Realdo Fili

Apolonia Fier

An Apolonia Fier academy product, Fili made his first-team debut on 11 May 2013 in the last league match of 2012–13 season against Flamurtari Vlorë at the age of 16 years and 363 days, playing the last 7 minutes of the goalless home draw. Apolonia Fier finished the league in the last position, meaning that they are relegated and would spend the 2013–14 season in the Albanian First Division.

During the whole 2013–14 season, Fili didn't make a single league appearance, and was an unused substitute five times. His only match of the season was against Kukësi on 18 December 2013 in the returning leg of 2013–14 Albanian Cup second round, where he played the second half in an eventual 4–0 away defeat, which resulted Apolonia Fier eliminated with the aggregate 4–1. Apolonia finished the league season as runner-ups, promoting in the Albanian Superliga along with Elbasani.

2014–15 season

Apolonia commenced the league season with a 3–0 disappointing away lose to Tirana, where Fili was an unused substitute for the entire match. Fili played his first league match of the season on 26 September 2014 against Kukësi, appearing as a second-half substitute for Renato Naçi in an eventual 0–1 home defeat. He began to win more minutes by playing his first match as a starter on 1 October during the 4–0 away win against Dinamo Tirana for the first leg of the first round of 2014–15 Albanian Cup.

With the arrival of the new coach Artan Mërgjyshi, who begun focusing on the new players, Fili begun to play more often, playing 63 minutes in the 2–0 defeat to Partizani Tirana at home in the first match of the 2015. Fili scored his first goal of the season on 28 February during the 2–2 home draw against Kukësi, receiving the first point of the second part of the season. Fili continued his fine form by scoring the lone goal against the survival rivals of Elbasani, giving Apolonia three important points. Only three days later, Fili was on the scoresheet again, scoring against another survival rival, this time Teuta Durrës, to give Apolonia its second consecutive league win.

On 12 April, Fili scored a winner in the 88th minute against Flamurtari Vlorë for a 2–1 home victory to help Apolonia reducing the gap with Teuta Durrës in their bid to escape relegation. On 9 May, Apolonia thrashed Elbasani 4–1 at home, to secur mathematically the penultimate spot and to reduce the gap with Teuta Durrës to only one point; Fili himself scored the fourth goal of the match. Eight days later, in the decisive match away against Teuta Durrës, Apolonia was defeated thanks to a last-minute winner of Ardit Peposhi, shattering the club's goal of surviving.

Fili finished his third season with Apolonia Fier by playing 33 matches between league and cup, including 28 in league, scoring five times in the process. He was praised for his performances throughout the season along with the other youngster Myrto Uzuni. They were the target of many Albanian Superliga clubs, but they did not not leave due to their contract with the club. After the end of the season, he was named one of the Albanian Superliga Talent of the Season along with his team-mate Uzuni and other players.

Partizani Tirana

On 12 February 2016, Fili agreed personal terms and joined Albanian Superliga side Partizani Tirana on a three-year deal, taking the vacant squad number 28 for the second part of 2015–16 season. Before signing with the club, Fili had to solve an issue with his old club Apolonia Fier who didn't allow him to become a free agent, so Fili sent the case in the Dispute Resolution Chamber of AFA. This issue postponed his debut with the first team, as he first needed to debut with the B-team.

On 21 February 2016, Fili made his B-team debut in the match against Shënkolli, where he appeared as a 75th-minute substitute for Fabio Hasa in an eventual 1–1 home draw. He would make another appearance with the B-team on 6 March during the 1–1 away draw against Kevitan, playing full-90 minutes.

On 27 February, six days after making his debut with B-team, Fili finally debuted with the first-team during the away goalless draw against the underdogs of Tërbuni Pukë, playing the last 20 minutes in place of Lorenc Trashi.

International career

In February 2015, Fili was called up for the first time at the Albania under-21 by coach Skënder Gega in the squad from home league Albanian Superliga to participate in for a 3-days mini preparatory stage in Durrës, Albania from 22–25 February 2015.

In June 2015, Fili was called up again at Albania U21 by same coach Skënder Gega for the friendly matches against Kazakhstan U21 and Sweden U21. In the first match against Kazakhstan on 12 June, Fili was an unused substitute with Albania who lost the match 3–1. In the second friendly match four days later, Fili was able to make his U21 debut by playing in a 4–1 away loss against Sweden.

Career statistics