Igli Tare (Albanian pronunciation: [ˈiɡli 'taɾɛ]; born 25 July 1973) is an Albanian retired professional footballer who played as a forward. He is the former sporting director at Serie A club Lazio.[1]

Igli Tare
Personal information
Date of birth (1973-07-25) 25 July 1973 (age 50)
Place of birthTirana, Albania
Height1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)Forward
Youth career
1982–1993Partizani Tirana
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1993–1994Partizani14(2)
1994–1995VfR Mannheim23(5)
1995–1996SV Südwest Ludwigshafen21(5)
1996–1997Karlsruher SC II23(4)
1996–1997Karlsruher SC8(0)
1997–1999Fortuna Düsseldorf63(24)
1999–20011. FC Kaiserslautern26(4)
2001–2003Brescia75(15)
2003–2005Bologna55(11)
2005–2008Lazio46(5)
Total372(74)
International career
1989Albania U182(0)
1990Albania U212(0)
1997–2007Albania68(10)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Tare joined Partizani Tirana as a 9-year-old in 1982, and would later go on to make his debut as a 15-year-old in 1988 before leaving Albania in 1992 to emigrate to Germany. He played in the lower leagues of Germany for Südwest Ludwigshafen and VfR Mannheim before joining Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC in 1996, initially playing for their reserve side before making his Bundesliga debut in 1996. He then joined Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga, where he scored 24 league goals in 63 games in two seasons before returning to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1999, where he netted four league goals in 26 appearances in one year and a half at the club.

After falling out of favour at 1. FC Kaiserslautern he joined Serie A side Brescia in January 2001, where he helped the side finish in a respectable 8th place. He remained at Brescia for a further two seasons, and he scored a total of 15 league goals in 75 games before joining fellow Serie A side Bologna in 2003. He spent two years at the club and scored 11 league goals in 55 games, before joining Lazio in a surprise move in 2005 following Brescia's relegation to Serie B. He was primarily used as a backup player at Lazio and he only scored four goals in 54 league games before retiring as a player at the age of 34 in 2008.

Early life

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Igli Tare studied at the Qemal Stafa High School, in Tirana, Albania.[2]

Club career

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Tare began his professional career in 1996 with Karlsruher SC in Germany where he remained until 1997 before moving to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga.

In 1999, Tare moved to 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where he played for a season before being signed by veteran Italian manager Carlo Mazzone. For five seasons, Tare played with Mazzone's Brescia, where he was able to play alongside Roberto Baggio, before again transferring, this time to Bologna where he was reunited with Mazzone once again.

At Bologna, Tare was popular amongst the fans and scored an important goal in the relegation play-off against fierce rivals Parma, however Tare's goal was not enough and they lost the return leg at home, being relegated to Serie B.

Following Bologna's relegation, Tare was loaned out to capital club Lazio scoring just three goals in his first season. Following this loan period, Tare joined the club on a permanent basis.

Tare was not a regular starter under Delio Rossi, but was able to play and score vital goals when others were out with injuries. In late 2007 away to Palermo, Tare scored off a Lorenzo De Silvestri cross, ending a scoring drought which stretched back for almost two years. He backed this goal up with another vital goal in the Coppa Italia against Napoli, which proved to be the winner.

International career

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Tare was capped 68 times by the Albania national team and scored ten goals.[3] As one of the most experienced members of the side, Tare was long time captain of the national team.

Tare's most impressive performance for his national side came during his nation's match against Russia in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifiers, when he helped Albania to a 3–1 victory, scoring his team's third goal.

In 2007, Tare's international career was effectively ended, after being dropped by manager Otto Barić.

Style of play

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A tall, physical, and combative forward, Tare usually played as a centre-forward or as a striker, and was mainly known for his ability in the air, as well his work-rate, professionalism, solid technique, and capacity to link-up with teammates, despite not being a significantly elegant or prolific player.[4][5][6][7]

Post-playing career

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Tare's Lazio contract expired at the end of the 2007–08 season. He then accepted a non-playing role at Lazio, becoming the club's team manager.[8] In April 2009 he completed a course in order to receive his qualification to be sporting director, a post he has held at Lazio until 5 June 2023.[1]

Personal life

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Igli Tare is a well known supporter of Albanian related issues. He was a supporter of the Albanian cause and the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo war. He helped the Albanian refugees who had been expelled during the Kosovo war with money and accommodation in Albania.

In the 2005–06 Serie A season in the game Inter against Lazio, there were numerous provocations between Igli Tare and Siniša Mihajlović. In the half-time break, Tare slapped Mihajlović with two fists. Tare said Mihajlović had provoked him the entire First Half and then he had responded accordingly. Igli Tare later told the Albanian media that he did not regret anything.[9]

The rivalry between Tare and Mihajlović took another level in 2016. During 2015–16 Serie A season, Lazio's President Claudio Lotito wanted Mihajlović as a coach for Lazio. Lazio's president had been working for weeks to get Mihajlovic. There is a good friendship between Lotito and Mihajlović and his return to Formello has been on the agenda for years. However Tare refused to accept Siniša Mihajlović as the new coach for Lazio and at the end prevented the move.[10][11]

His brother Auron Tare, is a famous Albanian journalist and his brother Agron Tare is director at the Port of Durrës.[12]

His son Etienne (born 2003) followed on his footsteps, becoming a striker too and now being part of the Lazio Primavera (Under-19 team) squad.[13]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[14][15][16][17]
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cup[a]EuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Partizani Tirana1993–94Albanian Superliga142142
VfR Mannheim1994–952. Bundesliga235235
SV Südwest Ludwigshafen1995–96Oberliga Rheinland-Pfalz/Saar215215
Karlsruher SC II1996–97Regionalliga Süd234234
Karlsruher SC1996–97Bundesliga8040120
Fortuna Düsseldorf1997–982. Bundesliga3413003413
1998–992911333214
Total6324336627
1. FC Kaiserslautern1999–2000Bundesliga224102[b]0254
2000–0140312[b]192
Total2644141346
Brescia2000–01Serie A174174
2001–0225551306
2002–0333610346
Total7515618116
Bologna2003–04Serie A29631327
2004–05265202[c]1306
Total551151216213
Lazio2005–06Serie A2234020283
2006–0714030170
2007–08181611[d]0252
Total54313130704
Career total37274357712141683
  1. ^ Includes DFB-Pokal, Coppa Italia
  2. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Cup
  3. ^ Appearances in Serie A relegation play-offs
  4. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania199762
199880
199982
200050
200161
200252
2003102
200470
200570
200650
200710
Total6810
Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tare goal.
List of international goals scored by Igli Tare
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 October 1997Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany  Germany2–23–41998 World Cup qualifier
214 October 1998Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway  Norway2–22–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
35 June 1999Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania  Norway1–11–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
427 March 2002Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania  Azerbaijan1-01-0Friendly
529 March 2003Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania  Russia3–13–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
610 September 2003Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania  Georgia2–03–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
711 October 2003Restelo, Lisbon, Portugal  Portugal2–13–5Friendly
83 September 2005Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania  Georgia1–03–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification
93–0
1016 August 2006Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino1–03–0Friendly [18]

Honours

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Individual
  • Career Award: 2018[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b Cieri, Stefano (6 June 2023). "Tare-Lazio è finita". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). RCS. p. 21. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  2. ^ Q. Stafa High School website. "Historiku". Archived from the original on 12 January 2014.
  3. ^ "Albania – Record International Players". Rsssf. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Si riparte da Mazzone" (in Italian). Eurosport. 6 September 2004. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  5. ^ DESALVO, VALENTINA (12 March 2005). "Tare, un calcio all' ignoranza Il razzismo si può battere". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Tare: "Brescia scusami"". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). 24 September 2002. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Mazzone su Tare: "Professionista molto serio"" (in Italian). Tutto Brescia. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Tare dietro la scrivania" (in Italian). Sportal.it. 13 July 2008. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 24 July 2008.
  9. ^ "tare-dhe-mihajlovic-kur-drejtori-i-lacios-i-mesoi-shqipen-me-grushta-ish-yllit-serb-te-futbollit/" (in Albanian). newsport. 1 February 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  10. ^ "igli-tare-godet-sinisa-mihajlovicin/" (in Albanian). lajmi. 7 April 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  11. ^ "focus-tare-sinisa-no-igli-vorrebbe-qualcunaltro-sulla-panchina-laziale/" (in Italian). cittaceleste. 25 March 2016. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  12. ^ Lirohet nga detyra drejtori i Agjencisë së Bregdeteve, Auron Tare (DOKUMENTI) – Newsbomb (in Albanian)
  13. ^ "Lazio, di padre in figlio: Etienne Tare aggregato alla Primavera" (in Italian). Gianluca Di Marzio.com. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
  14. ^ "Igli Tare Player Profile – ESPN FC". ESPN FC. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  15. ^ "Albania – I. Tare – Profile with news career statistics and history". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  16. ^ "Player Profile: Igli Tare". FootyMania.com. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  17. ^ "Igli Tare". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Igli Tare international goals". eu-football.info. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  19. ^ "Ndahen çmimet e "Albanian Sports Ambassador", ish-kapiteni kuqezi Lorik Cana merr trofeun kryesor të mbrëmjes" [The "Albanian Sports Ambassador" awards are allocated, former red&black captain Lorik Cana takes evening's most important trophy] (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 29 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
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