Ernest Muçi

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Ernest Muçi
Muçi with Beşiktaş in 2024
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-03-19) 19 March 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Tirana, Albania
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Forward, attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Beşiktaş
Number 23
Youth career
2016–2018 Tirana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2021 Tirana 49 (13)
2021–2024 Legia Warsaw 81 (13)
2024– Beşiktaş 9 (3)
International career‡
2018–2019 Albania U19 7 (4)
2020–2022 Albania U21 11 (4)
2021– Albania 8 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 March 2024

Ernest Muçi (born 19 March 2001) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş and the Albania national team.[1][2]

Club career[edit]

Tirana[edit]

Muçi was born in Albania's capital Tirana and started his footballing career at local club Dinamo Tirana at the age of 15, before moving over to city rivals and the team he supported growing up, KF Tirana. He initially joined the club's under-17s. He made his professional debut for Tirana as a 16-year-old on 28 January 2018 in a 3–0 win in the Kategoria e Parë against Shkumbini, coming on as a 56th-minute substitute for Bedri Greca.[3] He scored his first senior goal on 3 March 2018 in a 4–1 win against Shënkolli, coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Alked Çelhaka and scoring in the 78th minute to make it 4–0 for Tirana.[4] He scored again later that same month, shortly after his 17th birthday against Apolonia, where he scored two goals in a 5-1 home win.[5] He played 11 games, 6 of which were from the start, and scored 3 goals as Tirana won the 2017–18 Kategoria e Parë and achieved promotion back to Kategoria Superiore.

Muçi made his top-flight debut on 2 September 2018 in a 3–1 away loss to Kukësi, where he also scored in the 61st minute after coming on at half time for Yunus Sentamu. He struggled for game time in the first-team and only managed 8 league appearances and one goal as Tirana avoided relegation by 5 points. As he struggled for first-team minutes, he was a regular in the under-19s, where he scored 4 goals in 11 games to help Tirana finish 3rd in Group A of the under-19s league.

Muçi was one of the most important players in the 2019–20 season,[6] during which Tirana won their 25th championship.[7] Even tho being mostly a substitute player, he scored some important goals coming off the bench.[6] On 22 December 2019, Muçi scored a brace in the away win over Laçi.[8] Later on throughout the season, he scored another brace in the historic 5–1 win over cross-town rivals Partizani.[9] He ended the season with 12 goals between league and cup, setting a personal best.

Muçi became an undisputed starter in the 2020–21 season, playing 20 league matches as starter during the first part of the season.[10][11] At the beginning of the campaign, he signed a new one-year contract with the club.[12] Muçi scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 cup win over Shkumbini.[13] His first league goal of the season came in the 3–2 defeat at Vllaznia in matchday 3.[14] In February 2021, Tirana announced that Muçi would leave the club after five years, during which he scored 23 goals and won two trophies.[15]

Legia Warszawa[edit]

On 23 February 2021, Muçi signed with Polish club Legia Warsaw.[16] The club reportedly paid €500,000.[17] Muçi made his debut with Legia four days later in a 2–1 away win over Górnik Zabrze, coming off the bench in the second half.[18] His first goal for the club came later on 27 July, a winner against Wisła Płock in the opening matchday of the 2021–22 season.[19]

Besiktas[edit]

On 9 February 2024, Süper Lig club Beşiktaş announced the signing of Muçi on a three-and-a-half-year contract, for a fee of €10 million, with Legia keeping a 10% sell-on clause.[20] He became the club's most expensive player ever.[21]

International career[edit]

Muçi begun his international career in September 2018 when Albania under-19 side manager Erjon Bogdani gave him a call-up for the friendlies versus Iceland.[22] He earned his first cap on 8 September and scored the match's only goal to give his side a 1–0 win in Lushnjë.[23]

On 4 September 2020, he was called in the Albania U21 team where he scored a brace against Austria U21.

He made his debut for the senior national team on 15 November 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra.[24]

On 20 June 2023, he scored his first goal for the national team in a EURO 2024 qualification match against Faroe Islands.[25]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of 29 February 2024[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tirana 2017–18 Kategoria e Parë 11 3 0 0 — — 11 3
2018–19 Kategoria Superiore 8 1 3 0 — — 11 1
2019–20 Kategoria Superiore 20 7 7 5 — — 27 12
2020–21 Kategoria Superiore 20 5 2 2 3[a] 0 – 25 7
Total 59 16 12 7 3 0 0 0 74 23
Legia Warsaw 2020–21 Ekstraklasa 6 0 1 0 — — 7 0
2021–22 Ekstraklasa 24 4 4 1 8[b] 1[c] 0 0 36 6
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 32 5 5 1 — — 37 6
2023–24 Ekstraklasa 19 4 2 0 12[d] 5 1[c] 0 34 9
Total 81 13 12 2 20 6 1 0 114 21
Beşiktaş 2023–24 Süper Lig 6 2 1 0 — — 7 2
Career total 146 31 25 9 23 6 1 0 195 46
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Five appearances in UEFA Europa League, three appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ a b Appearance in Polish Super Cup
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League

International[edit]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Albania 2021 1 0
2022 1 0
2023 5 2
2024 1 0
Total 8 2
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Muçi goal.
List of international goals scored by Ernest Muçi
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 20 June 2023 Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands  Faroe Islands 3–1 3–1 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying
2 17 October 2023 Arena Kombëtare, Tirana, Albania  Bulgaria 2–0 2–0 Friendly

Honours[edit]

Tirana

Legia Warsaw

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Ernest Muçi Profile". KF Tirana.
  2. ^ "Ernest Muçi Profile FSHF". FSHF.
  3. ^ Tirana 3–0 Shkumbini
  4. ^ Tirana 4–1 Shënkolli
  5. ^ Tirana 5–1 Apolonia
  6. ^ a b "Nga Egbo te Ngo, ja notat e sezonit te kampionët e Tiranës" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  7. ^ "LIBRI I ARTË/ Tirana shpallet zyrtarisht kampione, fiton titullin e 25-të pas 11 vitesh" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  8. ^ "VIDEO/ Dopieta e talentit Muçi, Tirana mposht me përmbysje Laçin dhe ngjitet në vendin e tretë" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 22 December 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  9. ^ "Kryeqyteti vishet bardheblu, Tirana shpartallon 5-1 Partizanin në "Air Albania Stadium"" (in Albanian). BalkanWeb.com. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Besim i plotë te Ernest Muçi, Egbo zgjedh formacionin titullar ndaj Tbilis" (in Albanian). ABC News. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Muçi i ngjyrave te flokëve te Tirana dhe Muçi i thjeshtësisë te Legias e Varshavës, Shqipëria fërkon duart për yllin e ri" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  12. ^ "ZYRTARE/ Merr fund telenovela e Ernest Muçit, Tirana jep përgjigjen përfundimtare" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 17 October 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  13. ^ "Tirana vs. Shkumbini 4 – 1". Soccerway. 1 November 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  14. ^ "VIDEO/ Klasike për "infarkt", Vllaznia mposht Tiranën me gol në frymën e fundit" (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  15. ^ "Muçi largohet nga Tirana, transferohet në Poloni" (in Albanian). Gazeta Si. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  16. ^ "Ernest Muci - witamy w Legii" [Ernest Muci - welcome to Legia]. Legia Warszawa Official Website (in Polish). 23 February 2021. Retrieved 24 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Pesëqind mijë euro më shumë e një talent më pak: Ernest Muçi përshëndet Tiranën dhe firmos me Legian" (in Albanian). Lapsi.al. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  18. ^ "VIDEO/ Ernest Muçi debuton me Legian në Poloni, fitojnë në transfertën e vështirë" (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 27 February 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Ernest Muçi "shkund merimangat", çfarë goli shënon ish-i i Tiranës" (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 18 October 2023.
  20. ^ "Ernest Muçi'nin Transfer Süreci Tamamlandı" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş. 9 February 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  21. ^ "Muçi is the most expensive purchase of Besiktas". Pamfleti.com (in Albanian). 14 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
  22. ^ "LISTA / Bogdani mbledh Shqipërinë U19, shumë lojtarë nga Superiorja" [The list / Bogdani gathers Albania U19, a lot of players of Superliga] (in Albanian). VIPSport.al. 3 September 2018. Archived from the original on 10 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  23. ^ "Kombëtarja e Bogdanit triumfon në miqësore, vendos goli i talentit të Tiranës" [Bogdani's national team triumphs in friendly, a goal of Tirana's talent decides] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 8 September 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  24. ^ "Albania v Andorra game report". FIFA. 15 November 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  25. ^ https://www.uefa.com/european-qualifiers/match/2036368--faroe-islands-vs-albania/
  26. ^ Ernest Muçi at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  27. ^ "120 minut walki i nic! Zadecydowały dopiero rzuty karne". sport.interia.pl (in Polish). 2 May 2023.
  28. ^ "Superpuchar dla Legii". 90minut.pl (in Polish). 15 July 2023.
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