FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
One of the greatest figures in Albanian goalkeeping, Perlat Musta recounts her journey in Albanian football in the column "Legends Speak". From long nights listening to matches on the radio, her debut at only 17 years old with the Partizan team, to the triumph with the Shpresa team in Volos in 1981 and the emotions of matches with the National Team against the big names of European football.
Perlat Musta brings to the FSHF a story about the passion, responsibility and weight of the red and black jersey. “I came to Perlat, Partizan made me Musta”. This sentence summarizes the story of an Albanian legend like Perlat Musta.
– How did you start playing football? How did you get the desire to become a goalkeeper?
I don't even know. I have a question for myself too. I only heard and enjoyed football through the radio, because there were no televisions. I'm talking about when I was 6-7 years old. We had small balls, '50ç' balls, that I would hit against the wall, imitating what I had heard on the radio. I remember watching the movie "Gol". It was the 1966 World Cup, which was played in England. Then, after the championship ended, all the matches were made into movies. From that movie, I also became a fan of the Germans. Even the role of goalkeeper, no one wanted to be a goalkeeper. Every time I played with the classes, the teams always said that they had the goalkeeper, because I was me.
– In early February 1976, at just 17 years and a few months old, you received an invitation to join the Partizan first team. How do you remember the invitation and tell us a little about your early days with the capital's red team?
The beginning was a coincidence. I was part of the Partizan youth team at that time and I had just started in the youth team. Before me, there was another goalkeeper in the youth team and in January 1976, many changes took place in Partizan. Jani Kaçi left after finishing the army and was one of the greatest goalkeepers for me. Only Bashkim Muhedini and Arjan Hoxha remained as goalkeepers.
It was the first match of the second phase, it was played in Qemal Stafa. We played with the youth in Pogradec, we had the great Panajot Panon as our coach and on the way there, because the match was in the morning, we listened to the Partizani – Flamurtari match on the radio. Bashkim Muhedini played one of his best matches according to Ismet Bellova’s comment that we heard on the radio and the next day they removed him, because they remembered that he had once been Beqir Balluku’s son-in-law. They removed Bashkim Muhedini and only Arjan Hoxha remained, they both passed away.
The second match was against the famous Dinamo of that period. All the departments, but the attack with Vasillaq Zëri, Shyqyri Ballgjini, Ilir Përnaska, which for me remains the best attacking trio I have ever seen. There was no reserve goalkeeper and I was automatically called federated, because I played with the youth team and it was the first match. It may have been the first week of February, the 4th or 5th, which is the first time I was called up to the first team and I was a reserve, we lost 4-1 to Dinamo.
After this match I went back to the youth team, another goalkeeper came who was a soldier, Qirko from Korça and Partizan played with Shkëndija, the late Hoxha played again, they were beaten 1-0 and after this match we went to Elbasan. There Partizan was defeated 2-1, but the coach at that time was the great Boriçi. He didn't put Hoxha in, but he put Qirko in the game. Arjan couldn't stand not playing and took the bag and didn't even have a spare. The next day they took him and sent him to Kukës at the border as a soldier and after that time I went over and played 12 spare matches for Qirko.
Good luck for me and bad luck for him was that he didn't perform well. Partizan has historically been a school, every Partizan goalkeeper was a member of the National team. The only one for me who gave up was Qirko, who wasn't at the level that Bashkim Muhedini, Jani Kaçi, Mikel Janku, all big names in Albanian goalkeeping, were before.
The championship ended, I was young, 17 and a half years old, and they wanted to take me out, but Loro didn't have much faith because he said I was small, he's young and they could hurt him if he put me in. After the championship ended, there was a friendly match, it was June 5, 1976 with a Chinese team, an army team, but it was a very weak team. The first half went 4-0 in the first 20 minutes and they didn't pass the middle of the field.
After the first half ended, Loro told me: "Come on, get ready to go in." Loro still didn't have faith, a few minutes passed, Mustafa Fagu scored the fifth goal and at this moment he took everyone out and at this time he also put us in. During the time that the late Safet Berisha pretended that he couldn't get the ball away, he would give it to the Chinese at the penalty spot, he would shoot, Safeti would lower his head, I caught 4-5 such balls and they all stayed. Even today everyone reminds me that you made a save, after I caught a cross ball, I jumped and caught it back, it has remained in everyone's memory.
– Is it better when they see you and say: Perlat Musta, legend of the National Team or Partizan?
Every footballer can play football, but without wearing the national team jersey… It is an extraordinary emotion and a dream of every footballer. Every footballer, when he goes to the highest level which is the national team, anywhere in any kind of team in the world, will play for a club. Appearing for the club leads you to the national team, but when you get that invitation and when you wear that jersey, there is no more stick, you can't jump higher.
– Did Partizan make you or were you one of many others who made Partizan?
Nuk e them për modesti, por e kam thënë dhe më parë. Këtë përgjigje do të ta jap me një fjalë. Unë erdha Perlat, Partizani më bëri Mustë.
– Kombëtarja U-21, Volos 1981. Shqipëria ka fituar kupën ballkanike në Volos të Greqisë në 81, në një pritje të jashtëzakonshme nga grekët. Ti ke qenë përforcim në ekip, por mbi datëlindjen tënde. Si e kujton? Na e tregon pak historinë?
Unë me Mujo Targën ishim pjesë e ekipit U-21. Të dy datëlindje 60’-ta. Trajner ishte Shyqyri Rreli, që na ka pasur tek ekipi Shpresa në 78’ kur jemi shpallur sërish kampionë Ballkani me ekipin U-21, kur mundëm rumunët 7-1 këtu. Duke qenë profesor Rreli dhe na besonte, na mori sepse lejoheshin dy lojtarë mbi moshë që të luanin dhe na zgjodhi mua dhe Mujon. Nuk e kam parë atë pritje.
Kur kemi fituar 2-1 me bullgarët në Volos, nuk e kemi bërë xhiron e nderit në këmbë. Por sipër grekëve, na merrnin mbi duar. Dhe pas ndeshjes ka qenë karvani përpara me bori makinash. Mund të ketë qenë 500 metra dhe pastaj vinte autobusi jonë, ndërsa karvani me automjete na shoqëroi deri te hoteli jonë. Pritja ishte sepse nuk ishte xhelozia në mes. Kishin më tepër urrejtje me bullgarët. Që kur nisi ndeshja, grekët ishin me ne.
– Ftesa nga Kombëtarja A
Ftesën e kam marrë që në vitin 80’ kur morëm pjesë në eliminatoret e kampionatit europian. Kam qënë i grumbulluar në disa ndeshje. Fillimisht ka qenë trajner Zyber Konçi. Në portë luante Jani Kaçi, një emër i madh. Ndjej kënaqësinë që, edhe te Partizani, edhe te Kombëtarja, të arrija ta zëvendësoja. Për mua Jani Kaçi ishte idhull dhe thoja të bëhem sa çereku, jo sa gjysma e Jani Kaçit. Njeriu e ka një shembull përpara dhe shembulli për mua nga portierët ka qenë Jani Kaçi.
“Fati” ishte që Jani pati një peripeci sepse me Korçën, ekipi po binte nga kategoria dhe nuk pati një periudhë të mirë. Në shtator të 81’-s ishte ndeshja e kualifikueseve të Europianit. Ishim të grumbulluar në Korçë. Unë, Jani Kaçi dhe Ilir Luarasi. Kishim ndeshje në Finlandë. Gjatë grumbullimit, një javë përpara se të shkonim në aktivitet, Janin e hoqën nga ekipi kombëtar.
Dhe ngela vetëm unë me Ilir Luarasin. Trajner kishim Loron, i cili kishte shumë besim tek unë. Ndeshjen e parë e luaj në Finlandë. Ka qenë një pjesë e parë që ishim ne shumë dominues. Në pjesën e dytë, Mujo shënoi gol me penallti dhe kaluam ne në avantazh. Më pas na kanë mbyllur në portë. Ka qenë një nga ndeshjet e mia më të mira, pasi kam pritur shumë atë ditë. U mundëm 2-1. Në ndeshjen e dytë, kemi luajtur këtu kundër Bullgarisë. 6-7 veta ishin nga ekipi që ne patëm mundur në Volos, por këtu u mundëm.
– Ndeshja më e bukur me Kombëtaren
Nuk mund të veçoj, por me ekipet e mëdha ku luanin lojtarë të mëdhenj, ishin të veçanta. S’mund të mohosh dot Rummenigge, Littbarski. Kam luajtur kundër Breitner. Flas për emra të futbollit botëror, siç janë sot Ronaldo e Messi. Edhe opinioni të jep më tepër vlerë. Një pritje të vështirë mund ta bësh edhe me një ekip më të vogël. Por kur luan me ekipe të mëdha, vlerë të jep opinioni.
– 23 matches until 1987 with the National Team. After this match, your career is interrupted. September 16, 1987, Benfica – Partizani. Is this match the key to your life?
I still have it today. I don't know why he gave me two fouls in my favor in 30 seconds and a yellow and a red card. The sight of the red card when I got the second yellow card is a moment when the late Ahmetaj gives me the ball back and attacks me, the Benfica striker. Ahmetaj gives me the ball back and I catch the ball and I'm back. And this is the sight. The referee comes up to me from behind and gives me the card like a sneak. I saw it and I was surprised. I thought he didn't give me the card.
30 seconds ago he gave me the first yellow. An action on the right wing of their attack, a cross to the penalty spot. I come out and catch the ball on the jump and fall. The main striker who was also from Portugal falls on me. And he gives me a foul in my favor, because I had the ball and the moment I get up he gives me the yellow. And after that when I kick the ball, he gives me the second yellow.
And the worst thing is that it's not that I got a red card, the problem is that they punished me for 5 years. The UEFA statement said that 'he is punished as team captain because he irritated his teammates'. But after I left, there were protests. But what was my fault? It seems to me that it was something intentional.
– Let's talk a little about the current national team. How do you see Albania's chances in the play-off qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup?-
This team can achieve anything, because this team has brought its own chance. In football, there is also luck. But it is not a coincidence. Because it has been two editions that we have participated in the European finals, which are of the highest level, just like the World Cup that we dream of and hope to qualify for. I say that everything is achievable. These are the same people who have brought the team this far. It is not a coincidence. Coincidence only happens once, for better or for worse. This has continuity. It is the merit of the entire group, from the leaders, the President, whom I also congratulate on being elected to lead the Albanian Football Association. It is the work of the entire staff, good management.
– If you were the coach of team A today, and you were 10 minutes before the match against Poland. What would you say to the team?
Lions, enjoy yourselves. This opportunity doesn't come around anymore. They are lucky.
Epithets for some of the fellow footballers of the National team and the coach Panajot Pano
Sulejman Demollari – Brain
Mirel Josa – Intelligent Force
Panajot Pano – There is no greater greatness
Artur Lekbello – I would call him the same as myself 'misfortune'
Muhedin Targaj – The Great Captain
Milan Baci – One of the most intelligent defenders
Lini një Përgjigje