Gjergji Muzaka
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Gjergji Muzaka (born 26 September 1984) is an Albanian former professional footballer who plays as a
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 ...
. A product of Partizani Tirana academy, Muzaka begun his career as a talented youth player, which prompted Paris Saint-Germain to sign him in 2000. His spell in
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 ...
was short-lived, however, as he returned at Partizani one year later and commenced his professional career as 17-year-old. Muzaka played for eight years for ''The Red Bulls'', notably winning 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 ...
title and also having a brief spell in
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with Iraklis as a loanee in 2004. In 2008, he switched clubs, joining Partizani's fierce rivals,
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 ...
. In the following years, he also represented Dinamo Tirana, Flamurtari Vlorë (twice) and Skënderbeu Korçë (twice), achieving a great success with the latter, winning three
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 ...
titles between 2011 and 2014. In January 2015, Muzaka returned to Tirana, but his second spell was marred by consistent injuries and off-field problems, including with club president Refik Halili. He left the club in controversial fashion in January 2017, accusing Halili of not paying him accordingly during his time there; Muzaka filled an appeal at the Conflict Resolution Room of AFA and won, but is yet to take is wages. He returned to Skënderbeu for a second time, and after a slow start, he aided the club to win the championship title in 2017–18 season. Prior to making his senior debut, Muzaka represented Albania at under-19 and -21 levels. He earned his first cap for the Albania national team in 2008, and since then, has made 23 appearances.


Club career


Early career

Born in
Tiranë 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 ...
, Muzaka began his playing career with local side
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 ...
when he was just a teenager. He played for the Partizani U17s where he attracted the interest of several foreign clubs with his performances on the right hand side of midfield. One of these foreign clubs was French giants
Paris Saint-Germain Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As Fr ...
, who in 2000 offered Muzaka a contract at the club. Muzaka accepted and left Partizani at the age of just 16, joining the PSG youth team. However, after just one year in France, Muzaka moved back to
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
and back to Partizani before the beginning of the 2001–02 season.


Partizani Tirana

After returning to Albania, Muzaka was placed into the first team of Partizani. In the 2001–02 season he played 8 league match where he scored a goal with Partizani who finished the league in the 3rd place qualifying for the 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round. He made his
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 ...
competition debut appearing in the two legged game for the 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round against Hapoel Tel Aviv in August 2002 where Partizani got eliminated losing both matches on aggregate 5–1. In the entire 2002–03 season Muzaka earned 20 overall appearances scoring 4 goals with team ending the season again in the 3rd place. He established himself as a starter in the 2003–04 season under coach
Sulejman Mema Sulejman Haxhi Mema (born 17 November 1955) is a former player and manager of Tirana Youth. He has also been head of refereeing at the Football Association of Albania. International career He made his debut for Albania in an April 1983 Europe ...
playing 33 matches and scoring 10 goals winning his first trophy of career, the
2003–04 Albanian Cup 2003–04 Albanian Cup ( sq, Kupa e Shqipërisë) was the fifty-second season of Albania's annual cup competition. It began on 29 August 2003 with the preliminary round and ended on 19 May 2004 with the Final match. The winners of the competition ...
and finishing 4th in the league. In the summer of 2006, he missed a trial at
SpVgg Unterhaching Spielvereinigung Unterhaching () is a German sports club in Unterhaching, a semi-rural municipality on the southern outskirts of the Bavarian capital Munich. The club is widely known for playing in the first-division association football league B ...
due to injury, and also missed the team's
UEFA 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 ...
matches against
Ethnikos Achna Ethnikos Achna Football Club ( el, Αθλητικός Σύλλογος Εθνικός Άχνας), commonly known as Ethnikos Achna, or simply Ethnikos, is a Cypriot football club based in the village of Achna. Founded in 1968, the club current ...
. Partizani begun the 2006–07 Albanian Superliga season by winning 3–2 at home 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 ...
, with Muzaka making history by netting inside 10 seconds make it the fastest ever goal scored in the history of Albanian Superliga. His record was broken three years later by
Migen Memelli Migen Memelli (born 25 April 1980) is an Albanian professional football coach and a former player. Regarded as one of the best strikers of Albanian football, he was known for his goalscoring ability, and has twice been the top goalscorer in the ...
.


Loan to Iraklis

In July 2004. Muzaka was sent on loan to Greek team
Iraklis Thessaloniki 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 ...
for the 2004–05 Alpha Ethniki until 31 December 2004. He made only 3 league appearances prior returning to Partizani for the second half of the 2004–05 Albanian Superliga where he went on to play 11 league games and to score 2 goals with Partizani ranking in the 8th place to avoid relegation.


Tirana

In August 2008, the president of
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 ...
,
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 ...
paid a total of €70,000 to buy Muzaka from their fierce rivals Partizani. He missed the opening two league matches due to injury, and returned in action in September, making his competitive debut against his former team Partizani in the Capital derby; he came as a second-half substitute in place of Sabjen Lilaj and assisted
Andi Lila Andi Lila (born 12 February 1986) is a former Albanian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder for the Albania national team. He was a versatile player, having played primarily as a right back early in his career as well as ...
last-minute winner for a 2–1 win. He made his first start in the following week, playing for 52 minutes in another league win, this time 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 ...
(2–0). In his first season, Muzaka played 38 matches between league and cup. In championship, he made 29 appearances and scored two goals, helping Tirana to win its 24th championship in history. In cup, he scored once in nine appearances as Tirana was defeated in
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
by Flamurtari Vlorë. Muzaka played his 200th match in Albanian Superliga on 30 October 2009 against Vllaznia Shkodër, marking off the occasion by scoring the match's only goal in the first half.


Dinamo Tirana

Muzaka signed a three-year contract with the 2009–10 champions
Dinamo Tirana Futboll Club Dinamo Tirana is an Albanian professional football club based in the country's capital Tirana. They play in the Kategoria e Parë, the second tier of Albanian football, in the 2022–23 season. Founded in 1950 during the communist r ...
on 16 June 2010. The transfer was managed by the
FIFA FIFA (; stands for ''Fédération Internationale de Football Association'' ( French), meaning International Association Football Federation ) is the international governing body of association football, beach football and futsal. It was found ...
licensed agent Elton Marini, of 'M&M Management Agency'. The contact was worth a total of €210,000, with Muzaka earning €70,000 a season with Dinamo. Muzaka was named in Dinamo UEFA Champions League squad, and made his competitive debut on 14 July 2010 in the first leg of
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 ...
against
FC Sheriff Tiraspol Fotbal Club Sheriff (russian: ФК Шериф Тирасполь), commonly known as Sheriff Tiraspol or simply Sheriff, is a Moldovan professional football club based in Tiraspol, a city located in the unrecognised breakaway state of Transnist ...
ended in a 3–1 away defeat. Six days later, in the returning leg, despite losing his father and attending his funeral early that day, Muzaka decided to play and assisted
Emiljano Vila Emiljano Vila (born 12 March 1988) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Teuta Durrës in the Albanian Superliga and the Albania national football team. Club career Early career Vila started his care ...
's header via e set piece in an eventual 1–0 win which was not enough as Dinamo got eliminated 2–3 on aggregate. For this he received "Fair Play" Award at the end of the season by association "Sporti na Bashkon". On 16 August, he started the domestic season in 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 ...
against
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 ...
which finished in a 1–3 home defeat. His first league appearance came on 21 August in the opening league match against
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 ...
which finished in a 0–1 home defeat. His maiden goal arrived on 13 November in the match against Skënderbeu Korçë, netting the opener in an eventual 3–2 away loss. During the first half of the season, Muzaka appeared on 15 matches, including 14 as starter, scoring once before going on loan at Skënderbeu Korçë for the rest of the season.


Skënderbeu Korçë

In January 2011. Muzaka joined a half-season loan at
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 ...
. As part of the transfer, Serbian striker Mladen Brkić went to the opposite direction. He was presented and was given squad number 11, stating: "I'm at Skënderbeu to win the championship."


Flamurtari Vlorë

On 8 August 2012, Muzaka completed a transfer to fellow top flight side
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 ...
for an undisclosed fee. Despite being the target of many Superliga teams, including his former side Tirana, Muzaka choose Flamurtari and signed a contract worth a reported fee €75,000 per season. He was presented one day later where took squad number 14, because number 17 was of
Bruno Telushi Bruno Telushi (born 14 November 1990 in Vlorë) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for AF Elbasani. Telushi begun his career with his local club Flamurtari, making his debut in 2011 after spending four ye ...
. During the 2012–13 season, Muzaka netted 18 goals across all competitions, setting a new personal best. He made 24 league appearances and scored 12 goals, with a ratio of one goal in two games. He was also named
Albanian Superliga Player of the Month The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Kategoria Superiore player each month of the season. It is presented by association "Sporti Na Bashkon". This award was established in the 2010–11 season. Winne ...
in March 2013. Muazaka was also an important instrument in the
2012–13 Albanian Cup 2012–13 Albanian Cup () was the sixty-first season of Albania's annual cup competition. Laçi, the winners of the competition qualified for the first qualifying round of the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League. KF Tirana were the defending champions ...
, scoring 6 times in 9 matches as Flamurtari was eliminated in
Group B Group B was a set of regulations for grand touring (GT) vehicles used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World Sportscar ...
.


Return to Skënderbeu Korçë

In August 2013, Muzaka joined
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 ...
on a free transfer, returning in Korçë after one season absence. He signed a contract for the 2013–14 season with an option to renew and took his favourite squad number 17. In December 2013, Muzaka was a nominee for the
Albanian Footballer of the Year Albanian Footballer of the Year is an annual award given to the best professional Albanian footballer elected by Football Association of Albania members, coaches and captains of the Kategoria Superiore clubs. The award can also be given to a forei ...
award, which was subsequently won by
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 ...
' Daniel Xhafaj.


Return to Flamurtari Vlorë

After becoming a free agent following the expiration of his one-year contract with Skënderbeu Korçë, Muzaka re-joined
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 ...
, where we had played between 2012 and 2013. He officially signed a two-year contract with Flamurtari on 10 June 2014. However, he left the club in January 2015 after a massive exodus, terminating his contract by mutual consent.


Return to Tirana

Muzaka left Flamurtari Vlorë during a mass exodus at the club in January 2015, after terminating his contract through mutual consent. He then returned 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 ...
, signing a contract until the end of the 2014–15 campaign, reportedly worth €5,500 a month. On 7 January he was officially unveiled as a KF Tirana player to the media, holding a press conference alongside the club's 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 ...
and newly appointed director Devi Muka. He made his return debut on 24 January by playing full-90 minutes in the 2–0 home win 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 ...
in the matchday 19. On 8 March 2015, during the league match against the title rivals Kukësi, Muzaka assisted the
Tomislav Bušić Tomislav Bušić (born 2 February 1986) is a Croatian professional footballer who plays as a forward. Club career Early career He also formerly played for Slaven Belupo and Hajduk Split with whom he won the Croatian League in 2005. In the ...
goal in the 72nd minute, and scored himself six minutes later to seal the 2–0 win at neutral ground
Niko Dovana Stadium The Niko Dovana Stadium, officially Stadiumi "Niko Dovana", is a multi-use stadium located in Durrës, Albania. It is the home ground of Teuta. The capacity is 12,040, making it the fifth largest ground in the country. It was renamed in 1991 in ...
. On 22 April 2015, during the
2014–15 Albanian Cup 2014–15 Albanian Cup () was the sixty-three season of Albania's annual cup competition. Flamurtari Vlorë, Flamurtari were the most recent winners of the competition, that being their fourth first Cup trophy. Ties are played in a two-legged for ...
semi-final second leg match against Laçi, Muzaka snapped his knee's ligament after a collision with
Olsi Teqja Olsi Teqja (born 27 July 1988) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Championnat National 2 club Chambly. Club career Bylis Ballsh On 22 August 2011, Teqja joined Albanian Superliga side Bylis Ballsh. He debuted ...
and was stretchered off the field in the 46th minute. He underwent surgery on his knee on 11 May in Rome and was ruled out of action for 6 months. He finished second part of 2014–15 season by playing 15 matches between league and club, including 12 in league, scoring once in the process. On 19 November 2015, Muzaka returned to pitch after about six months as he appeared in the last 15 minutes of the goalless draw against Laçi. He had to wait until 30 January of the following year to make his first start since the injury, as he played 75 minutes and scored a goal in the 1–3 away win at Tërbuni Pukë. He followed up the goal by scoring another one in the 3–0 win at Laçi, helping Tirana to win the first match at
Laçi Stadium Laçi Stadium ( sq, Stadiumi Laçi) is a multi-use stadium in Laçi, Albania. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home games of KF Laçi of the Kategoria Superiore. The stadium currently has an official seated capacity of 8,000 ...
since 5 May 2012. Muzaka continued with his solid performances as he converted a penalty-kick in Tirana's 2–0 home defeat of
Bylis Ballsh KF Bylis, also known as Bylis Ballsh, is an Albanian football club based in Ballsh, Mallakastër District. The club's home ground is the Adush Muça Stadium and they currently compete in the Kategoria Superiore. History Early history The club ...
, helping Tirana to gain its first win at the newly renovated
Selman Stërmasi Stadium The Selman Stërmasi Stadium ( sq, Stadiumi Selman Stërmasi) is a multi-purpose stadium in Tirana, Albania. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of KF Tirana. The stadium holds 9,500 people (all seated). It i ...
. It was his third goal of the season in the last three matches. On 17 April, during the league match at Bylis Ballsh, Muzaka suffered another injury, a shoulder fracture which forced him to end of the season with six weeks remaining. He finished the season by making 22 appearances, including 19 in league, and scoring four goals, and Tirana once again remained out of European competitions. Following his shoulder injury, Muzaka returned in training in September 2016. He made his first appearance of the season in the second leg of Albanian Cup first round against
Sopoti Librazhd KF Sopoti is an Albanian sports club based in Librazhd. The club currently competes in the Kategoria e Dytë, the third tier of football in Albania. History They were founded in 1948 under the name ''KS Albania Tabak Librazhd'', and they play t ...
, playing in the second half as Tirana recorded an empathic 7–0 home win, progressing to the next round with the aggregate 8–1. Later on 12 October, Muzaka made his first league appearance of the season in the matchday 6 against
Korabi Peshkopi KS Korabi is an Albanian football club based in Peshkopi, named after the nearby Mount Korab, which is the tallest mountain in Albania and North Macedonia. The club's home ground is the Korabi Stadium. History Early history The club was founded ...
, scoring a 91st-minute winner with a diving header to give Tirana its second consecutive league win. On 30 December 2016, Muzaka opened a file in the Conflict Resolution Room of AFA against Tirana for unpaid wages. Seven days later, he was told that he was not going to be part of the team for the preparation phase in Turkey. A live TV debat occurred between him and club president Halili where Muzaka claimed that the club owns him 107 million
lek Lek or LEK may refer to: * Lek mating, mating in a lek, a type of animal territory in which males of a species gather * Albanian lek, the currency of Albania * Lek (magazine), a Norwegian softcore pornographic magazine * Lek (pharmaceutical comp ...
. He also added that Tirana owns him 14 monthly salary. On 23 January, Conflict Resolution Room upheld in part the appeal filed by the Muzaka and rejected the appeal filed by Tirana. Muzaka is yet to take his unpaid wages, but he did become a free agent while Tirana were forced to pay the court expenses which were €10,000.


Third spell at Skënderbeu Korçë

On 30 January 2017, Muzaka joined
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 ...
on a free transfer for a third time, taking the vacant number 17 for the second part of 2016–17 season. During an interview, Muzaka said that he strongly considered to quit football, but Skënderbeu motivated him to change his mind. Manager Ilir Daja, who worked with him during his time at Tirana, called Muzaka a "valuable player", adding that "he has experience and speed". After two games as an unused substitute, Muzaka made his return debut on 19 February against Luftëtari Gjirokastër, scoring in the first half in an eventual 3–0 home win. It was his third Skënderbeu Korçë debut inaugurated with a goal. Muzaka made his 400th Albanian Superliga appearance on matchday 29 in Skënderbeu's 3–0 defeat of
Korabi Peshkopi KS Korabi is an Albanian football club based in Peshkopi, named after the nearby Mount Korab, which is the tallest mountain in Albania and North Macedonia. The club's home ground is the Korabi Stadium. History Early history The club was founded ...
. On 6 May, Muzaka netted his third goal of the season, second for Skënderbeu, a 91th-minute equalizer in an eventual 4–3 home win against Vllaznia Shkodër. The match was heavily contested and was considered as fixed by Federbet, the anti match fixing organisation. On 31 May, he played in 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 against his former side Tirana in a 3–1 defeat at
Elbasan Arena Elbasan Arena ( sq, Elbasan Arena, formerly known as Ruzhdi Bizhuta) is a multi-purpose stadium in Elbasan, Albania. The stadium was completed in 1967 and has been the home ground of KF Elbasani ever since. The stadium was under reconstruction a ...
. On 25 June, Muzaka extended his contract with the club for another season, lasting until June 2018. Two days later, he was named in Ilir Daja's team for the 2017–18 UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds. Muzaka played mostly as a substitute, collecting 7 appearances as Skënderbeu become the first Albanian club to pass four rounds. In the returning leg of second qualifying round against Kairat, Muzaka came off the bench and assisted
Sebino Plaku Sebino Plaku (born 20 May 1985) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Football Superleague of Kosovo club SC Gjilani. Club career Early career Plaku joined the Partizani academy as a teenager and was eventually pr ...
's goal as the team progressed passed 3–1 on aggregate. He started the domestic season by scoring a brace in the first leg of
2017–18 Albanian Cup 2017–18 Albanian Cup () was the sixty-sixth season of Albania's annual cup competition. Tirana are the defending champions. Skënderbeu won the title for the first time in their history. Ties are played in a two-legged format similar to tho ...
first round against Adriatiku Mamurras. Three days later, Skënderbeu opened the championship with a 2–0 home win over
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 ...
, with Muzaka coming on again as a substitute to score the second. In Europa League, Skënderbeu was placed in
Group B Group B was a set of regulations for grand touring (GT) vehicles used in sports car racing and rallying introduced in 1982 by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). Although permitted to enter a GT class of the World Sportscar ...
, and in the opening matchday away against
Dynamo Kyiv Football Club Dynamo Kyiv (, ) is a Ukrainian professional Association football, football club based in Kyiv. Founded in 1927 as a Kyivan football team of republican branch of the bigger Soviet Union, Soviet Dynamo Sports Club, Dynamo Sports Soc ...
, Muzaka scored his team's only goal after an individual effort in an eventual 1–3 defeat. His performances recently were praised by club president Ardjan Takaj, who said that Muzaka is an "example". Later on 9 February of the following year, Muzaka netted his 5th league goal, a late tap-in to seal a 1–0 home win over Flamurtari Vlorë which extended the league gap up to 11 points; it was Muzaka's third goal versus ''"The Red and Black Fleet"'' in the 2017–18 season. His 100th Albanian Superliga goal was scored on 14 April in form of an opener in the 3–2 win over Kamza. He concluded the 2017–18 season by contributing with 32 league appearances and scored 6 goals, his highest tally in five years, as Skënderbeu winning the championship for the 8th in history. In cup, he played 5 matches, including the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
as the team defeated Laçi to clinch their first ever trophy, thus completing the domestic double for the first time in history. In July 2018, after being linked with a possible transfer to Flamurtari Vlorë, Muzaka returned to the club and signed a contract for the next season. He began the 2018–19 season on 12 August by winning the 2018 Albanian Supercup against Laçi, netting a second-half penalty for a 3–2 win at Selman Stërmasi Stadium. Five days later, Muzaka was on the score-sheet again as he netted the first goal of 2018–19 Albanian Superliga season 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 ...
; his goal was an injury-time winner with a penalty in a match which was infamously marred by crowd trouble. In October 2018, he was named Albanian Superliga Player of the Month after playing four matches and scoring the opener with a volley in the away match against Partizani Tirana; by doing so, he became the seventh player to win the award more than once and also the second to win it with two different clubs. Muzaka signed a contract for the 2019–20 season, prolonging his Skënderbeu career up to eight seasons. He was also named the new
team captain In team sport, captain is a title given to a member of the team. The title is frequently honorary, but in some cases the captain may have significant responsibility for strategy and teamwork while the game is in progress on the field. In eithe ...
for the new season. On 5 October 2019, he was substituted by
Otto John Otto John (19 March 1909 – 26 March 1997) was a German lawyer and intelligence official. During World War Two, he was a conspirator in the 20 July plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler. Following the war, he became the first head of West Germ ...
in a 2–0 home win over Luftëtari Gjirokastër after suffering a heavy injury in the second half; following the examinations, it was reported that Muzaka had completely tear the cruciate ligament of right knee, which left him sidelined for at least 6 months.


International career

Muzaka was first approached to the national team in September 2002 for three 2003 UEFA European Under-19 Championship first qualifying round matches against
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,
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and
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
. It was a start to forget for Muzaka, despite playing in all three matches as starter, as Albania lost all of them with hammering results and finished last in Group 9. Some times later, Muzaka joined Albania under-21 squad in their 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification campaign. He earned his first cap on 29 March 2003 in the 4–1 home defeat to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. Following that, he continued to play in every match as a starter and replacement and also scored his first goal in the last matchday against
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which paved way to a 3–0 win. The team concluded
Group 10 Group 10, numbered by current IUPAC style, is the group of chemical elements in the periodic table that consists of nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), and darmstadtium (Ds). All are d-block transition metals. All known isotopes of darm ...
in third place with 10 points from 8 matches. Muzaka made his senior debut on 19 November 2008 in the friendly against
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (, ; az, Azərbaycan ), officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, , also sometimes officially called the Azerbaijan Republic is a transcontinental country located at the boundary of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is a part of th ...
by appearing in the last moments of a 1–1 away draw. After appearing in numerous friendlies, Muzaka was called up by coach
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 ...
for the first two
UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying The qualifying competition for UEFA Euro 2012 was a series of parallel association football competitions held over 2010 and 2011 to decide the qualifiers for UEFA Euro 2012, held in Poland and Ukraine. The draw for the qualifying rounds was held ...
matches against
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and
Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small lan ...
in September 2010. His competitive debut occurred on 3 September away against Romania where he came on the field in the 81st minute, just one minute after Romania had taken the lead. He made an immediate impact and in the 87th minute he managed to find a head onto
Ansi Agolli Ansi Agolli (born 11 October 1982) is an Albanian former professional footballer who captained the Albania national team. He played primarily as a left back or left midfielder, but he also operated as a right-back. Prior to March 2019, he was a ...
's free kick which he guided past the Romanian goalkeeper, which levelled the tie at 1–1 and earned Albania a very important and well-deserved point.


Style of play

In his youth, Muzaka was noted for his speed, technique, ball control and dribbling skills, also earning comparisons to
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro (; born 5 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a forward and captains the Portugal national team. He is currently a free agent. Widely regarded as one of the greatest p ...
. Muzaka's natural position is
right winger 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 ...
, but he also can play as an
attacking midfielder A midfielder is an Glossary of association football terms#O, 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 #Cent ...
. He is also known for his crossing and playmaking abilities but he is also an able goalscorer. From July 2017, under manager Ilir Daja at Skënderbeu Korçë, Muzaka begun utilised as a
central 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 ...
. He was named in coach Ernest Gjoka's greatest career XI, who described Muzaka as "an elegant, smart and energetic midfielder".


Career statistics


Club


International


International goals

:''As of match played 6 February 2013. Albania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Muzaka goal.''


Honours


Club

;Partizani Tirana *
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 ...
: 2003–04 ;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 *
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 ...
:
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
;Skënderbeu Korçë *
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 ...
: 2010–11. 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18 *
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 ...
: 2017–18 *
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 ...
:
2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fact ...
,
2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...


Individual

* Albanian Superliga Fair Play Award: 2010–11 *
Albanian Superliga Player of the Month The Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Kategoria Superiore player each month of the season. It is presented by association "Sporti Na Bashkon". This award was established in the 2010–11 season. Winne ...
: March 2013, October 2018


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Muzaka, Gjergji 1984 births Living people Footballers from Tirana Albanian footballers Albania international footballers Albania under-21 international footballers Albania youth international footballers Association football wingers Association football midfielders Iraklis F.C. (Thessaloniki) players FK Partizani Tirana players KF Tirana players FK Dinamo Tirana players KF Skënderbeu Korçë players Flamurtari FC players Kategoria Superiore players Albanian expatriate footballers Albanian expatriate sportspeople in Greece Expatriate footballers in Greece