Biography
Who is Besart Berisha?
Early career in Germany
Besart Berisha began playing football as a child at the Berliner VB 49 academy at nine years old. He spent his youth years moving through several German clubs, including Berliner FC Dynamo, SV Lichtenberg 47, and TSV Lichtenberg. By 2003, he joined the NOFV-Oberliga club Tennis Borussia Berlin.
During his time with Tennis Borussia Berlin, he achieved success by winning the national youth league golden boot award. This performance caught the attention of the Bundesliga club Hamburger SV, where he moved after one year. However, his initial time at Hamburg involved being loaned out to Danish Superliga teams, specifically Aalborg Boldspilklub and AC Horsens, to gain more first-team experience.
Professional challenges in Europe
In 2006, he returned to Hamburger SV and made his Bundesliga debut against Arminia Bielefeld. Later that year, he became the first Albanian player to score a goal in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League during a match against CSKA Moscow. Despite these milestones, changes in team management eventually led to him spending more time on the bench.
In 2007, Burnley purchased him from Hamburg. His time in England was difficult due to a severe knee injury sustained while playing for his national team, which required a long recovery period. He later played on loan for Rosenborg and AC Horsens before returning to Germany to join Arminia Bielefeld in 2009. His spell at Bielefeld included appearances across the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons.
Success in the A-League
In 2011, he moved to Australia to play for Brisbane Roar. This period became the most successful of his career, as he helped the team secure back-to-back A-League championships. During the 2011–12 season, he scored 19 goals, winning the Golden Boot award and multiple player of the year honors. He finished that season with a record-breaking 23 goals across 35 games for the club.
His time with Brisbane Roar was marked by both high scoring records and a passionate, sometimes volatile style of play. He was involved in on-field incidents, including a suspension following a clash with a Sydney FC defender. Despite the controversies, he remained a key offensive player for the club until his departure, continuing to score important goals during subsequent seasons.
Transition to coaching
After his playing career, Besart Berisha transitioned into a coaching role. He served as an assistant manager for the Kosovo Superleague club Prishtina. He later moved back to Australia to take on the position of manager for the Melbourne Victory seniors academy team, based in Victoria. This role allows him to apply his extensive experience from his time in Germany, England, and the A-League to develop younger players.
Birthday and age
Besart Berisha was born on July 29, 1985, which makes Besart 41 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Besart shares the date with 53 other famous people.
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