Pëllumb Jusufi
Encyclopedia
Pëllumb Jusufi is a Croatian
-Macedonian football player. The striker
currently plays for KS Kastrioti Kruje
in the Albanian Superliga. He is of Albanian
descent.
n champions, NK Domzale
. During his time in Slovenia
he did not get regular first team football, this then opted him to search for a new team and that team was Dinamo Tirana. Jusufi made 2 appearances in the Champions League
for NK Domzale
, one of them against Dinamo Tirana's local rivals KF Tirana
in Macedonia to Zagreb
in Croatia
when he was 12 years old where he carried on playing football, this led him to be scouted by Croatian
club NK Dinamo Zagreb. He started playing for the club in 2000 and made his way up the ranks of the club and by doing so was also spotted by the Croatia
youth team and he decided to represent Croatia
at youth level ahead of the country of his birth Macedonia and Albania
. Whilst representing Croatia
at a European football tournament in 2006 he was spotted by many big clubs like Borussia Dortmund
and many Italian
and French
sides, but the biggest interest in the young forward came from VfB Stuttgart
and Jusufi was expected to sign for them, however this did not happen. Jusufi has expressed his desire to one day play for Barcelona F.C. and is a huge fan of the Catalonian club. His favourite player is Ronaldinho
. He has also said that whilst he was younger he wanted to play for Albania
but since then has gone down a different path.
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
-Macedonian football player. The striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
currently plays for KS Kastrioti Kruje
KS Kastrioti Krujë
Klubi Sportiv Kastrioti Krujë is an Albanian football club based in Krujë.They currently play in the Albanian Superliga, which is the top division in Albania. They play their home games at the Stadiumi Kastrioti, which has a capacity of over 8,500.-History:The club was founded in 1926...
in the Albanian Superliga. He is of Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
descent.
NK Domzale
Jusufi played for the then SloveniaSlovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
n champions, NK Domzale
NK Domžale
NK Domžale is a Slovenian football club that plays in the town of Domžale. They have won the Slovenian League two times and both Slovenian Cup and Slovenian Supercup once.-History:...
. During his time in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
he did not get regular first team football, this then opted him to search for a new team and that team was Dinamo Tirana. Jusufi made 2 appearances in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
for NK Domzale
NK Domžale
NK Domžale is a Slovenian football club that plays in the town of Domžale. They have won the Slovenian League two times and both Slovenian Cup and Slovenian Supercup once.-History:...
, one of them against Dinamo Tirana's local rivals KF Tirana
Personal life
Jusufi started playing football at the age of 7 and was mentored by his father, Isak Jusufi, who was also a professional footballer. Jusufi and his family moved from TetovoTetovo
Tetovo is a city in the northwestern part of Macedonia, built on the foothills of Šar Mountain and divided by the Pena River.The city covers an area of at above sea level, with a population of 86,580 citizens in the municipality. Tetovo is home to the State University of Tetovo and South East...
in Macedonia to Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
in Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
when he was 12 years old where he carried on playing football, this led him to be scouted by Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
club NK Dinamo Zagreb. He started playing for the club in 2000 and made his way up the ranks of the club and by doing so was also spotted by the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
youth team and he decided to represent Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
at youth level ahead of the country of his birth Macedonia and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. Whilst representing Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
at a European football tournament in 2006 he was spotted by many big clubs like Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund
Ballspielverein Borussia Dortmund, commonly BVB, are a German sports club based in Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Dortmund are one of the most successful clubs in German football history. Borussia Dortmund play in the Bundesliga, the top league of German football...
and many Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sides, but the biggest interest in the young forward came from VfB Stuttgart
VfB Stuttgart
Verein für Bewegungsspiele Stuttgart 1893 e. V., commonly known as VfB Stuttgart, is a German sports club based in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg. The club is best known for its football team, which has participated in all but two Bundesliga seasons...
and Jusufi was expected to sign for them, however this did not happen. Jusufi has expressed his desire to one day play for Barcelona F.C. and is a huge fan of the Catalonian club. His favourite player is Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
. He has also said that whilst he was younger he wanted to play for Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
but since then has gone down a different path.