Besfort_Zeneli

Besfort Zeneli

Besfort Zeneli

Swedish-born Kosovan footballer

Besfort Zeneli (born 21 November 2002) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Allsvenskan club IF Elfsborg.

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Club career

On 6 January 2022, Zeneli signed his first professional contract with Allsvenskan side IF Elfsborg after agreeing to a two-year deal.[1] On 21 July 2022, he was named as an IF Elfsborg substitute for the first time in a 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round against Molde.[2] His debut with IF Elfsborg came seven days later in the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League second qualifying round again against Molde after coming on as a substitute at 73rd minute in place of Michael Baidoo.[3] On 11 September 2022, Zeneli made his league debut in a 2–0 away win against GIF Sundsvall after coming on as a substitute at last minutes again in place of Michael Baidoo.[4]

International career

Zeneli is eligible to represent two countries on international level, either Sweden or Kosovo. On 18 October 2021, Zeneli declared through an interview for Koha Ditore that he is waiting for a call-up from Football Federation of Kosovo to represent Kosovo at the under-21 level and that he had refused to represent Sweden at the youth level even though he had the opportunity to choose.[5] On 15 September 2022, Zeneli received a call-up from Kosovo U21 for a training camp held in Antalya, Turkey and for the hybrid friendly match against Greenland.[6]

On 18 March 2023, Zeneli received again a call-up from Kosovo U21 for the friendly matches against Moldova and Turkey.[7] His official debut with Kosovo U21 came six days later in the friendly match against Moldova after coming on as a substitute in place of Veton Tusha.

Personal life

Born and raised in Sweden, Zeneli is of Kosovo Albanian origin from Selac, a village near Mitrovica.[8] He is the younger brother of Kosovo international Arbër Zeneli.[9]

References

  1. [1]
    "Zeneli och Widell skriver A-lagskontrakt" [Zeneli and Widell sign A team contracts] (in Swedish). IF Elfsborg. 6 January 2022.
  2. [2]
    @IFElfsborg1904 (July 21, 2022). "Avspark om 60 minuter – här är dagens startelva | Substitutioner: Valdimarsson, Jarjué, Holmén, Hult, Söderberg, Zeneli, Baidoo, Qasem, Okkels, Bernhardsson, Gudjohnsen, Aga | #vitillsammans #elfsborg #borås" [Kick-off in 60 minutes – here is today's starting line-up | Substitutions: Valdimarsson, Jarjué, Holmén, Hult, Söderberg, Zeneli, Baidoo, Qasem, Okkels, Bernhardsson, Gudjohnsen, Aga | #wetogether #elfsborg #borås] (Tweet) (in Swedish) – via Twitter.
  3. [3]
    @IFElfsborg1904 (July 28, 2022). "Substitutioner: 73' | Tre byten i IFE!" [Substitutions: 73' | Three changes in IFE!] (Tweet) (in Swedish) – via Twitter.
  4. [4]
    @IFElfsborg1904 (September 11, 2022). "90+2' Byte | Besfort Zeneli ersätter Michael Baidoo | #GIF 0–2 #IFE" [90+2' Change | Besfort Zeneli replaces Michael Baidoo | #GIF 0–2 #IFE] (Tweet) (in Swedish) – via Twitter.
  5. [5]
    "19 gola në 17 ndeshje, vëllai i Arbër Zenelit po e pret Kosovën" [19 goals in 17 games, the brother of Arbër Zeneli is waiting for Kosovo] (in Albanian). Koha Ditore. 18 October 2021.
  6. [6]
    "Tovërlani publikon listën e Përfaqësueses U21 të Kosovës: Për synimet varet vetëm nga shorti" [Tovërlani publishes the list of the Kosovo national under-21 team: For objectives, it depends only on the draw] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 15 September 2022.
  7. [7]
    "Kosova U21 luan dy miqësore në Turqi, kjo është lista e futbollistëve të ftuar nga Tovërlani" [Kosovo U21 plays two friendlies in Turkey, this is the list of footballers invited from Tovërlani] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 18 March 2023.
  8. [8]
    "Arbër Zeneli, djaloshi me origjinë nga Mitrovica që po bën krenarë të gjithë (FOTO)" [Arbër Zeneli, the boy with origin from Mitrovica that is making everyone proud (PHOTO)] (in Albanian). Kallxo. 21 November 2018. I lindur më 25 shkurt të vitit 1995, në qytetin Säter të Suedisë, Arbëri i ka prindërit nga Kosova, konkretisht nga Selaci i Mitrovicës
  9. [9]
    "Njihuni me Besfortin, vëllain e Arbër Zenelit që pritet ta 'pushtojë' botën e futbollit" [Meet Besfort, the brother of Arbër Zeneli who is expected to 'conquer' the world of football]. korrespodenti.com (in Albanian). 13 October 2019.
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