Gezim Pepsi

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Gezim Pepsi

|image =

|caption =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1998|7|12|df=y}}

|birth_place = Basel, Switzerland

|height = 1.81 m

|position = Defensive midfielder

|currentclub = Basel U21

|clubnumber = 6

|youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016

|youthclubs1 = Basel

|years1 = 2016–2018

|clubs1 = Basel U21

|caps1 = 42

|goals1 = 3

|years2 = 2018–2020

|clubs2 = Basel

|caps2 = 0

|goals2 = 0

|years3 = 2018–2020

|clubs3 = → Aarau (loan)

|caps3 = 29

|goals3 = 0

|years4 = 2020–2022

|clubs4 = Winterthur

|caps4 = 52

|goals4 = 6

|years5 = 2022–2023

|clubs5 = Vaduz

|caps5 = 15

|goals5 = 0

|years6 = 2023–2024

|clubs6 = Pirin Blagoevgrad

|caps6 = 2

|goals6 = 0

|years7 = 2024–

|clubs7 = Basel U21

|caps7 = 23

|goals7 = 2

|nationalyears1 = 2014

|nationalteam1 = Albania U17

|nationalcaps1 = 3

|nationalgoals1 = 2

|nationalyears2 = 2015

|nationalteam2 = Switzerland U18

|nationalcaps2 = 4

|nationalgoals2 = 0

|nationalyears3 = 2016

|nationalteam3 = Switzerland U19

|nationalcaps3 = 4

|nationalgoals3 = 0

|nationalyears4 = 2019–2020

|nationalteam4 = Kosovo U21

|nationalcaps4 = 4

|nationalgoals4 = 0

|club-update = 6 November 2024

|nationalteam-update = 13 October 2020

}}

Gezim Pepsi{{efn|{{langx|sq|Gëzim Pepshi}}; {{lang-sr-Cyrl|Геѕим Пепши|translit=Gezim Pepši}}.}} (born 12 July 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Swiss club Basel U21. Born in Switzerland, and a former Albanian and Swiss youth international, he has most recently represented Kosovo at under-21 level.

Club career

=Early career=

Pepsi is a product of the Basel youth academy. He played for the U17, U18, U19 and U21 teams making a total of 99 appearances, scoring nine goals and assisting two. In 2018, Pepsi was loaned to Aarau as part of a partnership between the two clubs.{{cite news|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/sport/aargau/aarau-verliert-supertalent-an-basel-die-hintergrunde-eines-ungewohnlichen-transfers-ld.1318332|title=Aarau verliert Supertalent an Basel: Die Hintergründe eines ungewöhnlichen Transfers|trans-title=Aarau loses super talent to Basel: the background of an unusual transfer|language=de|publisher=Aargauer Zeitung|date=4 October 2018}} Pepsi made 33 appearances for the Aarau. In February 2020, Pepsi told teammates he would be leaving Aarau,{{cite news|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/sport/aargau/gezim-pepsi-hat-sich-verabschiedet-warum-er-trotzdem-weiterhin-mit-dem-fc-aarau-trainiert-ld.1406781|title=Gezim Pepsi hat sich verabschiedet - warum er trotzdem weiterhin mit dem FC Aarau trainiert|trans-title=Gezim Pepsi said goodbye - why he still trains with FC Aarau|language=de|publisher=Aargauer Zeitung|date=24 January 2020}} and subsequently was sold by parent club Basel to Winterthur.{{cite news|url=https://www.aargauerzeitung.ch/sport/aargau/abgang-nun-definitiv-gezim-pepsi-verlasst-den-fc-aarau-und-spielt-kunftig-fur-ligarivale-winterthur-ld.1408994|title=Abgang nun definitiv: Gezim Pepsi verlässt den FC Aarau und spielt künftig für Ligarivale Winterthur|trans-title=Definite departure now: Gezim Pepsi is leaving FC Aarau and will play for league rivals Winterthur in the future|language=de|publisher=Aargauer Zeitung|date=11 February 2020}}

=Winterthur=

Upon return from loan, Pepsi was bought by Winterthur in February 2020.{{WorldFootball.net}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sfl.ch/challengeleague/klubs/fc-winterthur/player/gezim-pepsi/season/202021/|title=Gezim Pepsi|publisher=SFL|access-date=24 June 2022|archive-date=19 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220619131604/https://www.sfl.ch/challengeleague/klubs/fc-winterthur/player/gezim-pepsi/season/202021/|url-status=dead}} His first goal for the club would come against Vaduz in June, the first match in the Swiss Challenge League since the COVID-19 enforced break.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcvaduz.li/news/spielbericht-fc-vaduz-vs-fc-winterthur-41|title=Spielbericht: FC Vaduz vs. FC Winterthur 4:1|trans-title=Match report: FC Vaduz vs. FC Winterthur 4:1|language=de|publisher=FC Vaduz|date=19 June 2020}} He scored against his former club Basel in the 2020–21 Swiss Cup round of 16, a game which Winterthur won 6–2.{{cite web|url=https://www.srf.ch/sport/fussball/schweizer-cup/fcb-krise-verschaerft-sich-6-2-winterthur-demuetigt-harmlosen-fc-basel|title=6:2! Winterthur demütigt harmlosen FC Basel|trans-title=6:2! Winterthur humiliates harmless FC Basel|language=de|publisher=SRF|date=17 February 2021}} In May 2022, Pepsi was given a one-year contract extension with Winterthur.{{cite news|url=https://www.watson.ch/sport/fussball/564109574-stadion-team-trainer-der-fc-winterthur-bereitet-die-super-league-vor|title=Stadion, Team, Trainer – wie sich der FC Winterthur für die Super League fit macht|trans-title=Stadium, team, coach - how FC Winterthur is getting fit for the Super League|language=de|publisher=Watson|date=25 May 2022}}

=Vaduz=

On 30 August 2022, Pepsi joined Swiss Challenge League side Vaduz, on a one-year contract with the option of a further year.{{cite news|url=https://www.fcvaduz.li/news/fc-vaduz-verstaerkt-sich-mit-gezim-pepsi|title=FC Vaduz verstärkt sich mit Gezim Pepsi|trans-title=FC Vaduz strengthens with Gezim Pepsi|language=German|publisher=FC Vaduz|date=30 August 2022}} His debut with Vaduz came a day later in the 2022–23 Liechtenstein Cup round of 16 against Triesen II after being named in the starting line-up and scored his side's two goals during a 0–18 away deep win.{{cite tweet|user=VaduzFC|author-link=FC Vaduz|number=1565031341179142145|language=German|date=31 August 2022|title=Unsere Startelf heute gegen den FC Triesen 2 {{!}} Kickoff 20:15 Uhr {{!}} #hoppvadoz #supportFCV #fcvaduz #TRIVAD|trans-title=Our starting eleven today against FC Triesen 2 {{!}} Kickoff 20:15 {{!}} #hoppvadoz #supportFCV #fcvaduz #TRIVAD}}

International career

On 3 September 2014, Pepsi received the Albanian passport and this paved the way for him to represent Albania,{{cite web|url=https://president.al/dekret-per-dhenie-te-shtetesise-shqiptare-nr-8701/|title=Dekret për dhënie të shtetësisë shqiptare nr. 8701|trans-title=Decree for granting Albanian citizenship no. 8701|quote=Gezim Rexhep (Redžep) Pepši (Pepshi)|language=Albanian|publisher=President of Albania|date=3 September 2014}} which he represented at under-17 level in the 2015 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifications,{{cite web|url=https://fshf.org/sq/kombetarja-u-17-gati-per-eliminatoret/|title=Kombëtarja U-17, gati per Eliminatoret|trans-title=The National U-17 Team, ready for the Eliminators|language=Albanian|publisher=Albanian Football Association|date=6 October 2014}} making three appearances and scoring two goals against San Marino.{{cite news|url=http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/shqiperia-u-17-e-mbyll-me-goleade-ndaj-san-marinos/|title=Shqipëria U-17 e mbyll me goleadë ndaj San Marinos|trans-title=Albania U-17 closes with a win over San Marino|language=Albanian|publisher=Panorama Sport|date=13 October 2014}} He switched to Switzerland and made eight appearances for the under-18 and under-19 teams.

On 11 March 2019, Pepsi received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for the friendly matches against Turkmenistan U21 and Malta U21.{{cite web|url=http://www.ffk-kosova.com/prekazi-publikon-listen-e-futbollisteve-per-miqesoret-e-marsit/|title=Prekazi publikon listën e futbollistëve për miqësoret e marsit|trans-title=Prekazi publish the list of footballers for friendlies of March|language=Albanian|publisher=Football Federation of Kosovo|date=11 March 2019}} His debut with Kosovo U21 came on 26 March in the friendly match against Malta U21 after being named in the starting line-up,{{cite web|url=http://www.ffk-kosova.com/kombetarja-u21-fiton-edhe-ne-miqesoren-kunder-maltes/|title=Kombëtarja U21 fiton edhe në miqësoren kundër Maltës|trans-title=The national U21 team also wins in the friendly against Malta|language=Albanian|publisher=Football Federation of Kosovo|date=26 March 2019}} while the competitive debut came on 15 November in the 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against Albania U21 again after being named in the starting line-up.{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2019/10/15/europe/uefa-u21-championship/albania-under-21/kosovo-u21/2978849/|title=Albania U21 vs. Kosovo U21 2–1|website=Soccerway|access-date=15 October 2019}}