Naser Aliji

Naser Ismail Aliji (born 27 December 1993) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Budapest Honvéd and for the Albania national team.[1] Born in Macedonia, he made his debut for the Albania national team in 2015.

Naser Aliji
Naser Aliji
Personal information
Full name Naser Ismail Aliji
Date of birth (1993-12-27) 27 December 1993
Place of birth Kumanovo, Republic of Macedonia
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Left-back
Club information
Current team
 Budapest Honvéd
Number 30
Youth career
1998–2007 Baden
2007–2008 Aarau
2008–2014 Basel
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Basel U21 53 (3)
2013–2016 Basel 29 (1)
2015–2016 → Vaduz (loan) 24 (0)
2016–2017 1. FC Kaiserslautern 20 (0)
2018 Virtus Entella 17 (0)
2018–2019 Dinamo București 16 (0)
2019– Budapest Honvéd 26 (1)
National team‡
2006–2007 Macedonia U14 0 (0)
2007–2008 Switzerland U15 1 (0)
2008 Switzerland U16 2 (1)
2011 Switzerland U18 2 (0)
2013–2014 Switzerland U20 5 (1)
2014 Switzerland U21 2 (0)
2015– Albania 13 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 November 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 November 2017

Club career

Early career

Aliji was born in Kumanovo and is of Albanian ethnicity. He lived there until he was four years old, at which time his mother moved to Baden, Switzerland together with her two other siblings, a sister and a brother, to join their father, who had been working there for many years. Aliji started his youth football at age of 4 when he was sent by his brother to play with FC Baden.[2] Aged 9, he moved to FC Aarau for one year and then he joined FC Basel in 2008.[3] Later he played in their U-18 team and in their U21 team where he received various individual prizes as the youngster of the year.[4][5]

Basel

Aliji signed his first professional contract with FC Basel on 20 June 2013 and joined their first team.[6] Aliji made his first team debut on 17 August as he was substituted in during the Swiss Cup first round match against BSC Old Boys.[7] He played his first match in the starting eleven in the Swiss Cup quarter-final against Le Mont on 5 February 2014 as Basel won 6–1. One minute before half time he gave the final pass to Marco Streller for him to score the third goal of the game.[8] On 16 March 2014 Aliji made his Swiss Super League debut and played the full 90 minutes at St. Jakob-Park in the 5–0 home win, against Aarau.[9] At the end of the 2013–14 Super League season Aliji won the league championship with Basel.[10] They also reached the final of the 2013–14 Swiss Cup, but were beaten 2–0 by Zürich after extra time. During the 2013–14 Champions League season Basel reached the group stage and finished the group in third position. Thus they qualified for the Europa League knockout phase where they advanced as far as the quarter-finals.

The season 2014–15 was also a successful one for Basel, but for Aliji it was a difficult one under the new trainer Paulo Sousa. Despite the fact that Basel won the championship later that season for the sixth time in a row [11] and despite the fact that Basel had entered the Champions League in the group stage reaching the knockout phase on 9 December 2014 as they managed a 1–1 draw at Anfield against Liverpool,[12] Aliji totaled just 17 appearances during the first half of the season, 5 (of 18) League, 3 (of 3) in the Cup and just 1 (of 6) in the Champions League, as well 8 further appearances in test games, mostly as substitute.[13] Because Sousa did not rely upon Aliji and he could not make the starting eleven, on 17 January 2015 it was announced that Aliji would be lent out to Vaduz to gain first team playing experience.[14]

Loan on Vaduz

In January 2015 during the Winter transfers window, Aliji was loaned out to the fellow Swiss Super League team FC Vaduz for 1 year and half.[15] Aliji made his debut for Vaduz on 15 February 2015 in the away match against Aarau, playing the full 90 minutes of the game, which ended in a 1–0 victory.[16] Until the end of the league season Aliji played 17 matches all as a starter and substituted off in just one occasion. Aliji won the 2014–15 Liechtenstein Cup playing two matches including the final against Triesenberg on 13 May 2015 when Vaduz won 5–0 and Aliji played the full 90-minutes.[17]

Having won the 2014–15 Liechtenstein Cup, Vaduz gained the right to participate in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round, where they were shorted to play against San Marino side La Fiorita. In the first leg, Aliji played the full 90-minutes match in a crucial away 0–5 victory.[18] Then Vaduz qualified in the next round beating La Fiorita 5–1 in the second leg and winning on aggregate 10–1.[19] Vaduz finds as an opponent in the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round the Estonia side Nõmme Kalju. Aliji managed to play another full 90-minutes European match in the first leg to help his team to take a 3–1 victory.[20]

Return to Basel

Following an injury to Adama Traoré with the Ivory Coast national football team due to the absence of other left-backs, Basel used the contract rights to recall Aliji to their first team squad from the loan to Vaduz.[21] Under trainer Urs Fischer Aliji won the Swiss Super League championship at the end of the 2015–16 Super League season for the third time. For the club it was the seventh title in a row and their 19th championship title in total.[22]

1. FC Kaiserslautern

On 1 July 2016, Aliji joined 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Kaiserslautern on a free transfer, signing a contract until June 2019.[23][24]

Personal life

In the summer of 2018 Aliji returned to Switzerland to be with his father who had a cancer diagnosis.[25]

International career

Despite playing for Macedonia youth national teams and Switzerland youth national teams, Aliji did not exclude the option of representing Albania at international level.[3] On 17 December 2014, the FSHF representative for talents in Switzerland, Sokol Dauti, confirmed that Aliji had decided to represent Albania and begun the procedure to get an Albanian passport.[26] Three of his former teammates at Basel Taulant Xhaka, Shkëlzen Gashi and Arlind Ajeti play for Albania, despite having represented Swiss youth national teams.[27] On 5 March 2015, Aliji received Albanian citizenship alongside his teammate Ajeti, and became the first player ever from Macedonia to wear the Albanian national team shirt.[28]

Aliji received his first call-up to the Albania national team by the coach Gianni De Biasi for the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying match against Armenia on 29 March 2015.[29] Despite the invitation he wasn't eligible yet to play for Albania in competitive matches as he hadn't yet received the go ahead from FIFA. Then Aliji was called up again in the next match of Albania, the friendly one against France on 13 June 2015.[30] He debuted for Albania at international level against France playing the full 90-minutes match which finished in a 1–0 crucial victory against the UEFA Euro 2016 hosts with a free-kick scored by Ergys Kaçe in the 43rd minute.[31]

On 21 May 2016, Aliji was named in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016,[32] and in Albania's final 23-man UEFA Euro 2016 squad on 31 May.[33]

Aliji didn't manage to play any minute of all Group A matches as Albania were eliminated by ranking in the 3rd place behind hosts France against which lost 2–0 and Switzerland against which they also lost 1–0 in the opening match and ahead of Romania by beating them 1–0 in the closing match with a goal by Armando Sadiku.[34] 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.[35]

Career statistics

Club
As of 13:59, 30 May 2017 (UTC) [1][36][37]
Club statistics
Club Season League Cup Europe[lower-alpha 1] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Basel U21 2011–12 1. Liga Promotion 221———221
2012–13 201———201
2013–14 100———100
2014–15 11———11
Total 533———533
Basel 2013–14 Swiss Super League 90403[lower-alpha 2]0—160
2014–15 51301[lower-alpha 3]0—91
2015–16 15020——170
Total 2919040—411
Vaduz 2014–15 Swiss Super League 17020——190
2015–16 70005[lower-alpha 2]1—121
Total 2402051—311
1. FC Kaiserslautern 2016–17 2. Bundesliga 20010——210
Career total 126412091—1475
  1. Including continental competitions, such as UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League
  2. All appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearance in UEFA Champions League

International
As of 13 November 2017 [36][38]
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania 201530
201640
201740
Total110

Honours

Club
Basel U21[1]
Basel[1]
Vaduz[1]

Individual
  • FC Basel Rookies of the Year: 2011,[4] 2013[5]

References
  1. Naser Aliji at Soccerway. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  2. "Naser Aliji – Euro 2016 profile" (in Albanian). FSHF.org. Retrieved 30 November 2017. • Kur i keni patur fillesat me futbollin? Kur keni filluar të luani si futbollist profesionist? Kur isha 4 vjec , vëllai më i madh me coi të luaja fuboll me ekipin e Baden , në Zvicër
  3. "Intervistë/Naser Aliji: Te Baseli po jetoj si në ëndërr" (in Albanian). Gazeta LAJM. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  4. FC Basel 1893 (2011). "Die BKB zeichnete am Luzern-Spiel die "Rookies of the Year" aus" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  5. FC Basel 1893 (2013). "Auszeichnung der "Rookies of the Year"" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2013.
  6. FC Basel 1893 (2013). "Profiverträge für Nachwuchsspieler und Leihverträge für Profispieler" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2013-06-20.
  7. Marti, Caspar (2013). "Der FCB muss gegen OB eine Extraschicht schieben" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 2014-02-23. Retrieved 2013-08-17.
  8. Marti, Caspar (2013). "Der FCB zieht ohne Mühe in den Cuphalbfinal ein" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 2014-02-09. Retrieved 2014-02-05.
  9. Marti, Caspar (2014). "Der FCB setzt gegen Aarau das gewünschte Zeichen" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Archived from the original on 2014-03-17. Retrieved 2014-03-16.
  10. Grossenbacher, Sacha (2014). "Fotos vom Spiel gegen Lausanne sowie den anschliessenden Feierlichkeiten" (in German). FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
  11. Marti, Caspar (2015). "Der Meisterfreitag im bunten Zeitraffer". FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 29 May 2015. (in German)
  12. "Liverpool 1 Basel 1". BBC Sport. 10 December 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2014.
  13. Zindel, Josef (2015). Rotblau: Jahrbuch Saison 2015/2016. FC Basel Marketing AG. ISBN 978-3-7245-2050-4.
  14. FC Basel 1893 (2015). "Naser Aliji leihweise zu Vaduz". FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  15. "Naser Aliji huazohet nga Basel tek Vaduz, pritet zyrtarizimi" (in Albanian). Koha Jonë. 16 January 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  16. "Aarau vs. Vaduz 0 – 1". Soccerway. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  17. "Ostschweizer Fussballverband - telegram Cup" (in German). football.ch. 13 May 2015. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  18. "La Fiorita vs. Vaduz 0 – 5". Soccerway. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  19. UEFA Europa League 2016 - Vaduz-La Fiorita UEFA.com
  20. UEFA Europa League 2016 - Vaduz-Kalju UEFA.com
  21. Adi Metaliu (10 September 2015). "Baseli kthen nga huazimi Naser Alijin" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  22. Marti, Casper (2016). "Es ist vollbracht ! Der FCB ist zum 19. Mal Meister". FC Basel 1893. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  23. "Naser Aliji wechselt in die pfalz" (in German). 1. FC Kaiserslautern. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  24. Rinald Bregasi (30 June 2016). "Naser Aliji transferohet te Kaiserslautern" (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Archived from the original on 7 August 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  25. https://www.blick.ch/sport/fussball/superleague/schweres-schicksal-fuer-ex-fcb-spieler-naser-alijis-traurige-rueckkehr-in-die-schweiz-id8929286.html
  26. "Ekskluzive/ Naser Aliji vishet Kuq e Zi" (in Albanian). Shqiperia.ch. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  27. "Albaner melden FCB-Linksfuss Aliji spielt für den Doppeladler!" (in German). Blick. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  28. "Ajeti e Aliji marrin shtetësi shqiptare (foto)" (in Albanian). aSport.al. 9 March 2015. Archived from the original on 13 May 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  29. "De Biazi publikon listën kundër Armenisë" (in Albanian). aSport.al. 23 March 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  30. "De Biazi shpall listën anti-Francë, mungojnë Agolli, Kukeli, Xhaka dhe Shkëlzen Gashi" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 8 June 2015. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  31. https://www.espn.com/soccer/match?gameId=409312
  32. Fatjon Pandovski (21 May 2016). "De Biasi leaves out Albanian top scorer Salihi". UEFA. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  33. "De Biasi shpall listën zyrtare të Euro 2016". FSHF.org. 31 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  34. UEFA EURO 2016 - Albania - Matches UEFA.com
  35. "Albania out of Euro 2016 after Portugal draw with Hungary". Fourfourtwo.com. 22 June 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  36. "Naser Aliji". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  37. Naser Aliji – UEFA competition record
  38. "Naser Aliji - national football team player". EU-Football.info. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 2 July 2016.
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