Jozef Pukaj Explained

Jozef Pukaj
Birth Date:13 February 2000
Birth Place:Riehen, Switzerland
Height:1.92 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Youthyears1:2009–2011
Youthclubs1:FC Amicitia Riehen
Youthyears2:2011–2017
Youthclubs2:Basel
Years1:2017–2021
Clubs1:Basel U21
Caps1:45
Goals1:0
Years2:2018–2021
Clubs2:Basel
Caps2:0
Goals2:0
Years3:2021
Clubs3:Stade Lausanne Ouchy (loan)
Caps3:0
Goals3:0
Years4:2021–2023
Clubs4:Winterthur
Caps4:7
Goals4:0
Nationalyears1:2015–2016
Nationalteam1:Switzerland U16
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2016–2017
Nationalteam2:Switzerland U17
Nationalcaps2:9
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2017
Nationalteam3:Switzerland U18
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:2019
Nationalteam4:Switzerland U19
Nationalcaps4:2
Nationalgoals4:0
Nationalyears5:2019
Nationalteam5:Switzerland U20
Nationalcaps5:2
Nationalgoals5:0
Nationalyears6:2022
Nationalteam6:Kosovo
Nationalcaps6:1
Nationalgoals6:0

Jozef Pukaj (born 13 February 2000) is a Kosovan former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Club career

Pukaj is a product of the youth academies of FC Amicitia Riehen and Basel. On 20 January 2021, he joined Stade Lausanne Ouchy on loan for the second half of the 2020-21 season.[1] On 2 June 2021, he transferred to the Swiss Challenge League club Winterthur.[2] He made one appearance in the Challenge League that season, as they won the tournament and earned promotion into the Swiss Super League for the 2022-23 season. He made his professional debut with Winterthur in a 1–1 Swiss Super League tie with his childhood club Basel on 16 July 2022.[3]

International career

Born and raised in Switzerland, Pukaj is of Kosovo Albanian origin.[4] From 2015, until 2019, he has been part of Switzerland at youth international level, respectively has been part of the U16, U17, U18, U19 and U20 teams and he with these teams played 20 matches.[5]

On 11 November 2022, Pukaj received a call-up from Kosovo for the friendly matches against Armenia and Faroe Islands.[6] His debut with Kosovo came eight days later in a friendly match against Faroe Islands after being named in the starting line-up.[7]

Retirement

On 12 September 2023, Pukaj decided to retire from playing football professionally due to multiple injuries.[8]

Honours

Winterthur

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jozef Pukaj me skuadër të re. boldUnderline. llc. TopSporti.com.
  2. Web site: Challenge League, alla ricerca di un portiere, il Winterthur si assicura per il prossimo anno i servigi del 21enne Jozef Pukaj. scritto da Claudio. Paronitti. June 12, 2021.
  3. Web site: After a draw – These 5 things stood out against Basel. July 17, 2022.
  4. News: Kosovarët kundër Kosovës!. Kosovars against Kosovo!. Albanian. Gazeta Zëri. 7 December 2017.
  5. News: Das Nati-Protokoll der FCB-Spieler: Wenig Einsatzzeit, keine Tore und ein Platzverweis. The national record of the FCB players: Little playing time, no goals and a dismissal. German. bz Basel. 16 October 2019.
  6. Web site: Giresse publikon listën e futbollistëve për miqësoret e nëntorit. Giresse publishes the list of footballers for the November friendlies. Albanian. Football Federation of Kosovo. 11 November 2022.
  7. News: Kosovë – Ishujt Faroe, formacionet zyrtare: Giresse me shumë ndryshime. Kosovo – Faroe Islands, official lineups: Giresse with many changes. Albanian. Telegrafi. 19 November 2022.
  8. Web site: Winterthur. JOZEF PUKAJ HÖRT MIT PROFIFUSSBALL AUF. JOZEF PUKAJ QUITS PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL. 12 September 2023. 18 September 2023. de.