Rudi Vata

Football player infobox


playername = Rudi Vata
fullname =
nickname = "Holy"
height = height|m=1.83
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1969|2|13
cityofbirth = Shkodër
countryofbirth = Albania
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1988-1990
1990-1991
1991-1992
1992
1992
1993-1996
1996-1998
1998-2001
2002
2002-2003
2003
2003-2004
2004-2005
clubs = Vllaznia Shkodër
Dinamo Tirana
Le Mans UC
Tours FC
Dinamo Tirana
Celtic
Apollon Limassol
Energie Cottbus
Rot-Weiß Ahlen
SK Tirana
Yokohama FC
St. Johnstone F.C.
Partizani Tirana
caps(goals) =
6 (0)
45 (4)
49 (9)
81 (2)
8 (0)
24 (3)
15 (0)
nationalyears = 1990-2001
nationalteam = flagicon|Albania Albania
nationalcaps(goals) = 059 0(5)

Rudi Vata (born February 13, 1969 in Shkodër) is a former Albanian footballer who played as a defender.

Vata's career in Western football began in France in 1991, when the KS Dinamo Tirana player claimed political asylum following an international match. [ [http://kerrydalestreet.com/page/Rudi+Vata KerrydaleStreet profile] ] 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. Retired in 2005 with KF Partizani Tirana, he became a sports agent. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/6075056.stm Littbarski turns interest to Hibs] ] He was capped 58 times and scored 5 goals for the Albanian national team.

References

External links

* [http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=7801 Vata at Celtic FC - Football-Heroes.net]
* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/php/spieler.php?id=14750 NationalFootballTeams data]