Kushtrim Lushtaku (born 8 October 1989) is a Kosovan professional footballer and manager who plays as an attacking midfielder and acts as a player-manager for Türkspor Neckarsulm.

Kushtrim Lushtaku
Lushtaku with 1860 Munich II
Personal information
Full name Kushtrim Lushtaku
Date of birth (1989-10-08) 8 October 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Skenderaj, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Türkspor Neckarsulm (player-manager)
Number 99
Youth career
1994–1998 TG Offenau
1998–1999 FSV Bad Friedrichshall
1999–2006 VfR Heilbronn
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 TSG Backnang 10 (0)
2008–2009 Drenica 25 (10)
2009–2011 1860 Munich II 27 (1)
2011–2013 Örebro 36 (4)
2013–2014 Fortuna Köln 6 (0)
2014–2015 Kukësi 38 (6)
2015–2016 Flamurtari Vlorë 21 (3)
2016–2017 Kukësi 19 (2)
2017 Trepça'89 1 (0)
2017–2018 1. CfR Pforzheim 22 (3)
2019– Türkspor Neckarsulm 13 (8)
International career
2008–2010 Kosovo U21
2014 Kosovo 1 (0)
Managerial career
2019– Türkspor Neckarsulm (player-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 December 2019
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 7 September 2014

Early life

edit

Lushtaku was born in Skenderaj, SFR Yugoslavia but raised in Heilbronn, Germany.[citation needed]

Club career

edit

He began his career with TG Offenau. After four years there, he joined FSV Bad Friedrichshall in summer 1998.[1] He played for FSV Bad Friedrichshall for only one year. In July 1999, he signed for VfR Heilbronn[2] and moved after two years to city rival FC Heilbronn.[3] Lushtaku played for five years for FC Heilbronn before joining TSG Backnang 1919 in summer 2006.[3] After two successful years with TSG Backnang 1919 Lushtaku signed his first professional contract in the newly formed Kosovar Superliga for KF Drenica. In his first professional season he played 25 games, scored nine goals and rendered fifteen assists for his club.[4]

1860 München

edit

In summer 2009, he left KF Drenica and signed a four-year contract with TSV 1860 München, on 30 July 2009.[5]

Örebro

edit

On 1 March 2011, Lushtaku signed with Allsvenskan team Örebro.[6] He made his competitive debut on 21 April by playing full-90 minutes as Örebro defeated 2–1 Häcken.[7] His first goal came later on 13 June in the match against Trelleborg, where Lushtaku scored in the last moments of the match as Örebro won 4–2.[8]

Kukësi

edit

On 18 June 2014, Lushtaku completed a transfer as a free agent to Albanian Superliga side Kukësi by penning a one-year contract.[9]

Flamurtari Vlorë

edit

On 31 August 2016, Lushtaku joined Flamurtari Vlorë on the deadline day by signing a one-year contract with an option of a further one.[10]

Return to Kukësi

edit

On 1 September 2016, Lushtaku rejoined Kukësi as a free agent, signing a contract for the 2016–17 season.[11] He made his return debut on 28 September 2016 by playing full-90 minutes in Kukësi 0–3 away defeat of Tomori Berat valid for the first leg of 2016–17 Albanian Cup first round.[12] His first league appearance came on matchday 9 against Luftëtari Gjirokastër where he played in the last 11 minutes of a 1–0 home win thanks to an Izair Emini winner.[13] Lushtaku's first score-sheet contributions came later on 21 November in the match against Teuta Durrës, where he came as a substitute to score the winner in the last minutes of the match.[14] His first match as starter came on matchday 16 where Kukësi stumbled into a 1–1 away draw against Korabi Peshkopi, with Lushtaku scoring his team's only goal.[15]

Lushtaku's second part of season didn't go as expected, as he did not break through Ernest Gjoka's lineup, finishing the season with 19 league appearances, which only two of them were as starter, collecting 442 minutes as Kukësi won its maiden Albanian Superliga title.[16] He also made 5 cup appearances, all of them as starter, as Kukësi were eliminated in quarter-finals by Tirana.[17] On 29 May 2017, not happy with the playing time he was receiving, Lushtaku left the club by terminating his contract.[18]

Trepça'89

edit

On 5 June 2017. Lushtaku joined with Football Superleague of Kosovo champions Trepça'89.[19]

1. CfR Pforzheim

edit

On 1 October 2017. Lushtaku joined Oberliga Baden-Württemberg side 1. CfR Pforzheim. On 7 October 2017, he made his debut in a 0–2 home defeat against Bahlinger SC after being named in the starting line-up.[citation needed]

Türkspor Neckarsulm

edit

At the beginning of August 2019, Lushtaku joined Bezirksliga side Türkspor Neckarsulm, he made his debut on 25 August against FV Wüstenrot after being named in the starting line-up and scored his side's second goal during a 4–1 home win.[20] At the beginning of September 2019, Lushtaku appointed as player-manager and on 12 September, he had his first match as Türkspor Neckarsulm player-manager in a 2–1 away defeat against Aramäer Heilbronn.[21]

International career

edit

Under-21

edit

Senior

edit

On 7 September 2014. Lushtaku making his debut with Kosovo in a friendly match against Oman after coming on as a substitute at 72nd minute in place of Shpëtim Hasani.

Honours

edit

Fortuna Köln[22]

Kukësi[22]

Individual

References

edit
  1. ^ "Steckbrief TSV 1860 München" (in German). tsv1860.de. Archived from the original on 20 January 2010. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Sportbericht 2003/2004" (PDF) (in German). tsv1860.de. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  3. ^ a b "Lushtaku, Kushtrim" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  4. ^ "1860 bindet Lushtaku" (in German). kicker.de. 30 July 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  5. ^ "Lushtaku erhält Dreijahresvertrag" [Lushtaku receives a three-year contract] (in German). tsv1860.de. Archived from the original on 3 September 2009. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  6. ^ "Officiellt: Kushtrim Lushtaku klar för Örebro SK" [Official: Kushtrim Lushtaku signs for Örebro SK] (in Swedish). Fotbolltransfers.com. 1 March 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Häcken vs. Örebro 1 – 2". Soccerway. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Örebro vs. Trelleborgs 4 – 2". Soccerway. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  9. ^ Jonuz Hallaçi (18 June 2014). "Firmos Lushtaku: Vij prej Gjicit, ju bind që në Europë" [Lushtaku signs: I came by Gjici, i convince in Europe] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Firmos Zeqiri, Flamurtari merr edhe Kushtrim Lushtakun" [Zeqiri signs, Flamurtari takes Kushtrim Lushtaku] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 31 August 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
  11. ^ "Arrihet akordi financiar, Lushtaku firmos për një vit te Kukësi" [Financial terms are reached, Lushtaku signs for one year at Kukësi] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Tomori Berat vs. Kukësi 0 – 3". Soccerway. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Kukësi vs. Lufëtari Gjirokastër 1 – 0". Soccerway. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Golat vijnë nga stoli, Kukësi përmbys Teutën dhe mbetet në krye (VIDEO)" [Goals came from the bench, Kukësi overturn Teuta and remains on lead (VIDEO)] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Kukësi barazon me Korabin" [Kukësi drew with Korabi] (in Albanian). ABC News. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  16. ^ "Kukësi mposht Skënderbeun, fiton titullin e parë në histori" [Kukësi defeats Skënderbeu, win its first title in history] (in Albanian). Telegraf.com. 20 May 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  17. ^ Rinald Bregasi (15 February 2017). "Tirana eliminon Kukësin nga Kupa e Shqipërisë" [Tirana eliminates Kukësi from Albanian Cup] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  18. ^ "Lushtaku largohet nga Kukësi" [Lushtaku leaves Kukësi] (in Albanian). Telegraf.com. 29 May 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  19. ^ "Lushtaku firmos për kampionët e Kosovës" [Lushtaku signs for Kosovo champions] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 5 June 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Spielbericht Türkspor Neckarsulm – FV Wüstenrot". FuPa.net (in German). Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  21. ^ "Spielbericht Aramäer HN – Türk N´ulm". FuPa.net (in German). Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  22. ^ a b Kushtrim Lushtaku at Soccerway
  23. ^ "Kukësi nuk shkon më shumë se barazimi me Apoloninë" [Kukësi doesn't go more than a draw with Apolonia] (in Albanian). FK Kukësi. 8 December 2014. Retrieved 12 April 2015.
edit