Bekim Isufi

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Bekim Isufi

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|fullname = Bekim Isufi

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|1|2|df=y}}

|birth_place = Gjilan, SFR Yugoslavia

|height =

|position = Midfielder

|currentclub = KF Malisheva

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|years1 = 2002–2003

|clubs1 = Prishtina

|caps1 =

|goals1 =

|years2 = 2003–2005

|clubs2 = Drita

|caps2 =

|goals2 =

|years3 = 2006–2007

|clubs3 = Flamurtari

|caps3 =

|goals3 =

|totalcaps =

|totalgoals =

|nationalyears1 = 2002

|nationalteam1 = Kosovo

|nationalcaps1 = 1

|nationalgoals1 = 0

|manageryears1 = 2011–2012

|managerclubs1 = Drita

|manageryears2 = 2012–2013

|managerclubs2 = Hajvalia

|manageryears3 = 2013–2014

|managerclubs3 = Drita

|manageryears4 = 2015–2016

|managerclubs4 = Drita

|manageryears5 = 2017

|managerclubs5 = Vllaznia Pozheran

|manageryears6 = 2017–2018

|managerclubs6 = Drita

|manageryears7 = 2019–2020

|managerclubs7 = Ferizaj

|manageryears8 = 2021–

|managerclubs8 = Kosovo U21 (assistant)

|manageryears9 = 2021

|managerclubs9 = Ballkani

|manageryears10 = 2023–24

|managerclubs10 = Kosovo u-20

|manageryears11 = 2024–

|managerclubs11 = Malisheva

}}

Bekim Isufi (born 2 January 1976) is a Kosovan professional football coach and former player who is the current manager of KF Malisheva.

Club career

=Drita=

Isufi became a famous football player in Kosovo, while playing for Drita in the 2002–03 season and where he had won captain armband for the first time in the Football Superleague of Kosovo.{{cite news|url=https://rajonipress.com/historike-si-u-be-kampion-drita-ne-vitin-2002-2003/|title=Historike: Si u bë kampion Drita në vitin 2002–2003|trans-title=Historical: How did Drita became champions in 2002-2003|language=Albanian|website=RajoniPress|date=19 May 2018}}

International career

On 7 September 2002. Isufi made his debut with Kosovo in a friendly match against Albania after coming on as a substitute at 66th minute in place of Xhevdet Llumnica.{{cite web|url=https://www.rsssf.org/intldetails/2002e3.html|title=Kosova 0:1 Albania|publisher=RSSSF|date=7 September 2002}}

Coaching career

=Fourth term at Drita=

On 5 November 2017, Isufi became the manager of Drita for a second time,{{cite news|url=https://topsporti.com/artikulli/pas-largimit-te-zuzakut-drita-zyrtarizon-trajnerin-e-ri/ffk|title=Bekim Isufi merr drejtimin e Dritës|trans-title=Bekim Isufi takes the lead of Drita|language=Albanian|website=TopSporti.com|date=5 November 2017}} and did the miracle finishing the 2017–18 season as the champion of 29 unbeaten matches{{cite news|url=http://www.ffk-kosova.com/federata/2018/05/20/drita-feston-titullin-e-dyte-te-kampionit-ne-histori/|title=Drita feston titullin e kampionit, të dytin në histori|trans-title=Drita celebrates the title of the champion, the second in history|language=Albanian|publisher=Football Federation of Kosovo|date=20 May 2018|access-date=7 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701101058/http://www.ffk-kosova.com/federata/2018/05/20/drita-feston-titullin-e-dyte-te-kampionit-ne-histori/|archive-date=1 July 2018|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.arbresh.info/sport/historike-drita-e-bekim-isufit-kampione-pa-asnje-humbje/|title=Historike: Drita e Bekim Isufit, kampione pa asnjë humbje|trans-title=Historical: Drita of Bekim Isufi, champion without any loss|language=Albanian|website=Arbresh.info|date=20 May 2018}} and assure participation at the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League preliminary round.{{cite news|url=http://www.gazetaexpress.com/sport/zyrtare-ky-eshte-kundershtari-i-drites-ne-rundin-preliminar-per-champions-547187/|title=Zyrtare: Ky është kundërshtari i Dritës në rundin preliminar për Champions|trans-title=Official: This is the opponent of Drita in preliminary round for Champions|quote=Kampioni i Kosovës, Drita e ka mësuar kundërshtarin për rundin preliminar në Ligën e Kampionëve. Drita do të përballet me kampionin e Andorrës, FC Santa Coloma (AND), raporton Gazeta Express|language=Albanian|publisher=Gazeta Express|date=12 June 2018|access-date=7 July 2018|archive-date=11 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180811164546/https://www.gazetaexpress.com/sport/zyrtare-ky-eshte-kundershtari-i-drites-ne-rundin-preliminar-per-champions-547187|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/hidhet-shorti-per-ligen-e-kampioneve-drita-njeh-kundershtarin/|title=Hidhet shorti për Ligën e Kampionëve, Drita njeh kundërshtarin|trans-title=The draw for the Champions League. Drita knows the opponent|quote=Skuadra kampione e Kosovës, Drita ka mësuar kundërshtarin e saj në Ligën e Kampionëve, turni paraeleminator. Në total ishin 4 skuadra që merrnin pjese. Shorti i ka vendosur përballë skuadrën nga Andorra, Santa Coloma|language=Albanian|publisher=Panorama Sport|date=12 June 2018}} On 26 June 2018, Drita beat Andorran side FC Santa Coloma at Victoria Stadium in Gibraltar and became the first Kosovar side to win a UEFA Champions League match.{{cite news|url=http://www.gazetaexpress.com/sport/drita-histor-fiton-ndeshjen-e-pare-ne-ligen-e-kampioneve-552538/|title=Drita historike, fiton ndeshjen e parë në Ligën e Kampionëve|trans-title=Historic Drita, wins the first match in Champions League|quote=Kjo është fitorja e parë e një ekipi kosovar në Ligën e Kampionëve|language=Albanian|publisher=Gazeta Express|date=26 June 2018|access-date=7 July 2018|archive-date=27 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627173558/http://www.gazetaexpress.com/sport/drita-histor-fiton-ndeshjen-e-pare-ne-ligen-e-kampioneve-552538/|url-status=dead}}

On 13 September 2018, he resigned from the position of the coach after Drita loss against Llapi and under the direction of Isufi, Drita was the champion of the 2017–18 Football Superleague of Kosovo, won the 2018 Kosovar Supercup and as well made the team as most successful Kosovan team in European competitions since Kosovo was accepted in UEFA.