Rudi Vata

Rudi Vata

Personal information
Date of birth	(1969-02-13) 13 February 1969
Place of birth	Shkodër, Albania
Height
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
1980-1988	Vllaznia
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1988-1990	KS Vllaznia	40	(5)
1990-1991	Dinamo Tirana	20	(2)
1991-1992	Le Mans	18	(0)
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 F.C.	15	(0)
2004-2005	Partizani	20	(1)
International career
1990-2001	Albania	59	(5)
Managerial career
2011-2012	Vllaznia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Rudi Vata (born 13 February 1969 in Shkodër) is a former Albanian footballer who played as a defender, and had also a short stint as a manager of Albanian team KS Vllaznia Shkoder.

Early life

Vata was born in the northern city of Shkodër and joined local side Vllaznia Shkodër at a young age, making his first team debut in 1988. Whilst travelling with the Albania U-21 team in France he sought political asylum in 1991.

Football career

Vata's career in Western football began in France in 1991, when the KS Dinamo Tirana player claimed political asylum following an international match. He played for Le Mans Union Club 72 and Tours FC, before playing for Celtic between January 1993 and 1995-96. He became the first Albanian to win an honour in a major European country when he won the 1995 Scottish FA Cup with Celtic.

Vata went on to play for Apollon Limassol (1996–1998), Energie Cottbus (1998–2001), Rot-Weiß Ahlen (January–June 2002) and SK Tirana (2002–2003). This was followed by a spell in Japan, from where he signed for St. Johnstone F.C. in 2004. He retired from football in 2005 after a brief stint with KF Partizani Tirana. He was capped 58 times and scored 5 goals for the Albanian national team.

Since retiring from the professional game, Vata has become a sports agent, specialising in Eastern European football, and facilitating the transfer of players such as Garry O'Connor and Aiden McGeady.

Club career statistics

Club performance			League
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals
Albania			League
1988/89	Vllaznia Shkodër	Superliga
1989/90
1990/91	Dinamo Tirana	Superliga	6	0
France			League
1991/92	Le Mans	Division 2
1991/92	Tours	Division 2
Albania			League
1992/93	Dinamo Tirana	Superliga
Scotland			League
1992/93	Celtic	Premier Division	22	2
1993/94			10	1
1994/95			7	1
1995/96			6	0
Cyprus			League
1996/97	Apollon Limassol	First Division	25	4
1997/98			24	5
Germany			League
1998/99	Energie Cottbus	2. Bundesliga	25	0
1999/00			25	1
2000/01		Bundesliga	30	1
2001/02			1	0
2001/02	LR Ahlen	2. Bundesliga	8	0
Albania			League
2002/03	Tirana	Superliga	13	4
Japan			League
2003	Yokohama	J. League 2	24	3
Scotland			League
2003/04	St. Johnstone	First Division	15	0
Country	Albania		19	4
	France
	Scotland		60	4
	Cyprus		49	9
	Germany		89	2
	Japan		24	3
Total			241	22

National team statistics

Albania national team
Year	Apps	Goals
1990	1	0
1991	1	0
1992	5	0
1993	6	0
1994	3	0
1995	5	1
1996	4	0
1997	7	1
1998	8	0
1999	8	1
2000	7	2
2001	4	0
Total	59	5

Personal life

Vata is married to Anne Frances from Wishaw, Lanarkshire in Scotland, whom he met during his time playing at Celtic. They have two sons together, both of whom were born in Scotland.

External links

• Vata at Celtic FC - Football-Heroes.net
• Rudi Vata at National-Football-Teams.com