Vasillaq Zëri

Vasillaq Zëri (4 August 1952 -25 January 2019) was an Albanian footballer, who played as a striker.

Vasillaq Zëri
Personal information
Full name Vasillaq Zëri
Date of birth (1952-08-04)4 August 1952
Place of birth Tirana, Albania
Date of death 25 January 2019(2019-01-25) (aged 66)
Place of death , Albania
Height 1.67 m (5 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1967-1970 Shkëndija
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1970–1973 Shkëndija
1973–1984 Dinamo Tirana
National team
1976–1982 Albania 6 (0)
Teams managed
1994 Dinamo Tirana
2001 Albania U-21
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in Tirana,[1] Zëri started his career with hometown club Shkëndija[2] and was part of the 'Golden Age' of Dinamo Tirana between 1974 and 1988, where under the guidance of Skënder Jareci the club dominated Albanian football winning five championships and three Albanian Cups. Known for his dribbling skills[3] and being able to play the ball with both legs, Zëri formed a successful offensive partnership with Ilir Përnaska and Shyqyri Ballgjini, which is considered to be the best offensive trio in Dinamo's history.[4] Zëri impressed Ajax during Dinamo's 1980–81 European Cup clash with the Dutch giants and the latter insisted on buying him but they were told Albanian players were not allowed to move abroad.[5]

International career

He made his debut for Albania on 3 November 1976 in the 3–0 friendly win versus Algeria[6] and earned a total of 6 caps, scoring no goals. His final international was a September 1982 European Championship qualification match against Austria.[7]

International statistics
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania 197610
198030
198110
198210
Total60

Personal life

Zëri later worked for the Albanian Football Association. He was married to Vilma and they had two children, Julian and Inna.[8]

Death

He died in January 2019 after a long illness.[9]

Honours
1975, 1976, 1977, 1980 [10]
1974, 1978, 1980 [8]

References
  1. Legjendat e Dinamos, si u vidhnin biçikletat dhe flisnin greqisht në fushë - Panorama (in Albanian)
  2. Lamtumira/ Vasillaq Zëri, fantazisti që futbollin e ktheu në art - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  3. VIDEO/ Rikthimi në kohë, kur legjenda Vasillaq Zëri i dhuronte Kupën Dinamos - Panorama (in Albanian)
  4. "Legjendat e Dinamos, si u vidhnin biçikletat dhe flisnin greqisht në fushë" [Dinamo's legends, how we used to steal bicycles and talk Greece in the field] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  5. Vasillaq Zëri: “Shqipëria, me të ardhme” - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  6. "Football MATCH: 03.11.1976 Albania v Algeria". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  7. "Vasillaq Zëri - national football team player". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  8. Vasillaq Zëri, etaloni i teknikës që “loton” për Dinamon - Time (in Albanian)
  9. Ndërron jetë ish-futbollisti i Kombëtares Vasillaq Zëri - Time (in Albanian)
  10. Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
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