Full name Endri Vrapi 1998–2002 Partizani Tirana Weight 69 kg Number 44 Height 1.77 m | Playing position Role Football player Place of birth Tirane, Albania Name Endrit Vrapi Date joined 2013 | |
Date of birth (1981-03-23) 23 March 1981 (age 34) Current team FK Partizani Tirana (#44 / Defender) | ||
Endri Vrapi (born 23 May 1982 in Tiranë) is an Albanian football player who last played for Albanian Superliga side Vllaznia Shkodër as a defender.
Contents
- Career
- Dinamo
- Sknderbeu Kor
- Return to Tirana
- Partizani Tirana
- Vllaznia Shkodr
- International career
- Clubs
- International
- Club
- Individual
- References
Career
Vrapi began his career while still a teenager, playing for Partizani Tirana. Regarded as one of the best young Albanian talents at the time, he was also captain of the Albania national under-19 football team. He worked his way up through the ranks at Partizani Tirana and joined the first team during the 2001–02 season, though he did not feature in any league game that season. This prompted Vrapi to sign with Lushnja, a weaker team in the Albanian Superliga, to gain some experience.
At Lushnja he quickly established himself in the first team. He played seventy-six games and scored four goals for the club between 2002 and 2005. His impressive displays prompted one of the best teams in the country, Elbasani, to sign the left back in 2005. His most successful season came at Elbasani during his first spell there in the 2005–06 season. He played thirty-four games and scored two goals that season and was one reason Elbasani won the Albanian championship. After his triumph with Elbasani, in 2006 Vrapi moved to Teuta Durrës, where he almost repeated his success with Elbasani, when Teuta Durrës finished second behind KF Tirana in the Albanian Superliga. During the 2006–07 season he played twenty-nine games and scored two goals. After spending only one season in Durres, Vrapi changed teams again, moving back to KF Tirana. This turned out to be a mistake. KF Tirana struggled all season, finishing a disappointing sixth place in the Albanian Superliga, the team's lowest league position in years. During that poor season Vrapi played twenty-seven games without scoring a goal. The Albanian international defender decided to go back and play where he had spent the best years of his career, Elbasani. He was greeted by his former team with open arms as they had paid a fee believed to be in the region of $140,000 for re-signing the left back.
Dinamo
On 30 June 2009, Vrapi moved to Dinamo Tirana for the club's European campaign. On 2 July 2009, in first match of first qualifying round of Europa League against Finnish team Lahti, Vrapi played as a starter for 90 minutes with Dinamo who suffered a 4–1 defeat Lahden Stadion, being close to elimination. In the return match, Vrapi played 78 minutes, helping the club to win the match 2–0, but this victory was not enough, with Dinamo being eliminated with the aggregate 4–3.
Skënderbeu Korçë
On 30 June 2010, Vrapi was transferred to Skënderbeu Korçë, and was given the number 4 shirt for the 2010–11 season. He made his debut in team's opening match of 2010–11 season against his former team Besa Kavajë, but the match was suspended after 88th minute at 0–1 due to riots on the terraces. Skënderbeu was awarded by the FSHF 0–2. One week later, Vrapi played for the first time in Skënderbeu Stadium in a 2–0 defeat of Teuta Durrës.
Return to Tirana
On 29 August 2013, Vrapi made his return to Tirana after three seasons at Skënderbeu Korçë by signing a one-year contract, and was given the number 44 shirt for the 2013–14 season. He debuted in the team's opening match of the 2013–14 season against KF Laçi, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a goalless home draw. Vrapi, however, was one of the best players on the field.
In December of that year, Vrapi played in a two-legged match against KF Lushnja, valid for the second round of Albanian Cup, playing all 90 minutes in both matches, unable to avoid elimination of Tirana. In the first part of the season, Tirana experienced its worst period of all time, closing it with three wins in sixteen matches. Vrapi appeared in eleven of these matches in center of defence. Also during this period, Tirana changed three coaches, starting with Nevil Dede, then Alpin Gallo, and later Gugash Magani. Until December, Tirana was placed in the last position with only 10 points in 13 matches, 7 points less than the eighth-place Flamurtari. However, with Magani in charge, Tirana changed completely the face by winning three of four matches of February, including the derby against Partizani Tirana thanks to the winner of Gilberto. Vrapi played as a starter in all four matches.
On 26 April 2014, Vrapi scored his first and only goal of the season in a 2–1 win over Vllaznia Shkodër, they survival rivals. He scored that goal in the 19th minute after a free-kick. Tirana mathematically assured survival on 3 May 2014 in the penultimate week of the league after a 2–2 away draw against Flamurtari, in a match where Vrapi played 90 minutes. He ended his second season with Tirana by playing 26 matches, 23 of them in league and 3 in cup, and scoring once. After he failed to find a way with the club for the renewal of the contract, he left the club in mid-August.
Partizani Tirana
Vrapi rejoined Partizani Tirana on 1 September 2014 on a free transfer, where he signed a one-year deal, with the option of a further one-year extension. He was officially presented as a Partizani Tirana player the same day he signed, and was given the number 44 shirt for the 2014–15 season. He debuted with Partizani on 10 September in a match against Skënderbeu Korçë, where he played full 90 minutes in a 1–0 success. During the first part of the season, Vrapi, Rrahmani, Fejzullahu and Cululi helped Hoxha to go 1,084 minutes without conceding a goal in Albanian Superliga to break the 30-year-old record set by the goalkeeper of KS Labinoti Elbasan (modern day called KF Elbasani), Bujar Gogunja, who kept intact net goal for 1037 minutes. He ended the season with 26 appearances, all in the league with Partizani who finished in 3rd position, returning in European competitions after seven years. During the season, Vrapi played mainly as left back, but in several times he played also as a central defender.
In team's first match of 2015–16 season against Norwegian side Strømsgodset, valid for the first qualifying round of Europa League, Vrapi started and played full 90 minutes in a 1–3 defeat of Partizani at Marienlyst Stadion. In the returning match at Qemal Stafa Stadium, Vrapi played again full-90 minutes, with Partizani who lose the match 1–0 in the very last minute.
On 13 January 2016, Partizani confirmed via their Facebook page that they have terminated the contract with Vrapi by mutual consensus.
Vllaznia Shkodër
Three days after terminated his contract with Partizani, Vrapi agreed terms with Vllaznia Shkodër to join the Albanian Superliga strugglers until the end of the season.
International career
Vrapi has been an Albanian international for four years, collecting 10 appearances. He debuted with Albania on 1 March 2006, playing the last 11 minutes of the 2–1 home defeat against Lithuania.