Betim Fazliji

Betim Fazliji
Personal information
Date of birth	25 April 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth	Vranje, FR Yugoslavia
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	St. Gallen
Number	23
Youth career
2004–2014	FC Rebstein
2012–2014	→ FC Altstätten (loan)
2014–2017	St. Gallen
Senior career*
Years	Team
2017–2019	St. Gallen U21
2019–	St. Gallen
International career‡
2019	Switzerland U20
2020–	Kosovo
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 31 January 2021; ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 November 2020

Betim Fazliji (born 25 April 1999) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Swiss club St. Gallen.

Club career

On 21 June 2019, Fazliji signed his first professional contract with Swiss Super League side St. Gallen after agreeing to a two-year deal.^[1] His debut with St. Gallen came on 27 July in a 1–2 away win against Basel after being named in the starting line-up.^[2]

International career

Switzerland

"We parted well with Switzerland because I decided on my country and my career. I say thank you to Switzerland for everything because here I started and I achieved everything, but Kosovo is my home and I will play for them"

—Fazliji about relations with Switzerland after he choosing Kosovo.^[3]

In September 2019, Fazliji becomes part of Switzerland U20 with which he made his debut in a 2–2 away draw against Portugal U20 after coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute in place of Yannick Marchand.^[4] On 2 October 2020, he received a call-up from Switzerland U21 for 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification matches against Georgia U21 and Liechtenstein U21,^[5] but Fazliji refused to join the team after he was in process of completing the necessary documents, which would allow him to play for Kosovo in November 2020 matches.

Kosovo

On 28 September 2020, Fazliji confirmed through an interview that he has started the process of completing the necessary documents which if completed in time, Fazliji would be ready to join with Kosovo national team in the next 2020–21 UEFA Nations League matches in November 2020.^[6] On 3 November 2020, he received a call-up from Kosovo for the friendly match against Albania and 2020–21 UEFA Nations League matches against Slovenia and Moldova.^[7]

Personal life

Fazliji was born in Vranje, FR Yugoslavia to Albanian parents from the village Miratovac of Preševo,^[8] and he is the fifth player that comes from the Preševo Valley after Berat Djimsiti, Atdhe Nuhiu, Fidan Aliti and Gjelbrim Taipi.

References

^ "FCSG verpflichtet Strübi und Fazliji" [FCSG sign Strübi and Fazliji]. FM1Today (in German). 21 June 2019.
^ "Basel vs. St. Gallen 1–2". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
^ Romak Zeqiri (3 November 2020). "Ekskluzive, flet ardhja e re e Dardanëve, Betim Fazliji: Faleminderit Zvicër për gjithçka, por nuk mund ta refuzoj shtëpinë time Kosovën – jam këtu për evropian" [Exclusive, speaks the new arrival of the Dardanians, Betim Fazliji: Thank you Switzerland for everything, but I can not refuse my home Kosovo – I am here for European] (in Albanian). Telegrafi.
^ "Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Schweiz" [Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Switzerland] (in German). Swiss Football Association. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
^ "U-21: Das Aufgebot für die nächsten Etappen der «Mission 21»" [U-21: The line-up for the next stages of «Mission 21»] (in German). Swiss Football Association. 2 October 2020.
^ "Betim Fazliji, shtyllë e mbrojtjes së Kosovës prej ndeshjeve të nëntorit" [Betim Fazliji, pillar of Kosovo's defense from the November matches] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 28 September 2020.
^ "Challandes publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjet e nëntorit" [Challandes publishes the list of footballers for the November matches] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 3 November 2020.
^ "Betim Fazliji nga Miratoci talenti i ri i futbollit që luan në superligën zviceriane" [Betim Fazliji from Miratoci the new football talent who plays in the Swiss Super League]. Presheva.al (in Albanian). 8 February 2020.

External links

Betim Fazliji at Soccerway
Betim Fazliji at Swiss Football League
Betim Fazliji at FC St. Gallen

This biographical article relating to association football in Kosovo is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "FCSG verpflichtet Strübi und Fazliji" [FCSG sign Strübi and Fazliji]. FM1Today (in German). 21 June 2019.

[2] "Basel vs. St. Gallen 1–2". Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2019.

[3] Romak Zeqiri (3 November 2020). "Ekskluzive, flet ardhja e re e Dardanëve, Betim Fazliji: Faleminderit Zvicër për gjithçka, por nuk mund ta refuzoj shtëpinë time Kosovën – jam këtu për evropian" [Exclusive, speaks the new arrival of the Dardanians, Betim Fazliji: Thank you Switzerland for everything, but I can not refuse my home Kosovo – I am here for European] (in Albanian). Telegrafi.

[4] "Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Schweiz" [Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Switzerland] (in German). Swiss Football Association. Retrieved 5 September 2019.

[5] "U-21: Das Aufgebot für die nächsten Etappen der «Mission 21»" [U-21: The line-up for the next stages of «Mission 21»] (in German). Swiss Football Association. 2 October 2020.

[6] "Betim Fazliji, shtyllë e mbrojtjes së Kosovës prej ndeshjeve të nëntorit" [Betim Fazliji, pillar of Kosovo's defense from the November matches] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 28 September 2020.

[7] "Challandes publikon listën e futbollistëve për ndeshjet e nëntorit" [Challandes publishes the list of footballers for the November matches] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 3 November 2020.

[8] "Betim Fazliji nga Miratoci talenti i ri i futbollit që luan në superligën zviceriane" [Betim Fazliji from Miratoci the new football talent who plays in the Swiss Super League]. Presheva.al (in Albanian). 8 February 2020.

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