the eye of the Croatian. He made his debut for the senior team in a
Euro 2008 qualifiers against
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
in
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
on 21 November 2007. Lila started the game at right back and played the full 90 minutes. However it was not a debut to remember because the match ended 6–1 to Romania and the coach that had called the young defender up to the senior squad quit as the head coach of the
Albania national team just one hour after the final whistle of the embarrassing defeat.
The next manager of the national team also liked Lila's play and this earned him a call up by
Arie Haan
Arend "Arie" Haan (; born 16 November 1948) is a Dutch football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He scored 6 goals in 35 matches for the Netherlands national team of the 1970s. At club level, he enjoyed a successful career ...
to his first game in charge which was a
friendly against
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
on 27 May 2008. Lila started the game but was substituted at half time for
Endrit Vrapi. The game ended in a 1–0 loss but the
Albanians
The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
played well after conceding in the 3rd minute. Andi Lila managed to play another two games under
Arie Haan
Arend "Arie" Haan (; born 16 November 1948) is a Dutch football manager and former player who played as a midfielder. He scored 6 goals in 35 matches for the Netherlands national team of the 1970s. At club level, he enjoyed a successful career ...
, in a
friendly against
Liechtenstein
Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constitutional monarchy ...
and a
2010 World Cup qualifier against
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
. In both matches he came on as a substitute.
![AUT vs](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9e/AUT_vs._ALB_2016-03-26_%28004%29.jpg)
Lila was regular in Albania's successful
UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying
The UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying tournament was a football competition that was played from September 2014 to November 2015 to determine the 23 UEFA member men's national teams joining the automatically qualified host team France in the UEFA Euro 2 ...
campaign. He played in the last 15 minutes of the opening
Group I Group 1 may refer to:
* Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal
* Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N
* Group On ...
match versus
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
as Albania achieved a historic 0–1 win at
Estádio Municipal, the first ever win against "Seleção das Quinas". Later in October 2014 Lila was a protagonist in the
match
A match is a tool for starting a fire. Typically, matches are made of small wooden sticks or stiff paper. One end is coated with a material that can be ignited by friction generated by striking the match against a suitable surface. Wooden matc ...
against
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
, which was also his 50th international appearance; he played as a starter until 42nd minute where the match was postponed due to Serbian fans launching flares onto the pitch. He along with other Albanian players were attacked by Serbian hooligans who came onto the pitch with chairs and other objects. Initially,
UEFA
Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; french: Union des associations européennes de football; german: Union der europäischen Fußballverbände) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs f ...
awarded Serbia with a 3–0 win, but were deducted three points, leading both Serbia and Albania appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who on 10 July 2015, awarded Albania with a 3–0 victory and Serbia were still deducted three points.
After winning 0–3 at
Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium
Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium ( hy, Վազգեն Սարգսյանի անվան Հանրապետական մարզադաշտ) also known as the Republican Stadium ( hy, Հանրապետական մարզադաշտ, translit=Hanrapetakan Marzada ...
against
Armenia
Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ''Ox ...
on 11 October 2015, Albania's spot at
UEFA Euro 2016
The 2016 UEFA European Football Championship, commonly referred to as UEFA Euro 2016 (stylised as UEFA EURO 2016) or simply Euro 2016, was the 15th UEFA European Championship, the quadrennial international men's football championship of Europe o ...
was confirmed as team finished second in Group I with 14 points. On 21 May 2016, Lila was named in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016, and in Albania's final 23-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad on 31 May.
Lila was an unused substitute in the opening
Group A
Group A is a set of motorsport regulations administered by the FIA covering production derived vehicles intended for competition, usually in touring car racing and rallying. In contrast to the short-lived Group B and Group C, Group A vehicles w ...
match against
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...
as Albania fall 0–1. His first European Championship appearance occurred later 16 June against hosts of
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
that won the match 2–0 at the last minutes. Lilaj also played as starter in last group match against
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
as Albania won 1–0 for first victory in a major football tournament. It was Albania's first win over Romania since 1948. Albania finished the group in the third position with three points and with a goal difference –2, and was ranked last in the third-placed teams, which eventually eliminated them.
Personal life
He is married with Ornela Lila, and they become parents for the first time on 20 March 2015 when Lila's wife gave birth to the couple's first son, named Ayan. On 16 July 2015 Lila was decorated with the "Honorary Citizen of Kavaja" award for protecting the national symbols and for his contribution to Albanian football.
In an interview, Lila stated that his favourite club while growing up was Italian side
Internazionale
Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as Internazionale () or simply Inter, and colloquially known as Inter Milan in English-speaking countries, is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy. Inter is ...
.
He is also a fan of American heavy metal band
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band. The band was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles by vocalist/guitarist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich, and has been based in San Francisco for most of its career. The band's fast tempos, instrume ...
and English rock band
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
.
Career statistics
Club
International
Honours
Club
;Tirana
*
Albanian Superliga
The Kategoria Superiore, officially known as Abissnet Superiore for sponsorship reasons, is a professional league for men's association football clubs. At the top of the Albanian football league system, it is the country's primary football compet ...
:
2008–09,
2019–20
*
Albanian Cup
The Albanian Cup ( sq, Kupa e Shqipërisë) is the main "knockout" competition in Albanian football. The competition started in 1939 as Kupa e Mbretit (English:"The King's Cup"). Just after a year the cup was suspended as the Second World War st ...
:
2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
Decoration
*Honorary citizen of
Kavajë
Kavajë ( , sq-definite, Kavaja) is a municipality centrally located in the Western Lowlands region of Albania, in Tirana County. It borders Durrës to the north , Tiranë to the east and Rrogozhinë to the south . To the west lies the Adriati ...
: 2015
References
External links
*
*
*
Andi Lila – Euro 2016 profileat
FSHF
The Albanian Football Association ( sq, Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit; FSHF) is the governing body of football in Albania. The association is based in Tirana, Albania. It organises the national football leagues of the Albanian Superliga, the Fir ...
.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lila, Andi
1986 births
Living people
Footballers from Kavajë
Albanian footballers
Association football defenders
Association football midfielders
Besa Kavajë players
Iraklis Thessaloniki F.C. players
KF Tirana players
PAS Giannina F.C. players
Parma Calcio 1913 players
Kategoria Superiore players
Super League Greece players
Serie A players
Albania under-21 international footballers
Albania youth international footballers
Albania international footballers
Albanian expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in Greece
Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Greece
Expatriate footballers in Italy
Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Italy
UEFA Euro 2016 players