Astrit Ziu
FullnameAstrit Ziu
Birth date8 July 1946 (age 80)
Birth placeBerat, Albania
PositionDefender
Youthyears 11960–1963
Youthclubs 1Tomori Berat
Years 11963–1966
Clubs 1Tomori
Years 21966–1978
Clubs 2Partizani
Years 31968–1969
Clubs 3Luftëtari (loan)
Nationalteam 1Albania U21
Nationalyears 21970–1972
Nationalteam 2Albania
Nationalcaps 26
Nationalgoals 21

Astrit Ziu (born 8 July 1946) is an Albanian retired footballer who played as a left back and made six appearances for the Albania national team.[1][2]

Club career

Ziu started his career at hometown club Tomori Berat, before joining the military and thus army team Partizani Tirana in 1966. With Partizani he won a league title and 3 domestic cups. He also had a season on loan with Luftëtari.[3] He has played at leftback for club and country but also in any other position except between the goalposts.[4]

International career

Ziu made his debut for Albania on 13 December 1970 in a UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying match against Turkey, in which he scored Albania's only goal in the 1–2 loss. He went on to make six appearances, scoring one goal, before making his last appearance on 21 June 1972 in a 1974 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Finland, which finished as a 0–1 loss.[5]

Career statistics

International

Albania[5]
YearAppsGoals
197011
197140
197210
Total61

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
113 December 1970İnönü Stadium, Istanbul, TurkeyTurkey1–11–2UEFA Euro 1972 qualifying

Personal life

Ziu has a son and a daughter and he has lived 12 years in Barcelona, Spain, before returning to Albania.[3] After his playing career he worked as a sports instructor in the army and for the military press. He also was chief at Partizani and works as a coach for UD Vista Alegre Castelldefels during his years in Spain.[4]

Honours

1971[6]
1968, 1970, 1973

References

  1. ^
  2. ^ "Astrit Ziu, ai që "çmendi" Partizanin" [Astrit Ziu, the one who "drove them crazy" at Partizan] (in Albanian). panorama.com.al. Panorama. 26 December 2012. Archived 20 February 2019 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  3. ^ Intervista/ Flet për “Telegraf” Astrit Ziu, ish-mengjërashi “absolut” që luajti në çdo sektor të fushës me Tomorin, Partizanin (Bio) - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  4. ^ Astrit Ziu, ai që “çmendi” Partizanin - Panorama (in Albanian)
  5. ^ "Astrit Ziu". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  6. ^ Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF