Ilaz Zylfiu

Ilaz Zylfiu (Serbian Cyrillic: Илаз Зилфиу; born 27 March 1998) is a Serbian professional footballer of Albanian descent who plays as a second striker for Kosovan club Malisheva.[1]

Ilaz Zylfiu
Personal information
Date of birth (1998-03-27) 27 March 1998[1]
Place of birth Miratovac, FR Yugoslavia[2]
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)[3]
Playing position(s) Second striker[3]
Club information
Current team
 Malisheva
Number 11
Youth career
2008–2015 Lugina
2015–2017 Radnik Surdulica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2018 Radnik Surdulica 1 (0)
2017 → Pukovac (loan) 6 (0)
2017–2018 → Ozren Sokobanja (loan) 29 (6)
2018–2019 Flamurtari 2 (2)
2019– Malisheva
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 August 2019

Club career

Radnik Surdulica

Born in Miratovac, a small town in the municipality of Preševo as a member of Albanian ethnic group,[2] Zylfiu started playing football at the age of 10.[4] He was playing with football club Lugina, based in Aliđerce,[3] until he joined Radnik Surdulica as a youngster.[2] After almost two years with youth team, Zylfiu signed a one-year scholarship contract with Radnik in February 2017.[5] He was also loaned on dual registration to the Serbian League East side Pukovac,[6] making six appearances until the end of the 2016–17 campaign.[7]

In summer 2017, Zylfiu joined the first team of Radnik Surdulica under coach Simo Krunić,[8] but moved on new loan deal to Ozren Sokobanja shortly after.[9] He scored his premier goal for the first season victory of Ozren over Timok on 16 September 2017.[3] After the whole first-half season in the third-ranked league, a loan deal was terminated and Zylfiu returned to Radnik ending of November same year.[10]

On 29 November 2017. Zylfiu made his official debut for Radnik Surdulica, replacing Miloš Stanković in 69 minute of the Serbian SuperLiga match against Red Star Belgrade.[11] He has been reported as the first Albanian footballer in the club history since finding in 1926.[12] In February 2018, Zylfiu signed his first four-your professional contract with Radnik,[13] after which he extended his loan deal to Ozren until the end of 2017–18 campaign.[14]

Returning from loan deal in summer 2018, Zylfiu started new season preparing under coach Mladen Dodić,[15] but after being excluded from the 2018–19 Serbian SuperLiga player list, Zylfiu mutually terminated the contract and left Radnik as a free agent on the last day of July same year, along with teammate Krsta Đorđević.[16]

Playing style

Zulfiu is a 1.67 m high attacker, who usually plays as a second striker or attacking midfielder.[3] He is characterized by speed and lucidity, affirmed as a goalscorer in the Serbian League East.[17] He has also promoted himself as a free kick taker, scoring in a match against Jedinstvo Paraćin.[18][19] He is often compared with Fadil Vokrri, a former Kosovo Albanian football forward.[3][9][17]

Career statistics

Club
As of 1 August 2018[20]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Radnik Surdulica 2016–17[7] Serbian SuperLiga 0000—00
2017–18[21] 1000—10
Total 1000—10
Pukovac (loan) 2016–17[7] Serbian League East 6000—60
Ozren Sokobanja (loan) 2017–18[7] 29600—296
Total 35600—356
Flamurtari 2018–19 Football Superleague of Kosovo 0000—00
Total 0000—00
Career total 36600—366
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References
  1. "Zulfiji Iljasa". FK Radnik Surdulica official website (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  2. Islami, Agon (16 December 2017). "Albanac u elitnom fudbalu Srbije nakon tri decenije" [Albanian in the elite football of Serbia after three decades] (in Serbian). Al Jazeera Balkans. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  3. "НОВИ ФАДИЉ ВОКРИ: Први Албанац у Суперлиги Србије од деведесетих" [NEW FADIL VOKRRI: The first Albanian in the Serbian SuperLiga since the 1990s] (in Serbian). Večernje novosti. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  4. "Iljasa Zulfiu iz Preševa, prvi Albanac u dresu surduličkog Radnika" [Iljasa Zulfiu from Preševo, the first Albanian in Radnik Surdulica] (in Serbian). bujanovacke.co.rs. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  5. ""FUDBAL" 8/17, page 473" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 17 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
  6. "Pukovac napada "Cariće" supertalentovanim Iljasom Zulfijom" [Pukovac is attacking "Emperors" by supertalent Iljasa Zulfiu] (in Serbian). koprijanradio.com. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. "Zulfiu, Iljasa". srbijafudbal.com (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  8. "Први Албанац у редовима тима из Сурдулице: Радник моја будућност" [The first Albanian in the team from Surdulica: Radnik is my future] (in Serbian). Sportski žurnal. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  9. "Iljasa Zulfiu, futbollisti preshevar qe po konsiderohet Fadil Vokrri i ri" [Iljasa Zulfiu, a footballer who is being considered as successor of Fadil Vokrri] (in Albanian). presheva.com. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  10. ""FUDBAL" 48/17, page 2187" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 27 November 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2017.
  11. "Crvena zvezda - Radnik 5:0" (in Serbian). mozzartsport.com. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  12. "Futbollisti i pare preshevar qe luan ne ekipin "Radnik" te Surdulices" [The first footballer from Preševo in the team of Radnik Surdulica] (in Albanian). presheva.com. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  13. ""FUDBAL" 7/18, page 376" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 17 February 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  14. ""FUDBAL" 8/18, page 501" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 11 February 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 February 2018. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  15. Jovanović, M. (27 June 2018). "Leskovčanin Stanković ponovo u Radniku" [Stanković from Leskovac returned to Radnik] (in Serbian). juznevesti.com. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  16. ""FUDBAL" 31/18, page 983" (PDF). Football Association of Serbia (in Serbian). 31 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  17. "Da li imamo novog Vokrija? Brzonogi Albanac igra u Superligi i sanja dres južnih komšija!" [Do we have a new Vokrri? A brilliant Albanian plays in the SuperLiga and dreams of a southern neighbors jersey!] (in Serbian). espreso.rs. 22 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  18. "ФК Озрен - ФК Јединство Параћин" [FK Ozren - FK Jedinstvo Paraćin]. YouTube (in Serbian). 26 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  19. "Српска лига Исток: Синђелић и Трајал наставили трку, Дунав славио у гостима" [Serbian League East: Sindjelić and Trajal continued the race, Dunav celebrated away] (in Serbian). Sportski žurnal. 25 September 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  20. Ilaz Zylfiu at Soccerway
  21. "Zulfiu, Iljasa 2017–18 season". Serbian SuperLiga official website (in Serbian). Retrieved 16 December 2017.
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