Betim Fazliji

Betim Fazliji (Albanian: Betim Fazlija; born 25 April 1999) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Swiss Super League club St. Gallen and the Kosovo national team.

Betim Fazliji
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-04-25) 25 April 1999
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 Apps (Gls)
2017–2019 St. Gallen U21 30 (5)
2019–2022 St. Gallen 87 (5)
2022–2023 St. Pauli 19 (0)
2023– St. Gallen 0 (0)
International career‡
2019 Switzerland U20 2 (0)
2020– Kosovo 14 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 June 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 June 2021

Club career

St. Gallen

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]

St. Pauli

On 15 June 2022, Fazliji joined 2. Bundesliga side St. Pauli.[3] His debut with St. Pauli came a day later in a 3–2 home win against 1. FC Nürnberg after coming on as a substitute at last minutes in place of Adam Dźwigała.[4]

Return to St. Gallen

In June 2023, after one season in Germany, Fazliji returned to St. Gallen on a four-year contract.[5]

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 on his relation with Switzerland after choosing to play for Kosovo.[6]

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.[7] 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,[8] 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.[9] 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.[10] Eight days later, Fazliji made his debut with Kosovo in a friendly match against Albania after being named in the starting line-up.[11]

Personal life

Fazliji was born in Vranje, FR Yugoslavia to Albanian parents from the village Miratovac of Preševo,[12] and he is the second player of Kosovo that comes from the Preševo Valley after Gjelbrim Taipi.

Career statistics
As of match played 12 November 2022[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
St. Gallen U21 2017-18 Swiss 1. Liga 113———113
2018-19 192———192
Total 305———305
St. Gallen 2019-20 Super League 262———262
2020-21 3214010—371
2021-22 29250——342
Total 8759010—975
St. Pauli 2022-23 2. Bundesliga 12020——140
Career total 991011010—11110

References
  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. "Der FC St. Pauli verpflichtet Betim Fazliji" [FC St. Pauli sings Betim Fazliji] (in German). FC St. Pauli. 15 July 2022.
  4. "3:2 gegen Nürnberg – FC St. Pauli startet mit Heimsieg in die Saison" [3:2 against Nuremberg – FC St. Pauli starts the season with a home win] (in German). FC St. Pauli. 16 July 2022.
  5. "Betim Fazliji kehrt zum FCSG zurück" [Betim Fazliji returns to FCSG]. www.fcsg.ch (in German). 21 June 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  6. 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.
  7. "Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Schweiz" [Portugal 2:2 (0:0) Switzerland] (in German). Swiss Football Association. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  8. "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.
  9. "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.
  10. "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.
  11. "Formacionet zyrtare: Shqipëri – Kosovë, debuton Betim Fazliji" [Official formations: Albania - Kosovo, debuts Betim Fazliji] (in Albanian). Kallxo. 11 November 2020.
  12. "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.
  13. "B. Fazliji". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
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