Introduction
Vioresin Sinani (born 4 November 1977 in Shkodër) is a retired Albanian professional football who played the majority of his career at Vllaznia Shkodër as well as stints with Dinamo Tirana, KF Tirana and Besa Kavajë in Albania. He also played for NK Varteks in Croatia and Kayserispor in Turkey as well as the Albania national team. He is regarded as being one of the best strikers in Albanian football history, and is the all-time top goalscorer of the Albanian Superliga.
Career
KF Tirana
During the 2006–07 season, Sinani signed with the most successful club in Albania, KF Tirana, taking the number 9 in the process. He formed a very successful partnership in attack with the other striker from Shkodër, Hamdi Salihi, although he stayed only in the first part of the season. On 9 September 2006, in the team's second match of the season, Sinani scored his first three goals with Tirana shirt, recording a hat-trick in a 7–3 thrashing of Kastrioti Krujë at Qemal Stafa.
On 9 May 2007, in the last league match against Vllaznia Shkodër, Tirana needed at least a draw to confirm as the Champions of Albania for the 23th time while their closest league rivals Teuta Durrës had to win to grab the league. Sinani scored twice inside of two minutes, however, respectively in 34th and 35 minutes, helping Tirana to win the 23rd league title with a 4–2 win, althrought Teuta won 1–0 at Peqin against Shkumbini. In personal terms, Sinani, with his 23 league goals, won the Albanian Superliga Golden Boot as the league top goalscorer, beating out his rival Daniel Xhafaj.
Besa Kavajë
In January 2010, Sinani left Vllaznia a joined Besa Kavajë for the second part of 2009–10 season. His transfer was officially completed on 12 January. He made his debut with the club on 27 January in team's 0–2 triumph away against Skënderbeu Korçë, and four days later scored his first goal in another 0–2 away win, this time against Apolonia Fier.
Vllaznia Shkodër
On 7 November 2010, Sinani scored his 200th and 201st Albanian Superliga goals during a 3–0 win over KF Elbasani, becoming the player in history to score more than 200 goals in Albanian top flight.
On 7 July 2011, Vllaznia won 1–0 against Birkirkara in the second leg of first qualifying round of Europa League to pass the round with the aggregate 2–1. Four days later, Sinani was fined by the club's directors with the excuse of losing many clear chances at the end of the match, making thus difficult the team's qualification to the next round.
During the summer of 2011, Sinani signed a new one-year deal with the club until the end of the 2011–12 season.
In January he announced that he would be retiring from professional football at the end of the 2011–12 season, having turnt 34 the previous month and being named Rudi Vata's assistant coach in November. He officially retired prior to the 2012–13 Albanian Superliga curtain-raiser between Vllaznia and the reigning champions Skënderbeu Korçë at the Loro Boriçi Stadium on 25 August 2012. A farewell ceremony was heldto celebrate his career, which was organised by Vllaznia and the Albanian Football Association. The president of the FA awarded Sinani with a 'plaque of appreciation' for his services to Albanian football and Vllaznia announced that the number 9 shirt would be temporarily retired for the 2012–13 season.
International career
He was part of the Albania's national football team that won the Rothmans Trophy in Malta which was held in early 2000. He scored his only international goal in the finals of the competition against the home team Malta which proved to be the trophy winning goal. Overall that year Sinani earned 4 in total but none of those where competitive FIFA or UEFA games.
Having not appeared in a squad since 2000, in May he was called in the squad for the friendly match against England B team. He was an unused substitute as England B won 3–1 at Turf Moor Stadium.
Managerial career
Newly appointed Vllaznia Shkodër coach Rudi Vata made Sinani his assistant manager on 1 November 2011, while he was still an active player at the club.
Career statistics
Club
- As of 3 December 2015
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Olimpik Tiranë | 1996–97 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | 3 | 1 | |||
| Total | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | |
| Vllaznia Shkodër | 1996–97 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1997–98 | 33 | 9 | — | — | — | 33 | 9 | ||||
| 1998–99 | 27 | 14 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 14 | |||
| Total | 60 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 23 | |
| NK Varaždin | 1999–2000 | 25 | 5 | — | — | — | 25 | 5 | |||
| 2000–01 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 27 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 5 | |
| Vllaznia Shkodër | 2000–01 | 26 | 15 | — | — | — | 26 | 15 | |||
| 2001–02 | 23 | 11 | — | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 26 | 13 | ||
| 2002–03 | 18 | 18 | — | — | — | 18 | 18 | ||||
| 2003–04 | 35 | 36 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 36 | |||
| Total | 102 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 105 | 82 | |
| Kayserispor | 2004–05 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 4 | 1 | |||
| Total | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Vllaznia Shkodër | 2004–05 | 23 | 15 | — | — | — | 23 | 15 | |||
| 2005–06 | 33 | 13 | — | — | — | 33 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 56 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 56 | 28 | |
| KF Tirana | 2006–07 | 29 | 23 | — | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 23 | |
| Total | 29 | 23 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 23 | |
| Vllaznia Shkodër | 2007–08 | 30 | 20 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 20 | ||
| 2008–09 | 28 | 15 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 34 | 16 | |
| 2009–10 | 13 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | |||
| Total | 71 | 36 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 81 | 37 | |
| Besa Kavajë | 2009–10 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 5 | ||
| Total | 17 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 5 | |
| Vllaznia Shkodër | 2010–11 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 32 | 12 | ||
| 2011–12 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 31 | 11 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 12 | |
| Career total | 400 | 213 | 14 | 2 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 437 | 217 | |
International
- As of 3 December 2015
| Albania national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2000 | 3 | 1 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 1 |
Honours
Club
- Vllaznia Shkodër
- Albanian Superliga (2): 1997–98, 2000–01
- Albanian Cup (1): 2007–08
- Albanian Supercup (2): 1998, 2001
- KF Tirana
- Albanian Superliga (1): 2006–07
- Albanian Supercup (1): 2006
- Besa Kavajë
- Albanian Cup (1): 2009–10
Individual
- Albanian Superliga Top Goalscorer (3): 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08
- Albanian Cup Top Scorer (1): 2003–04
- Albanian Superliga All Time Top Scorer: 208 goals
- Vllaznia Shkodër All Time Top Scorer: 178 goals