Ardian Arra (1956 – 2011) | The lost stars of Albanian football!

Ardian Arra (September 18, 1956 – October 7, 2011)
Football player of “Vllaznia”, Shkoder and “Shkendija”, the students of “Vojo Kushi” Academy School – Tirana

Born in Shkoder, on September 18, from a family with traditions and culture that lived at the neighborhood near the “Rrepublika” cinema in this city. His father, Shaban Arra, was an educator and holds the title “People`s Teacher”. Ardian was the only son younger than his two sisters. So, being the only boy and the youngest, he grew up with a lot of love from his family.

Arra belongs to a generation of players from the late 70s and early 80s. His career was short, but in himself he was a player equipped with a high technique. Not a few health problems made Ardian leave the football fields prematurely, while he could still give to this sport. For this reason, he could not reach the size of other footballers, but although he was physically fragile, his quality, the contemporary game has remained in the mind and memory of those who saw him, and who know him, especially Shkodra fans.

Then, when he was 14-15 years old, he went to the “Sports Master’s school” in Tirana, and then he graduated from the “Sports Academy”. Ardian Arra belongs to the sports academy of the “Vojo Kushi” High School, which he successfully completed in 1980. He was formed as a football player and appeared as such in the ranks of the well-known team in those years “Shkendija”. Arra was active for a short time in the ranks of this “Vojokushas” club, as it was called at that time, in 1974.

Shkendija Team! Up from the left: Leonidha Curri; Ferid Rragami; Milto Gurma; Ilir Luarasi; Dashnor Bajaziti; Besnik Cela; (down from the left) Luan Metani; Ardian Arra; Fatmir Pacrami; Mustafa Fagu; Astrit Hafizi

A season later, 1974-1975, he was in the ranks of his hometown team, Vllaznia.

He will be reactivated again in Shkendija, to return once again to the ranks of Vllaznia, where in the season of 1977-1978 he will win the title of Champion of Albania.

At the age of 20, Arra stood out for his master’s technique, athletic training, where everyone saw him as a true juggler with the ball. Arra revealed the qualities of a classy footballer, technically prepared and a rare fantasist. He was a serious player and an example in the matches he played, even in every training session, the assessment and concentration on his part was maximum.

Arra had a perfect vision of the game, understanding equally well the individual tactics, the movement of his teammates on the field and to acclimatize in the game with the team members. It must be said that on his best day, based on his technical skills, there was no defender or opponent to stop him, even though he was physically a little lower.

His favorite dribbling was and remains throughout his career passing the ball between the legs of each opponent. Maybe a habit that he had inherited from his childhood when he played with his friends in the neighborhood. It remained his goal until the end, and for which he was criticized quite a bit. In Shkoder, it took the form of an anecdote, “Ardian’s primary goal was to put the ball between the opponent’s legs and not in the net”. It was said that during the 15-minute break, between the two halves, Ardian often asked his friends: “Did you see it, I did more than twice put the ball between the legs of X defender”….

Ardian Arra was the most technically complete Albanian player in football and one of the best in controlling the ball. Based on all these skills that he possessed, he could not help but catch the eye of the coaches who immediately activated him with the U21 “Shpresa” Albanian national selection, and remaining one of the most promising talents for the great Red and Black National Team.

U21 Albanian National Team “Shpresa”

Back when he was playing for “Shkendija”, coach Shyqyri Rreli before the match, when he gave him assignments, used to say: “Ardian, you are a free painter, fantasize, do what you want!” This was the trust and appreciation that Arra received from every coach, because he deserved it.

A serious injury forces Ardian Arra to finally leave the green fields precisely at his peak. The wait was long, until Arra, contrary to his wishes, withdrew from football, leaving a big space in Shkodran and Albanian football, a lack of longing and nostalgia for a player technically like no one other.

Ardian Arra will pass away on October 7, 2011.
The greatest S. Bizi will speak for his teammate: Ardian Arra was God’s gift in football!

Too bad that the Albanian Football Federation, or the clubs belonging to the cities, have a significant lack of information about these players who, although they had a short career, like the trajectory of a meteor, but they even left a mark in the memory of Albanian sports fans.

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By Pjerin Bj
New York, U.S.A
Exclusivity on this page holds the date November 3, 2024

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