Gzim Istrefi (born 18 December 1991, Kosovska Mitrovica) is a Swedish professional footballer of Albanian descent who plays for Stenungsunds IF as a forward.[1][2]

Gzim Istrefi
Personal information
Full name Gzim Istrefi
Date of birth (1991-12-18) 18 December 1991 (age 32)
Place of birth Kosovska Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
Stenungsunds IF
Youth career
Stenungsunds IF
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2010 Carlstad United 63 (10)
2011–2013 GAIS 5 (0)
2012Ljungskile (loan) 6 (0)
2013 Dalkurd 14 (2)
2014–2015 Karlstad
2016–2018 Norrby 50 (8)
2019– Stenungsunds
International career
2011 Albania U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 April 2019

Club career

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His family transferred from Kosovo to Sweden in 1992, when he was only one year old.[3] After spending his youth years with Carlstad United BK, Istrefi was purchased by GAIS.[3] On 8 January 2019, Istrafi joined Stenungsunds IF.[4]

International career

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Although Istrefi has a Swedish passport and there has been interest from Sweden, his desire is to play with the Albania national football team as he declared recently in an interview. His message to the Albania fans, Tifozat Kuq e Zi, was the Albanian slogan Nje Komb, Nje Kombetare (English: One Nation, one National team), which often appears in the stadiums, since Albania has many players from Kosovo.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Zero Zero Football profile".
  2. ^ "Gzim Istrefi skrev på för KBK | Karlstad BK". Archived from the original on 16 March 2014. Retrieved 19 March 2013.
  3. ^ a b c "Gëzim Istrefi: Më kërkon Suedia por unë dua Shqipërinë". Talent scouts for Albania national team. Archived from the original on 24 March 2012.
  4. ^ Gzim Istrefi klar för Stenungsunds IF, laget.se, 8 January 2019
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