Gjergji Muzaka (born 26 September 1984) is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
A product of Partizani Tirana academy, Muzaka begun his career as a talented youth player, which prompted Paris Saint-Germain to sign him in 2000. His spell in France was short-lived, however, as he returned at Partizani one year later and commenced his professional career as 17-year-old. Muzaka played for eight years for The Red Bulls, notably winning the Albanian Cup title and also having a brief spell in Greece at Iraklis as a loanee in 2004. In 2008, he switched clubs, joining Partizani's fierce rivals, KF Tirana. In the following years, he also represented Dinamo Tirana, Flamurtari Vlorë (twice) and Skënderbeu Korçë (twice), achieving a great success with the latter, winning three Albanian Superliga titles between 2011 and 2014.
In January 2015, Muzaka returned to Tirana, but his second spell was marred by consistent injuries and off-field problems, including with club president Refik Halili. He left the club in controversial fashion in January 2017, accusing Halili of not paying him accordingly during his time there; Muzaka filled an appeal at the Conflict Resolution Room of AFA and won, but is yet to take is wages. He returned to Skënderbeu for a second time, and after a slow start, he aided the club to win the championship title in 2017–18 season.
Prior to making his senior debut, Muzaka represented Albania at under-19 and -21 levels. He earned his first cap for the Albania national team in 2008, and since then, has made 23 appearances.
Club career Early career Born in Tirana to the noble Muzaka family. Muzaka began his playing career with local side Partizani Tirana when he was just a teenager. He played for the Partizani U17s where he attracted the interest of several foreign clubs with his performances on the right hand side of midfield. One of these foreign clubs was French giants Paris Saint-Germain, who in 2000 offered Muzaka a contract at the club. Muzaka accepted and left Partizani at the age of just 16, joining the PSG youth team. However, after just one year in France, Muzaka moved back to Albania and back to Partizani before the beginning of the 2001–02 season.
Partizani Tirana After returning to Albania, Muzaka was placed into the first team of Partizani. In the 2001–02 season he played 8 league match where he scored a goal with Partizani who finished the league in the 3rd place qualifying for the 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round. He made his UEFA competition debut appearing in the two legged game for the 2002–03 UEFA Cup qualifying round against Hapoel Tel Aviv in August 2002 where Partizani got eliminated losing both matches on aggregate 5–1. In the entire 2002–03 season Muzaka earned 20 overall appearances scoring 4 goals with team ending the season again in the 3rd place. He established himself as a starter in the 2003–04 season under coach Sulejman Mema playing 33 matches and scoring 10 goals winning his first trophy of career, the 2003–04 Albanian Cup and finishing 4th in the league.
In the summer of 2006, he missed a trial at SpVgg Unterhaching due to injury, and also missed the team's UEFA Intertoto Cup matches against Ethnikos Achna.
Partizani begun the 2006–07 Albanian Superliga season by winning 3–2 at home against Apolonia Fier, with Muzaka making history by netting inside 10 seconds make it the fastest ever goal scored in the history of Albanian Superliga. His record was broken three years later by Migen Memelli.
Loan to Iraklis In July 2004. Muzaka was sent on loan to Greek club Iraklis for the 2004–05 Alpha Ethniki until 31 December 2004. He made only 3 league appearances prior returning to Partizani for the second half of the 2004–05 Albanian Superliga where he went on to play 11 league games and to score 2 goals with Partizani ranking in the 8th place to avoid relegation.
Tirana In August 2008, the president of Tirana, Refik Halili paid a total of €70,000 to buy Muzaka from their fierce rivals Partizani. He missed the opening two league matches due to injury, and returned in action in September, making his competitive debut against his former team Partizani in the Capital derby; he came as a second-half substitute in place of Sabjen Lilaj and assisted Andi Lila last-minute winner for a 2–1 win. He made his first start in the following week, playing for 52 minutes in another league win, this time against Apolonia Fier (2–0).
In his first season, Muzaka played 38 matches between league and cup. In championship, he made 29 appearances and scored two goals, helping Tirana to win its 24th championship in history. In cup, he scored once in nine appearances as Tirana was defeated in final by Flamurtari Vlorë.
Muzaka played his 200th match in Albanian Superliga on 30 October 2009 against Vllaznia Shkodër, marking off the occasion by scoring the match's only goal in the first half.
Dinamo Tirana Muzaka signed a three-year contract with the 2009–10 champions Dinamo Tirana on 16 June 2010. The transfer was managed by the FIFA licensed agent Elton Marini, of 'M&M Management Agency'. The contact was worth a total of €210,000, with Muzaka earning €70,000 a season with Dinamo.
Muzaka was named in Dinamo UEFA Champions League squad, and made his competitive debut on 14 July 2010 in the first leg of second qualifying round against FC Sheriff Tiraspol ended in a 3–1 away defeat. Six days later, in the returning leg, despite losing his father and attending his funeral early that day, Muzaka decided to play and assisted Emiljano Vila's header via e set piece in an eventual 1–0 win which was not enough as Dinamo got eliminated 2–3 on aggregate. For this he received "Fair Play" Award at the end of the season by association "Sporti na Bashkon".
On 16 August, he started the domestic season in the Albanian Supercup against Besa Kavajë which finished in a 1–3 home defeat. His first league appearance came on 21 August in the opening league match against Flamurtari Vlorë which finished in a 0–1 home defeat. His maiden goal arrived on 13 November in the match against Skënderbeu Korçë, netting the opener in an eventual 3–2 away loss. During the first half of the season, Muzaka appeared on 15 matches, including 14 as starter, scoring once before going on loan at Skënderbeu Korçë for the rest of the season.
Skënderbeu Korçë In January 2011. Muzaka joined a half-season loan at Skënderbeu Korçë. As part of the transfer, Serbian striker Mladen Brkić went to the opposite direction. He was presented and was given squad number 11, stating: "I'm at Skënderbeu to win the championship."
Flamurtari Vlorë On 8 August 2012, Muzaka completed a transfer to fellow top flight side Flamurtari Vlorë for an undisclosed fee. Despite being the target of many Superliga teams, including his former side Tirana, Muzaka choose Flamurtari and signed a contract worth a reported fee €75,000 per season. He was presented one day later where took squad number 14, because number 17 was of Bruno Telushi.
During the 2012–13 season, Muzaka netted 18 goals across all competitions, setting a new personal best. He made 24 league appearances and scored 12 goals, with a ratio of one goal in two games. He was also named Albanian Superliga Player of the Month in March 2013. Muazaka was also an important instrument in the 2012–13 Albanian Cup, scoring 6 times in 9 matches as Flamurtari was eliminated in Group B.
Return to Skënderbeu Korçë In August 2013, Muzaka joined Skënderbeu Korçë on a free transfer, returning in Korçë after one season absence. He signed a contract for the 2013–14 season with an option to renew and took his favourite squad number 17. In December 2013, Muzaka was a nominee for the Albanian Footballer of the Year award, which was subsequently won by Teuta Durrës' Daniel Xhafaj.
Return to Flamurtari Vlorë After becoming a free agent following the expiration of his one-year contract with Skënderbeu Korçë, Muzaka re-joined Flamurtari Vlorë, where we had played between 2012 and 2013. He officially signed a two-year contract with Flamurtari on 10 June 2014. However, he left the club in January 2015 after a massive exodus, terminating his contract by mutual consent.
Return to Tirana
Muzaka left Flamurtari Vlorë during a mass exodus at the club in January 2015, after terminating his contract through mutual consent. He then returned to KF Tirana, signing a contract until the end of the 2014–15 campaign, reportedly worth €5,500 a month. On 7 January he was officially unveiled as a KF Tirana player to the media, holding a press conference alongside the club's president Refik Halili and newly appointed director Devi Muka.
He made his return debut on 24 January by playing full-90 minutes in the 2–0 home win against Apolonia Fier in the matchday 19. On 8 March 2015, during the league match against the title rivals Kukësi, Muzaka assisted the Tomislav Bušić goal in the 72nd minute, and scored himself six minutes later to seal the 2–0 win at neutral ground Niko Dovana Stadium.
On 22 April 2015, during the 2014–15 Albanian Cup semi-final second leg match against Laçi, Muzaka snapped his knee's ligament after a collision with Olsi Teqja and was stretchered off the field in the 46th minute. He underwent surgery on his knee on 11 May in Rome and was ruled out of action for 6 months. He finished second part of 2014–15 season by playing 15 matches between league and club, including 12 in league, scoring once in the process.
On 19 November 2015, Muzaka returned to pitch after about six months as he appeared in the last 15 minutes of the goalless draw against Laçi. He had to wait until 30 January of the following year to make his first start since the injury, as he played 75 minutes and scored a goal in the 1–3 away win at Tërbuni Pukë. He followed up the goal by scoring another one in the 3–0 win at Laçi, helping Tirana to win the first match at Laçi Stadium since 5 May 2012. Muzaka continued with his solid performances as he converted a penalty-kick in Tirana's 2–0 home defeat of Bylis Ballsh, helping Tirana to gain its first win at the newly renovated Selman Stërmasi Stadium. It was his third goal of the season in the last three matches.
On 17 April, during the league match at Bylis Ballsh, Muzaka suffered another injury, a shoulder fracture which forced him to end of the season with six weeks remaining. He finished the season by making 22 appearances, including 19 in league, and scoring four goals, and Tirana once again remained out of European competitions.
Following his shoulder injury, Muzaka returned in training in September 2016. He made his first appearance of the season in the second leg of Albanian Cup first round against Sopoti Librazhd, playing in the second half as Tirana recorded an empathic 7–0 home win, progressing to the next round with the aggregate 8–1. Later on 12 October, Muzaka made his first league appearance of the season in the matchday 6 against Korabi Peshkopi, scoring a 91st-minute winner with a diving header to give Tirana its second consecutive league win.
On 30 December 2016, Muzaka opened a file in the Conflict Resolution Room of AFA against Tirana for unpaid wages. Seven days later, he was told that he was not going to be part of the team for the preparation phase in Turkey. A live TV debat occurred between him and club president Halili where Muzaka claimed that the club owns him 107 million lek. He also added that Tirana owns him 14 monthly salary. On 23 January, Conflict Resolution Room upheld in part the appeal filed by the Muzaka and rejected the appeal filed by Tirana. Muzaka is yet to take his unpaid wages, but he did become a free agent while Tirana were forced to pay the court expenses which were €10,000.
Third spell at Skënderbeu Korçë