Skënder Hyka

Skender Hyka (born 6 September 1944 - 5 July 2018) was an Albanian who spent his entire career at his hometown club 17 Nëntori Tirana (present day KF Tirana) as a forward. He also represented the Albanian national team, although he only earned one senior cap at international level. He worked for Albanian Football Association as an Executive Committee member and he was head of the Competition Commission since 2009.

Skënder Hyka
Personal information
Full name Skënder Hyka
Date of birth (1944-09-06)6 September 1944
Place of birth Tirana, Albania
Date of death 5 July 2018(2018-07-05) (aged 73)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1957–1963 17 Nëntori Tirana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1963–1974 17 Nëntori Tirana (60)
National team
1967 Albania 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Early career

Hyka was born and raised in Tirana, where he went attended high school as well as university. He studied at the Institute of Physical Culture and Sport and graduated in 1968, whilst still playing professional football. He joined the 17 Nëntori Tirana youth setup at the age of 13 in 1957, where he played for the different age groups before being promoted to the first team in the early 1960s.

17 Nëntori Tirana

Once turning professional Hyka quickly established himself as a key member of the 17 Nëntori Tirana team, helping them win the Kategoria Superiore four times during his career. He scored 60 league goals with 17 Nëntori which at the time of his retirement in 1974 made him the club's all-time top goalscorer (5th as of 2012). He played in around 400 games.[1]

International career

Despite a successful club career with 17 Nëntori, Hyka never managed to break through into the Albanian national team. This was due to the high competition for a place in the attacking positions, especially with the likes of Medin Zhega and Panajot Pano playing in the same time period as Hyka, limiting his chances of being able to play international football. His only senior appearance came on 8 April 1967 against West Germany in Dortmund, a game which Albania lost 6-0 thanks to four goals by Gerd Müller and a double by Hannes Löhr. Hyka would not represent Albania again after this game as this was his only international cap.[2]

Albanian FA

In the years 1992 - 1995, has been Secretary of the Athletic Club Zanzibar. In 1997 has been Secretary General of the Albanian FA. From 1992 onwards, a member of the Executive Committee of the Albanian FA.[3]

Personal life

Hyka's son Endi also won two league titles playing for Tirana in the 1990s and his cousin Renisi did the same in 1989.[1] Skënder Hyka died in July 2018.[4]

Honours
1966, 1968, 1970 [5]

References
  1. Futbollisti Skënder Hyka, eleganca e dëshpërimit mes mbrojtësve kundërshtarë - Telegraf (in Albanian)
  2. "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 2019-04-19.
  3. WorldFootball
  4. Futbolli shqiptar në zi, ndahet nga jeta futbollisti i njohur i Tiranës - Panorama (in Albanian)
  5. Albania - Championship Winning Teams - RSSSF
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