Rudi Vata facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 February 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Shkodër, Albania | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1980–1988 | Vllaznia | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1988–1990 | Vllaznia | 40 | (5) |
| 1990–1991 | Dinamo Tirana | 20 | (2) |
| 1991 | Le Mans | 18 | (0) |
| 1992 | Tours | ||
| 1992–1993 | Dinamo Tirana | 22 | (3) |
| 1993–1996 | Celtic | 45 | (4) |
| 1996–1998 | Apollon Limassol | 50 | (9) |
| 1998–2001 | Energie Cottbus | 81 | (2) |
| 2001–2002 | Rot-Weiß Ahlen | 10 | (0) |
| 2002–2003 | Tirana | 30 | (2) |
| 2003 | Yokohama FC | 24 | (3) |
| 2003–2004 | St Johnstone | 15 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Partizani | 20 | (1) |
| Total | 375 | (31) | |
| International career | |||
| 1990–2001 | Albania | 59 | (5) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Vllaznia | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Rudi Vata was a professional footballer from Albania. He was born on February 13, 1969. Rudi played as a defender, which is a player who helps protect their team's goal. After his playing career, he also spent a short time as a manager for the Albanian team KF Vllaznia Shkodër.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Albania
Rudi Vata was born in a city called Shkodër in Albania. He started playing football at a young age for his local team, Vllaznia Shkodër. He made his first appearance for the senior team in 1988.
In 1991, while traveling with the Albania national football team in France, Rudi asked for protection in that country. This marked the start of his career playing football in Western Europe.
Playing in Europe
Rudi Vata began playing in France in 1991. He played for teams like Le Mans and Tours. After that, he joined Celtic, a famous club in Scotland, where he played from January 1993 to 1996.
He made history by becoming the first Albanian player to win a major trophy in a big European country. This happened when he won the Scottish FA Cup with Celtic in 1995. Winning a cup is a big achievement in football.
Later Clubs and Retirement
After his time at Celtic, Rudi played for several other clubs. He played for Apollon Limassol in Cyprus from 1996 to 1998. Then he moved to Germany, playing for Energie Cottbus from 1998 to 2001 and Rot-Weiß Ahlen in 2002.
He returned to Albania to play for SK Tirana from 2002 to 2003. After that, he had a short period playing in Japan for Yokohama FC in 2003. He then played for St Johnstone in Scotland in 2004. Rudi Vata stopped playing professional football in 2005 after a brief time with KF Partizani Tirana.
Life After Football
After retiring from playing, Rudi Vata became a sports agent. This means he helps football players find new teams and manage their careers. He often works with players from Eastern Europe. He helped players like Garry O'Connor and Aiden McGeady with their transfers.
International Football
Rudi Vata also played for his country, the Albania national football team. He made his first appearance for Albania in May 1990 in a European Championship qualification match against Iceland.
He played a total of 59 games for Albania and scored 5 goals. His last game for the national team was on September 1, 2001, in a World Cup qualification match against Finland.
Family Life
Rudi Vata is married to Anne Frances. She is from Wishaw, Scotland, and they met when Rudi was playing for Celtic. They have two sons, Ruan and Rocco. Both of their sons were born in Scotland. The family lives in Hamilton, Scotland.
Rocco Vata, Rudi's son, is also a footballer. He plays for the English club Watford. In March 2025, Rocco was called up to play for the senior Ireland team for the first time.
Honours and Achievements
Rudi Vata won several trophies during his football career with different clubs:
- Dinamo Tirana
- Albanian Superliga: 1990
- Celtic
- Scottish Cup: 1995
- KF Tirana
- Albanian Superliga: 2003
- Albanian Supercup: 2002
- Albania National Team
- Malta International Tournament: 2000
See also
In Spanish: Rudi Vata para niños
