Isnik Alimi Explained

Isnik Alimi
Full Name:Isnik Alimi[1]
Birth Date:2 February 1994
Birth Place:Delogoždi, Macedonia
Height:1.86 m
Currentclub:Sepsi OSK
Clubnumber:21
Youthyears1:2001–2010
Youthclubs1:Vllaznimi Struga
Youthyears2:2010–2011
Youthclubs2:Ohrid
Youthyears3:2013–2014
Youthclubs3:Chievo
Years1:2011
Clubs1:Ohrid
Caps1:14
Goals1:2
Years2:2012–2013
Clubs2:Novigrad
Caps2:4
Goals2:2
Years3:2014–2015
Clubs3:Chievo
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2014–2015
Clubs4:Lumezzane (loan)
Caps4:26
Goals4:2
Years5:2015–2021
Clubs5:Atalanta
Caps5:0
Goals5:0
Years6:2015–2016
Clubs6:Maceratese (loan)
Caps6:13
Goals6:0
Years7:2016–2017
Clubs7:Forlì (loan)
Caps7:29
Goals7:0
Years8:2017–2018
Clubs8:Vicenza (loan)
Caps8:30
Goals8:1
Years9:2018–2019
Clubs9:Rimini (loan)
Caps9:31
Goals9:0
Years10:2019–2020
Clubs10:Imolese (loan)
Caps10:23
Goals10:0
Years11:2020–2021
Clubs11:Šibenik (loan)
Caps11:24
Goals11:0
Years12:2021–2023
Clubs12:Gabala
Caps12:61
Goals12:17
Years13:2023–
Caps13:34
Goals13:6
Nationalyears1:2011–2012
Nationalteam1:Macedonia U19
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:2
Nationalyears2:2014–2016
Nationalteam2:Albania U21
Nationalcaps2:6
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2023–
Nationalteam3:North Macedonia
Nationalcaps3:7
Nationalgoals3:1
Club-Update:19 August 2024
Nationalteam-Update:10 June 2024

Isnik Alimi (Macedonian: Исник Алими; born 2 February 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Liga I club Sepsi OSK and for the North Macedonia national team. A former international for Macedonia U19, he played for the Albania U21 in a pair of friendlies before switching back to play for the North Macedonia national team in 2023.[2]

Club career

Early career - FK Ohrid

Born in Delogoždi (Albanian: Dollogozhda) a village based in Struga Municipality, Alimi started his youth career aged 7 with Macedonian side Vllaznimi Struga.[3] In 2010, he moved at FK Ohrid and in 2011 he was promoted to the first team. On 30 July 2011, Alimi made his debut with the first team coming as a substitute in place of Aleksandar Dalčeski in second-half's start of the match finished in a 2–0 away loss against Renova for the Macedonian First League championship.[4]

Chievo

In 2013, he moved abroad for the first time joining Serie A side Chievo. He stood for a year season with Primavera team.

With Primvaera team he won Italian Superleague, he score a goal against Juventus in the first game, also mark the goal against Fiorentina in the semifinals, he helped lead his team to winning the championship because Isnik Alimi was the team captain and key player. He had 21 matches and 10 goals with Primavera team.

Loan to Lumezzane

On 6 August 2014, the Lega Pro Prima Divisione side A.C. Lumezzane, announced to have signed Alimi from Chievo on loan mode.[5]

He made it his professional debut on 31 August 2014, playing as a starter in the opening match of the Lega Pro against Pordenone, finished in the clean 2–0 victory.[6]

He finished his first half of the season with Lumezzane with 12 appearances, 8 as a starter and 4 coming on as a substitute.

Alimi scored his first goal for Lumezzane in the opening match of the year 2015 against Novara valid for the 19th game week, played on 6 January and finished in the away 3–1 victory, in where Alimi scored the second goal for 2–0 result in the 45th minute in the end of first half.[7]

Alimi concluded the 2014–15 season making in total 27 appearances, from where 21 in the starting line up, scored 2 goals and provided 3 assists.

Atalanta

After one-year loaned to Lumezzane, Alimi got returned to Chievo, but on 26 June 2015 he signed with the fellow Serie A team Atalanta B.C. a 4-years contract.[8]

Loan to Maceratese

In the closing day of the 2015 Summer Transfers Window Alimi got loaned out to the Lega Pro just promoted side S.S. Maceratese 1922.[9]

Loan to Vicenza

In the 2017 Summer Transfers Window, Alimi was loaned out for the third time to Lega Pro at Vicenza.[10]

Loan to Imolese

On 9 August 2019, he joined Serie C club Imolese on a season-long loan.[11]

Loan to Šibenik

On 18 September 2020, Alimi joined Croatian First Football League club HNK Šibenik on a season-long loan.[12]

Gabala

On 30 July 2021, Alimi signed a one-year contract with Gabala.[13] On 22 May 2022, Gabala announced that Alimi had signed a new one-year contract with the club.[14]

International career

Albania

Having played for Macedonia U19, Alimi was called up highery from Macedonia national under-21 football team for the friendly match against Israel on 13 August 2014, but he refused the invitation as he wanted to play for Albania instead at international level due to his ethnicity.[15] [16] On 24 September 2014 proceedings were begun to give him the Albanian passport to be eligible to play for Albania at an international level.[17] He received his first call up for Albania by Skënder Gega, the Albania national under-21 football team coach for the Friendly match against Romania U21 on 8 October 2014.[18]

He made his debut for Albania U21 in the Friendly match against Romania U21 on 8 October 2014 by playing as a starter in a 3–1 loss, where he started his team's first attempt to the goal of in the 11th minute by running from the midfield and shooting as soon as he got close to the 16-meters area, a shot which was put by the Romania U21s' goalkeeper in the corner kick.[19]

Alimi was called up for the first time to participate in a competitive match, the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification opening match against Liechtenstein U21 on 28 March 2015,[20] however, Alimi failed to play in this match as he was ineligible due to the absence of respective documents.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ohrid2011–121. MFL14200142
Novigrad2012–132. NL420042
Lumezzane (loan)2014–15Lega Pro2622110293
Maceratese (loan)2015–16Lega Pro13000130
Forlì (loan)2016–17Lega Pro2900021311
Vicenza (loan)2017–18Serie C3013021352
Rimini (loan)2018–19Serie C3102021351
Imolese (loan)2019–20Serie C2303120281
Šibenik (loan)2020–21HNL24020260
Gabala2021–22Azerbaijan Premier League27852–"3210
2022–2334953204112
Total6117105207322
2023–24Liga I286306300379
2024–25600060
Total346306300439
Career total28930257839333143

International

[21]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
North Macedonia
202350
202420
Total71

As of match played 10 June 2024. North Macedonia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Alimi goal.

International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
scope=colNo.scope=col data-sort-type=dateDatescope=colVenuescope=colCapscope=colOpponentscope=colScorescope=colResultscope=colCompetition
scope=row110 June 2024Malšovická aréna, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic71–11–2Friendly

Honours

Gabala

2022–23Sepsi OSK

2023

Notes and References

  1. http://president.al/?p=27411 Dekret për dhënie të shtetësisë shqiptare nr. 9122
  2. Web site: Исник Алими ново име во А репрезентацијата на Македонија. Isnik Alimi is a new name in the national A team of Macedonia. mk. Football Federation of Macedonia. 7 September 2023.
  3. http://www.dollogozhda.eu/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=407 Talent Futbolli: Isnik Alimi një futbollist që premton
  4. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2011/07/30/macedonia-fyr/first-league/renova/fk-ohrid-2004/1147254/ Renova vs. Ohrid - 30 July 2011
  5. http://www.tuttomercatoweb.com/lega-pro/ufficiale-lumezzane-arriva-alimi-dal-chievo-verona-581424 UFFICIALE: Lumezzane, arriva Alimi dal Chievo Verona
  6. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2014/08/31/italy/serie-c1/ac-lumezzane/pordenone-calcio-ssd/1893073/ Lumezzane vs. Pordenone - 31 August 2014
  7. https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/01/06/italy/serie-c1/novara-calcio/ac-lumezzane/1893433/ Novara vs. Lumezzane - 6 January 2015
  8. http://minuta90.com/alimi-firmos-te-atalanta/ Futbollisti i Shpresave Isnik Alimi firmos te Atalanta
  9. http://www.atalanta.it/site/paginalive/prima-squadra/Stagione-2015-2016/2015-08/31-08-Ultimo-giorno-di-mercato--le-operazioni-dell-Atalanta.html Ultimo giorno di mercato, le operazioni dell'Atalanta
  10. News: ISNIK ALIMI E LUCA MILESI IN BIANCOROSSO. 22 July 2017. 26 July 2017. Vicenza Calcio. Italian. https://web.archive.org/web/20171023010909/http://www.vicenzacalcio.com/isnik-alimi-e-luca-milesi-in-biancorosso/. 23 October 2017. dead.
  11. Imolese. UFFICIALE: ALIMI IN PRESTITO DALL'ATALANTA. 9 August 2019. Italian.
  12. News: HNK Šibenik. ISNIK ALIMI NOVI JE IGRAČ HNK ŠIBENIK!. 18 September 2020. 20 September 2020. Croatian. 5 July 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220705131438/https://hnk-sibenik.hr/2020/09/18/isnik-alimi-novi-je-igrac-hnk-sibenik/. dead.
  13. Web site: İsnik Alimi "Qəbələ"də . gabalafc.az/ . Gabala FK . 1 August 2021 . Azerbaijani . 30 July 2021.
  14. Web site: "Qəbələ"də üç müqavilə . gabalafc.az/ . Gabala FK . 5 June 2022 . Azerbaijani . 22 May 2022.
  15. http://www.macedonianfootball.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6777:u21-alimi-switches-for-albania-angelov-summoned&catid=33:international&Itemid=223 U21: Alimi switches for Albania, Angelov summoned
  16. http://www.panorama-sport.com/kombetarja-u-21/talenti-i-kievos-kerkon-shqiperine-por-fshf-ja-hesht/ Talenti i Kievos kërkon Shqipërinë, por FSHF-ja hesht
  17. http://shqiperia.ch/?p=210#prettyPhoto Isnik Alimi përforcimi më i ri i Kombëtares U-21
  18. http://fshf.org/index.php/sq/lajme/2606-u-21-ben-gati-miqesoren-kunder-rumanise U-21 ben gati miqesoren kunder Rumanise
  19. http://www.panorama.com.al/sport/shpresat-munden-ne-rumani-deshton-armata-e-geges/ Shpresat munden në Rumani, dështon “armata” e Gegës
  20. http://asport.al/shpresat-nisin-kualifikimet-kunder-lihtenshtajnit/ Shpresat nisin kualifikimet kundër Lihtenshtajnit
  21. Web site: Isnik Alimi. national-football-teams.