Enri Tafaj

Enri Tafaj (born 22 May 1989) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder.

Enri Tafaj
Personal information
Date of birth (1989-05-22) 22 May 1989
Place of birth Tirana, Albania
Position(s) Defender
Youth career
2005–2007 KF Tirana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2009 Tirana 1 (0)
2009–2012 Kamza 61 (5)
2010 → Laçi (loan) 0 (0)
2012–2013 Tomori Berat 13 (0)
2013 Partizani Tirana 8 (0)
2013–2015 Dinamo Tirana 40 (1)
National team‡
2007–2008 Albania U-19 0 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 21 March 2015
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 6 June 2009

Club career

Tafaj began his career in 2007 with KF Tirana after working his way up through the youth setup at the club. He joined up with the first team during the winter break in the 2006–07 season. He made his league debut with KF Tirana in round 32 of the 2006–07 Albanian Superliga season on 12 May 2007. The match was against Teuta Durres at the Niko Dovana Stadium. Tafaj started the game and played the whole 90 minutes.[1]

He made no further Superliga appearances for Tirana, and in January 2009 he joined KS Dajti on loan[2] for the rest of the season to gain experience.

He then moved to FC Kamza, as KS Dajti had been renamed. He spent the early part of the 2010–11 season on loan at Laçi, but played only once, in a 7–1 defeat in the second leg of the Europa League first qualifying round match against Dnepr Mogilev.[3][4] In the 2011–12 Superliga season, Tafaj played regularly for Kamza.[5] He scored only once, a late consolation in a 2–1 defeat at Pogradeci.[6] He took part in the relegation "play-out", as Kamza lost to Besa Tavaje to return to the First Division after just one season.[7]

Tafaj returned to pre-season training with Kamza,[8] but joined Superliga side Tomori Berat before the start of the 2012–13 season,[5] where he was converted from midfielder to defender.[9]

International career

Tafaj was called up to the Albania under-19 team for the Slovakia Cup tournament in April and May 2007,[10] and also played twice in qualifying for the UEFA under-19 championships.[11] In October 2008, he was called up to the Albania under-21 team to face their Macedonian counterparts,[12] but took no part in the match.[13]

References
  1. "Match Kategoria superiore: Teuta Durres vs. KF Tirana". Footballdatabase.eu. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  2. "Kategoria e Parë, merkato - Dajti" [First Division transfers – Dajti] (in Albanian). Albania Sport. 13 January 2009. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  3. "E.Tafaj: Kamza, çdo javë dhe më e fortë" [E.Tafaj: Kamza getting stronger every week]. Sporti Shqiptar (in Albanian). 17 February 2011. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  4. "2010/11 UEFA Europa League Dnepr-Laç". UEFA. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  5. "E. Tafaj". Soccerway. Global Sports Media. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  6. "Pogradeci-Kamza 2–1, vendosin maqedonasit" [Pogradeci-Kamza 2–1, the Macedonians decide it] (in Albanian). Albania Sport. 27 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  7. Çakshiri, Albana (19 May 2012). "Besa fundos Kamzën në "play-out", vetë rikthehet pas një viti në Superiore" [Besa sink Kamza in the "play-out", back down after one year in Superliga] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  8. "Mziu mbyll stadiumin, Qarri e nis me Malkon" [Behind closed doors, Qarri presents Malko] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 27 July 2012. Archived from the original on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  9. Mbrojtësi pa asnjë të verdhë, Enri Tafaj tregon sekretin – Panorama (in Albanian)
  10. "U-19 zbardh listën e turneut të Sllovakisë" [U19 squad published for Slovakia tournament] (in Albanian). Albania Sport. Albania Sport Agency. 27 April 2007. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  11. "Profile: Enri Tafaj". UEFA. 7 February 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  12. "Bushati shpall emrat e rinj të U-21" [Bushati announces new names for the U21s]. Sporti Shqiptar (in Albanian). 22 October 2008. Archived from the original on 29 December 2012. Retrieved 3 September 2012.
  13. "Shqipëria, leksion Maqedonisë në Ohër" [Albanian lesson for Macedonia in Ohrid]. Sporti Shqiptar (in Albanian). 20 November 2008. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
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