Esi Lufo
{{short description|Albanian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Esi Lufo
| image =
| image_size =
| caption = Lufo in 2020
| fullname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|2001|9|10}}
| birth_place = Tirana, Albania
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = TRU WolfPack
| clubnumber = 10
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| collegeyears1 = 2023–
| college1 = TRU WolfPack
| collegecaps1 = 26
| collegegoals1 = 3
| years1 = 2016–2018
| clubs1 = Kinostudio
| caps1 = 46
| goals1 = 52
| years2 = 2019
| clubs2 = Tirana AS
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = 15
| years3 = 2019–2022
| clubs3 = Vllaznia
| caps3 = 63
| goals3 = 68
| years4 = 2023
| clubs4 = Rivers FC
| caps4 = 11
| goals4 = 5
| years5 = 2023–2024
| clubs5 = Vllaznia
| caps5 = 9
| goals5 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2017–2019
| nationalteam1 = Albania U19
| nationalcaps1 = 10
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| nationalyears2 = 2019–
| nationalteam2 = Albania
| nationalcaps2 = 15
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| pcupdate = 27 April 2024
| ntupdate = 4 June 2024
}}
Esi Lufo (born 10 September 2001) is an Albanian footballer who plays as a forward for the TRU WolfPack in the Canadian university system and the Albania women's national team.
Early life
Lufo began playing football at the age of 5.{{cite web|url=https://www.shkodrasport.com/lufo-une-jamkrenare-dhe-falenderuese-qe-jam-pjese-e-nje-familje-te-tille-si-vllaznia/|title=Lufo: Unë jam krenare dhe falënderuese që jam pjesë e një familje të tillë si Vllaznia|trans-title=Lufo: I am proud and grateful to be part of a family like Vllaznia|language=Albanian|date=March 8, 2022|work=ShkodraSport}}
University career
In 2020, she had been set to attend the University of Charleston and play for the women's soccer team, but ultimately did not play.{{cite web|url=https://ucgoldeneagles.com/sports/womens-soccer/roster/esi-lufo/6627|title=Esi Lufo Charleston Golden Eagles profile|work=Charleston Golden Eagles}}
In 2023, she moved to Canada to attend Thompson Rivers University, where she will play for the women's soccer team.{{cite web|url=https://gowolfpack.ca/news/2023/2/8/womens-soccer-albanian-soccer-star-lufo-brings-champions-league-experience-to-wolfpack.aspx|title=Albanian soccer star Lufo brings Champions League experience to WolfPack|date=February 8, 2023|work=TRU Wolfpack}}{{cite web|url=https://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/sports/lufo-to-bring-champions-league-experience-to-wolfpack-6530297|title=Lufo to bring Champions League experience to WolfPack|work=Kamloops This Week|date=February 12, 2023}} On September 16, 2023, she scored her first goal in a match against the Saskatchewan Huskies.{{cite web|url=https://gowolfpack.ca/news/2023/9/16/womens-soccer-hard-luck-wolfpack-dealt-defeat-on-the-road.aspx|title=Hard-luck WolfPack dealt defeat on the road|date=September 16, 2023|work=TRU WolfPack}}
Club career
Lufo began her senior career with Kinostudio in the Albanian Women's National Championship, where she played for three years.{{cite web|url=https://fshf.org/sq/kur-dashuria-per-futbollin-i-mund-fjalet-historia-e-esi-lufos-luftetares-kuqezi-qe-frymezohet-nga-ibra/|title=Kur dashuria për futbollin i mund fjalët! Historia e Esi Lufos, luftëtares kuqezi që frymëzohet nga Ibra|trans-title=When love for football beats words! The story of Esi Lufo, the red and black warrior who is inspired by Ibra|date=8 March 2022|work=Albanian Football Association|language=Albanian}} She made her professional debut at age 14.{{cite web|url=https://www.kamloopsbcnow.com/watercooler/news/news/Kamloops/Albanian_soccer_star_joins_TRU_WolfPack/|title=Albanian soccer star joins TRU WolfPack|date=February 9, 2023|work=Kamloops Now|first=Emily|last=Alexander}}
Afterwards, she joined Tirana.{{cite web|url=https://shqiptarja.com/lajm/njihuni-me-te-guximshmet-e-fushes-se-blerte-vajzat-e-futbollit-qe-nuk-njohin-pengesa|title=Të guximshmet e fushës së blertë! Vajzat e futbollit që nuk njohin pengesa|trans-title=The brave of the green field! Soccer girls who know no obstacles|language=Albanian|date=March 3, 2019|first=Klesiana|last=Omeri|work=Shqiptarja}}
In 2019, she joined Vllaznia, the top club in the Albanian league.{{cite web|url=https://www.wosocollective.com/2023/03/new-adventurealbanian-forward-esi-lufo/|title=A New Adventure – The Story of Albanian Forward Esi Lufo|date=March 9, 2023|work=The WoSo Collective|first=Tyler|last=Trent}}
In 2023, she joined Rivers FC in League1 British Columbia.{{cite tweet|number=1624877163790106625|title=Player Signing ✍🏼 Esi Lufo |date=February 12, 2023|user=goRiversFC}} She scored in her debut on April 30 against Altitude FC.{{Cite web|url=https://www.league1bc.ca/roster_players/65118508|title=Esi Lufo 2023 L1BC Stats|work=League1 British Columbia}}
In November 2023, she returned to Vllaznia.{{cite web|url=https://ata.gov.al/2023/11/25/liga-e-kombeve-per-vajza-sfidat-e-fundit-te-grupit-ndaj-irlandes-se-veriut-e-hungarise-grima-fton-20-futbolliste/|title=Liga e Kombeve për vajza/ Sfidat e fundit të grupit ndaj Irlandës së Veriut e Hungarisë, Grima fton 20 futbolliste|trans-title=Women's League of Nations/ Final group challenges against Northern Ireland and Hungary, Grima invites 20 footballers|language=Albanian|date=November 25, 2023|first=Arbi|last=Fortuzi|work=Albanian Telegraphic Agency}}
Career statistics
=Club=
{{updated|August 27, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://fshf.org/garat/?query=info&player_id=311293| title=Garat }}{{soccerway|esi-lufo/518544}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||
| Division
!Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="4"|Kinostudio
|rowspan=3|Kategoria Superiore Femra |18 | 21 | 2 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 23 | |
| 2017–18
|18 | 19 | 2 | 2 | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 21 | |
| 2018–19
|10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 10 | 12 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!46 | 52 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 56 |
| Tirana
|12 | 15 | 2 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | 14 | 16 | |
| rowspan="5"|Vllaznia
|rowspan=4|Kategoria Superiore Femra |18 | 22 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 26 | 24 |
| 2020–21
|18 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 16 |
| 2021–22
|19 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 24 |
| 2022–23
|8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 6 |
| colspan="2"|Total
!63 | 68 | 3 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 81 | 70 |
| Rivers FC
|2023 |11 | 5 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 11 | 5 | ||
| Vllaznia
|9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 |
| colspan="3"|Total
!141 | 141 | 9 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 165 | 148 |
=International=
{{updated|match played 4 June 2024}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+Appearances and goals by national team and year | ||
| National team
!Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| rowspan="6" |Albania
|2019 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | 6 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 |
| colspan="2" |Total||15||1 |
International career
She made her debut with the Albania U19 team in a friendly against Montenegro U19.{{cite web|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/esi-lufo-si-e-theva-rekordin-e-vllaznise/|title=Esi Lufo: Si e theva rekordin e Vllaznisë|trans-title=Esi Lufo: How I broke Vllaznia's record|language=Albanian|date=17 March 2017|work=Panorama Sport}}
She scored her first senior international goal against Armenia in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory.{{cite web|url=https://ata.gov.al/2021/11/24/kombetarja-e-femrave-elezaj-dhe-lufo-vleresim-maksimal-per-kundershtaret/|title=Kombëtarja e femrave, Elezaj dhe Lufo: Vlerësim maksimal për kundërshtaret|trans-title=Women's national team, Elezaj and Lufo: Maximum rating for opponents|language=Albanian|date=24 November 2021|first=Gjergji|last=Mima|work=Albanian Telegraphic Agency}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{FSHF player|311293}}
- {{Soccerway|esi-lufo/518544}}
- [https://gowolfpack.ca/sports/womens-soccer/roster/esi-lufo/1126 Esi Lufo] at TRU Wolfpack
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lufo, Esi}}
Category:Footballers from Tirana
Category:Albanian women's footballers
Category:21st-century Albanian sportswomen
Category:Women's association football forwards
Category:KFF Vllaznia Shkodër players