Andi Lila (; born 12 February 1986) is an Albanian former professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He was a versatile player, having spent his early career as a full-back.
Lila began his senior career at his hometown club Besa Kavajë before moving to Greek side Iraklis in the Super League Greece. He later returned to Besa Kavajë and went on to play for Tirana, winning the 2008âÂÂ09 Albanian Superliga and 2010âÂÂ11 Albanian Cup, and spent a significant period at Greek top-flight side PAS Giannina, including a brief loan spell at Italian Serie A side Parma. Lila made over 150 appearances in Greece's first division and ended his playing career at Tirana in 2020 due to injury.
Lila has represented Albania at under-17, under-19, under-21 and senior levels, earning 70 caps for the senior side from 2007 to 2017. He was part of the squad that qualified for UEFA Euro 2016, Albania's first appearance at a major tournament, and played in the historic 1âÂÂ0 win against Romania in the group stage. Lila also featured in qualifying campaigns and key matches, including Albania's first-ever victory over Portugal in 2014 in the opening Euro 2016 qualifying, and was involved in the controversial 2014 incident in Belgrade against Serbia during the same competition.
Lila started his career with his hometown club, Besa Kavajë, making his debut at age 16 in the 2002âÂÂ03 Albanian Superliga season on 14 December 2002 against Teuta Durrës, coming on as a substitute at half-time in a 5âÂÂ0 defeat. He made 11 league appearances that season.
In the 2003âÂÂ04 Albanian Superliga, Lila made 10 appearances as Besa Kavajë was relegated.
The following season in 2004âÂÂ05 Kategoria e Parë, he established himself as a regular starter, playing 24 league matches as Besa won the championship and secured promotion back to Superliga.
He scored his first top-flight goal on 21 January 2006 in a 2âÂÂ1 home win over Partizani during the 2005âÂÂ06 Albanian Superliga. Lila made 29 league appearances that season, while Besa Kavajë finished fifth in the league standings.
He made nine appearances in the first half of the 2006âÂÂ07 Albanian Superliga before leaving the club.
Lila transferred to Iraklis in January 2007, joining fellow Albanians Enea Koliçi, Ervis Kraja and Indrit Fortuzi. He debuted on 11 March 2007 against Aris Saloniki, starting at right-back and receiving a second yellow card at half-time. He made three league appearances before returning to Besa Kavajë.
After returning, Lila became team captain. He played in the 2007 Albanian Supercup against Tirana on 17 August 2007, losing 4âÂÂ2. Lila made his first continental appearance on 30 August 2007 against Litex Lovech in the UEFA Cup Second qualifying round, losing 3âÂÂ0. He made 29 league appearances in the 2007âÂÂ08 Albanian Superliga as Besa finished third.
His final match for Besa was on 12 July 2008 against Grasshopper in the Intertoto Cup Second Round, losing 3âÂÂ0.
Shortly after, he transferred to Tirana on 21 July 2008.
Lila made his debut for Tirana on 24 August 2008 against Vllaznia, playing the full 90 minutes in a 0âÂÂ0 draw. He scored his first goal for the club on 14 September in his third appearance, netting in a 2âÂÂ1 victory over Partizani in the capital derby. A week later, Lila scored again in a 2âÂÂ0 away win against Apolonia. During the 2008âÂÂ09 Albanian Superliga season, Lila was a regular starter, making 28 appearances and scoring four goals. Tirana won the league title for the 24th time in their history, finishing four points ahead of Vllaznia. Tirana also reached the final of the 2008âÂÂ09 Albanian Cup, where the team was defeated 2âÂÂ1 by Flamurtari Vlorë, with Lila an unused substitute.
Lila began his second season with Tirana on 15 July 2009 by making his European debut against Stabæk in the first leg of the 2009âÂÂ10 UEFA Champions League first qualifying round. He also started the return leg, as Tirana were eliminated following a 4âÂÂ0 defeat, losing 5âÂÂ1 on aggregate. On 16 August 2009, Lila won his second trophy with Tirana, the 2009 Albanian Supercup, as the team defeated Flamurtari Vlorë 1âÂÂ0. In the opening match of the 2009âÂÂ10 Albanian Superliga on 23 August 2009, Lila conceded a penalty and was sent off in the 31st minute as Tirana were defeated 3âÂÂ1 by Flamurtari. He made a total of 24 league appearances and scored one goal, as Tirana finished the season in third place.
In the 2010âÂÂ11 UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds in July 2010, Lila played every minute of the first two qualifying rounds, as Tirana advanced past Zalaegerszeg 1âÂÂ0 after extra time in the first round, before being eliminated in the second round by Utrecht despite Lila scoring in the second leg, with a 5âÂÂ1 aggregate defeat. Lila began the 2011âÂÂ12 Albanian Superliga season on 22 August 2011 by scoring the equalising goal in a 1âÂÂ1 draw against Elbasani. On 31 January 2011, he scored in a 2âÂÂ1 away victory over Dinamo Tirana. He made a total of 26 league appearances and scored six goals, as Tirana finished the season in fifth place. On 23 May 2011, Lila featured in the 2011 Albanian Cup final, which Tirana won against Dinamo after a penalty shoot-out, securing the clubâÂÂs qualification for European competition.
Lila completed a transfer to Greek side PAS Giannina on 24 June 2011 by signing a three-year contract worth â¬200,000 plus bonuses.
He was given squad number 3 and made his competitive debut on 27 August 2011 by starting in the goalless draw against Aris in the opening week of the 2011âÂÂ12 Super League Greece. In his first full season at the Ajax of Epirus, Lila made 21 league appearances as the team finished eighth in the championship. With eight yellow cards, he recorded the second-worst disciplinary record in the squad.
Lila began his second season on 25 August 2012, playing in a 0âÂÂ0 draw against Platanias at the Zosimades Stadium. He made his first Greek Cup appearance on 29 November 2012 in a 1âÂÂ0 win against Panserraikos in the first leg of third round. His first goals for the club came on 8 December, when he scored the opener in a 2âÂÂ0 away win against Kerkyra. His second goal of the season followed on 24 January 2013 in the second leg of the Greek Cup against Fostiras, helping PAS Giannina secure a 3âÂÂ2 victory and progress to the quarter-finals. He finished the season with 35 appearances in all competitions, as PAS Giannina placed fifth in the league and were eliminated by Olympiacos in the Greek Cup quarter-finals, once again registering the second-worst disciplinary record within the team.
On 12 July 2014, Lila confirmed that his contract with PAS Giannina had expired and that he was set to join Croatian side HNK Rijeka, however, he later chose to remain at PAS Giannina, signing a new three-year contract with the club.
On 28 December 2014, Lila joined Serie A side Parma on loan. The transfer became official on 1 January 2015, when the transfer window reopened. During his presentation, Lila described the move to Serie A as a dream come true. On 12 January, Parma announced that the deal included an option to buy, amid the clubâÂÂs ongoing financial difficulties.
He made his debut on 14 January 2015 in the Coppa Italia match against Cagliari, but was forced off after 13 minutes due to a thigh injury. In his first game back after returning from injury, Lila scored his first goal for Parma against Sassuolo on 15 March 2015; having played from the start, with the match ending as a 4âÂÂ1 defeat for the Gialloblù.
After the end of his loan spell, Lila initially refused to return to PAS Giannina in an effort to secure another move to Serie A. In August 2015, he trained with Skënderbeu Korçë to maintain fitness, before rejoining PAS Giannina later that month and reclaiming his squad number 3.
He made his 100th appearance in the Super League Greece on 24 January 2016, playing 70 minutes in a 2âÂÂ0 away win against Atromitos.
Lila made his European debut with PAS Giannina on 14 July 2016, starting in a 3âÂÂ0 home win over Odds BK in the first leg of 2016âÂÂ17 UEFA Europa League first qualifying round. He also featured in the return leg, with PAS Giannina advancing after extra time. The clubâÂÂs European campaign ended in the second qualifying round against AZ Alkmaar, with Lila himself collecting 4 appearances.
On 25 March 2017, Lila was involved in an incident during international duty, after being recorded making inappropriate remarks toward a Greek priest. Following the incident, PAS Giannina reportedly considered terminating his contract. Three days later, he issued a public apology, later meeting the priest in person to apologise and resolve the matter. On 1 April, Lila was an unused substitute in the 1âÂÂ1 home draw against Xanthi. He returned to the starting lineup four days later, playing 64 minutes in a 3âÂÂ0 away defeat to Veria. Later that month, Lila scored his first goal of the season, opening the scoring in a 1âÂÂ1 home draw against AEK Athens on matchday 30. He concluded his sixth season with the club with 22 appearances in all competitions.
On 21 July 2017, Lila signed a new contract with PAS Giannina, keeping him at the club until June 2020. He made 21 league appearances during the 2017âÂÂ18 Super League Greece season, as the club finished ninth.
In the 2018âÂÂ19 Super League Greece season, he made 19 appearances, and PAS Giannina relegated after finishing in 14th place.
On 1 July 2019, Lila and PAS Giannina mutually agreed to terminate his contract, bringing an end to his eight-year spell with the club.
On 27 August 2019, Lila returned to Tirana after ten years, signing a contract with the club for the 2019âÂÂ20 season. He did not make any appearances during the 2019âÂÂ20 season, as he underwent leg surgery and the campaign was later interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Lila announced his retirement from professional football following a serious injury that required two surgical operations. He later confirmed that the decision marked the definitive end of his playing career, describing it as a difficult choice due to his strong attachment to the sport. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he began writing his autobiography, Triumf, which was published in 2022 and reflects on his playing career and personal experiences in football.
Lila represented Albania at youth levels, including the U17, U19, and U21 teams.
Lila was first called up to the Albania senior team in late 2007 by head coach Otto Bariàwhile playing as a right back for Besa Kavajë in the Albanian Superliga. He made his senior debut on 21 November 2007 in the closing UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying match against Romania in Bucharest, playing the full 90 minutes in a 6âÂÂ1 defeat. Following the result, Bariàresigned as head coach shortly after the final whistle.
The next manager, Arie Haan, included Lila in his first match in charge, a friendly against Poland on 27 May 2008. Lila started the match and was substituted at half-time as Albania lost 1âÂÂ0. He went on to make two further appearances under Haan.
Lila was a regular member of Albania's UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. He played the final 15 minutes of the opening Group I match against Portugal, which Albania won 1âÂÂ0 at the Estádio Municipal, the first ever win against "Seleção das Quinas". Later in October 2014, Lila made his 50th international appearance in the match against Serbia; he played as a starter until 42nd minute where the match was postponed due to Serbian fans launching flares onto the pitch. He along with other Albanian players were attacked by Serbian hooligans who came onto the pitch with chairs and other objects. Initially, UEFA awarded Serbia with a 3âÂÂ0 win, but were deducted three points, leading both Serbia and Albania appeals to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, who on 10 July 2015, awarded Albania with a 3âÂÂ0 victory and Serbia were still deducted three points. After winning 0âÂÂ3 at Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium against Armenia on 11 October 2015, Albania's spot at UEFA Euro 2016 was confirmed as team finished second in Group I with 14 points.
On 21 May 2016, Lila was named in Albania's preliminary 27-man squad for Euro 2016, and subsequently in the final 23-man squad announced on 31 May.
Lila was an unused substitute in the opening Group A match against Switzerland, which Albania lost 1âÂÂ0. He made his first European Championship appearance on 16 June against France, with Albania losing 2âÂÂ0 after late goals. Lila started the final group match against Romania, which Albania won 1âÂÂ0, marking the country's first victory at a major international tournament. It was Albania's first win over Romania since 1948. Albania finished third in the group with three points and a goal difference of âÂÂ2, and was ranked last among the third-placed teams, resulting in elimination from the tournament.
Lila is married to Ornela Lila. The couple became parents for the first time on 20 March 2015, when his wife gave birth to their son, Ayan. On 16 July 2015, Lila was awarded the title of "Honorary Citizen of Kavaja" for his contribution to Albanian football and for protecting national symbols. In an interview, Lila stated that his favourite club while growing up was Italian side Internazionale. He is also a fan of the American heavy metal band Metallica and the English rock band The Beatles.
Tirana
Decoration