Rilind Nivokazi

Rilind Nivokazi
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-01-26) 26 January 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Perugia, Italy
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-forward
Team information
Current team
 Bellinzona
Number 33
Youth career
2008–2011 Collepieve
2011 Grifoponte
2011–2013 Bastia
2013–2014 Monte Malbe
2014–2019 Atalanta
2019 → Bologna (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 Atalanta 0 (0)
2019–2020 → Lecco (loan) 1 (0)
2021 Foggia 7 (0)
2021–2023 Chiasso 39 (14)
2023 Rapperswil-Jona 17 (5)
2023–2024 Lugano II 27 (14)
2024– Bellinzona 12 (4)
International career‡
2016 Italy U16 1 (0)
2016 Italy U17 4 (0)
2017 Italy U18 5 (2)
2021 Kosovo U21 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 4 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 June 2021

Rilind Nivokazi (born 26 January 2000) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a centre-forward for Swiss Challenge League club Bellinzona.

Club career

Early career and Atalanta

Nivokazi at the age of 8, he started playing football in Collepieve, he besides being was part of Collepieve, he was part even of Grifoponte (2011), Bastia (2011–2013) and Monte Malbe (2013–2014).[1] On 23 May 2014, Nivokazi joined with youth team of Italian giants Atalanta.[2] In 2017–18 season, he started playing for Atalanta's under-19 squad.[3]

Loan at Bologna Youth Sector

On 18 January 2019, Nivokazi joined Campionato Primavera 2 club Bologna, on a six-month-long loan.[4] One day later, he made his debut in a 2–3 away win against SPAL after coming on as a substitute at 57th minute in place of Kaloyan Krastev.[5] On 16 February 2019, he scored his first goal for Bologna in his fifth appearance for the club in a 2–2 away draw over Hellas Verona in Campionato Primavera 2.[6]

Loan at Lecco

On 10 July 2019, Nivokazi joined newly-promoted Serie C club Lecco, on a season-long loan.[7] On 25 August 2019, he was named as a Lecco substitute for the first time in a league match against Arezzo.[8] His debut with Lecco came thirteen days later in a league match against Novara after coming on as a substitute at 76th minute in place of Marco Moleri.[9]

Foggia

On 1 February 2021, Nivokazi joined Serie C side Foggia and receiving squad number 30.[10] Twelve days later, he made his debut in a 0–2 home defeat against Catanzaro after coming on as a substitute at 81st minute in place of Ibourahima Baldé.[11]

Chiasso

On 4 August 2021, he signed with Swiss club Chiasso.[12]

Lugano

In December 2022, Nivokazi joined Rapperswil-Jona,[13] before moving to FC Lugano in July 2023, where he was going to play for the clubs reserve team.[14]

Bellinzona

On 30 July 2024, Nivokazi moved to Bellinzona.[15]

International career

From 2016, until 2017, Nivokazi has been part of Italy at youth international level, respectively has been part of the U16, U17 and U18 teams and he with these teams played ten matches and scored two goals.[16] On 15 March 2021, Nivokazi received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for the friendly matches against Qatar U23.[17] Eleven days later, he made his debut with Kosovo U21 in first match against Qatar U23 after being named in the starting line-up.[18]

Personal life

Nivokazi was born in Perugia, Italy to Kosovo Albanian parents from Gjakova.[16]

References

  1. ^ "Primavera: Alla scoperta di Rilind Nivokazi" [Primavera: Discovering Rilind Nivokazi] (in Italian). Atalanta B.C. 1 November 2017.
  2. ^ "Montemalbe Ellera da Serie A: Milan e Atalanta comprano Rilind Nivokazi e Redolf Ramilli" [Montemalbe Ellera from Serie A: Milan and Atalanta buy Rilind Nivokazi and Redolf Ramilli]. CorcianOnline.it (in Italian). 23 May 2014.
  3. ^ Rilind Nivokazi at TuttoCalciatori.net (in Italian)
  4. ^ "UFFICIALE: Bologna, tesserato l'attaccante Nivokazi" [OFFICIAL: Bologna, striker Nivokazi registered]. TUTTOmercatoWEB.com (in Italian). 18 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Campionato Primavera 2, Spal – Bologna 2–3". ZONACALCIOFAIDATE.it (in Italian). 19 January 2019. Bologna: Fantoni, Lunghi, Busi, Mazza, Corbo (dal 76' Khalioti), Cassandro, Visconti, Militari (dal 57' Ruffo Luci), Rabbi, Stanzani (dal 71' Koutsoupias), Krastev (dal 57' Nivokazi)
  6. ^ "Campionato Primavera 2, Hellas Verona – Bologna 2-2". ZONACALCIOFAIDATE.it (in Italian). 16 February 2019. BOLOGNA: Fantoni, Lunghi, Busi, Mazza, Cassandro, Kastrati (dal 13' st Uhunamure), Visconti, Valencia (dal 1' st Koutsoupias), Rabbi (dal 13' st Nivokazi), Stanzani, Krastev (dal 1' st Ruffo; dal 34' st Farinelli)
  7. ^ "Comunicato Ufficiale: Rilind Nivokazi nuovo giocatore della Calcio Lecco 1912" [Official Statement: Rilind Nivokazi new player of Calcio Lecco 1912] (Press release) (in Italian). Calcio Lecco 1912. 10 July 2019.
  8. ^ "Arezzo vs. Lecco 3–1". Soccerway. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
  9. ^ "Novara vs. Lecco 3–0". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 September 2019.
  10. ^ "Nivokazi nuovo attaccante rossonero" [Nivokazi is the new red and black forward] (Press release) (in Italian). Calcio Foggia 1920. 1 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Foggia vs. Catanzaro 0–2". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  12. ^ "BENVENUTO RILIND NIVOKAZI" (in Italian). Chiasso. 4 August 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  13. ^ Herzlich Willkommen Rilind Nivokazi, fcrj.ch, 11 December 2022
  14. ^ RILIND NIVOKAZI PUNTELLA L’ATTACCO DELL’FC LUGANO II, fclugano.com, 14 July 2023
  15. ^ "Benvenuto Rilind" [Welcome Rilind] (in Italian). AC Bellinzona. 30 July 2024. Retrieved 10 September 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Ekskluzive/Kosova ia merr Italisë ish sulmuesin e Atalantas" [Exclusive/Kosovo takes the former Atalanta striker from Italy]. IndeksOnline (in Albanian). 11 March 2021.
  17. ^ "Përzgjedhësi Nees publikon listën e futbollistëve për dy miqësoret kundër Katarit" [Selector Nees publishes the list of footballers for the two friendlies against Qatar] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 15 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Kosova U21 pëson humbje në miqësoren e parë kundër Katarit U23" [Kosovo U21 loses in the first friendly against Qatar U23] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 26 March 2021.