Labinot Harbuzi facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 4 April 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Lund, Sweden | ||
| Date of death | 11 October 2018 (aged 32) | ||
| Place of death | Malmö, Sweden | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–1998 | Malmö BI | ||
| 1999–2000 | Falkenbergs FF | ||
| 2000–2001 | Malmö FF | ||
| 2002–2004 | Feyenoord | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2006 | Feyenoord | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | → Excelsior (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2006–2009 | Malmö FF | 50 | (4) |
| 2009–2011 | Gençlerbirliği | 40 | (4) |
| 2012 | Manisaspor | 5 | (0) |
| 2012 | Syrianska FC | 3 | (0) |
| 2013 | KSF Prespa Birlik | 5 | (2) |
| 2016 | Melaka United | 11 | (2) |
| Total | 123 | (12) | |
| National team | |||
| 2001–2003 | Sweden U17 | 20 | (5) |
| 2004 | Sweden U19 | 5 | (1) |
| 2006–2009 | Sweden U21 | 6 | (1) |
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Labinot Harbuzi (born April 4, 1986 – died October 11, 2018) was a talented Swedish professional footballer. He was known for playing as a midfielder, often helping his team score goals and create chances.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Labinot Harbuzi's family moved to Sweden from Kosovo. His father, Ismet, was a skilled table tennis player in Kosovo. Labinot was also related to the famous Kosovar judoka Majlinda Kelmendi. She is his cousin, the daughter of his aunt.
Football Journey: Club Career
Starting Out in Malmö
Labinot grew up in Rosengård, a part of Malmö, Sweden. He began his football journey at Malmö BI. This was the same club where the famous footballer Zlatan Ibrahimović also started his career. Labinot was seen as a very promising young player early on.
Moving to Feyenoord
When he was just 15 years old, Labinot was signed by the Dutch club Feyenoord. Here, he began playing professional football. He played for the club's reserve and youth teams. In 2005, he was loaned to Excelsior, another club. He played in 9 league games for them.
Returning to Malmö FF
In the spring of 2006, Labinot returned to Malmö FF. He made his debut in the Allsvenskan, which is Sweden's top football league, that same year. In 2009, he achieved something special. He scored the very first goal in the new Swedbank Stadion, making history for the club.
Playing in Turkey: Gençlerbirliği
On July 11, 2009, Harbuzi signed with the Turkish club Gençlerbirliği S.K.. His contract officially started in January 2010. He played well for the team, scoring 5 goals and providing 11 assists. Fans and his coach, Fuat Çapa, praised his performance. He left the club in December 2011 after agreeing to end his contract early.
Time with Melaka United
On November 13, 2015, Harbuzi joined Melaka United, a club in the Malaysia Premier League. He missed the first five league matches of the 2016 season because of an injury he got before the season started. However, he made a big impact in his very first game. He helped his teammate Ilija Spasojević score a goal just two minutes into the match. Labinot then scored a goal himself in the 46th minute. Melaka United won that game 3–1. He played for only one season with the club before leaving at the end of 2016.
International Football Career
Labinot Harbuzi also played for Sweden's national youth teams. He was a Swedish under-21 international player. He made his debut for the U21 team on February 28, 2006, against the Republic of Ireland. He also took part in the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship.
In 2011, Labinot shared that he wanted to play for the Albanian national football team. This was because of his family background and his strong feelings about being Albanian. He had even been in touch with the Albanian Football Association.
A Sad Farewell
On October 11, 2018, Labinot Harbuzi sadly passed away. He was 32 years old. His friend, fellow footballer Paweł Cibicki, had met with him the day before and said Labinot seemed fine. The next morning, Labinot suffered a sudden heart problem. His parents found him and tried to help him. He was then taken to the hospital, where he died.
Honours and Achievements
Melaka United
- Malaysia Premier League: 2016
