Loro Boriçi

Lorenco Boriçi (4 August 1922 – 25 April 1984), commonly known as Loro Boriçi was an Albanian footballer who played as a forward. He is regarded as one of Albania's greatest players.

He played mostly for Partizan Tirana (won the 1949 and 1954 Albanian title and scored 68 goals for them ) and Vllaznia Shkodër (won the 1945 Albanian title). Boriçi was the reserve of Silvio Piola in Italian Serie A with Lazio. He captained Albania in winning the 1946 Balkan Cup. Today, Loro-Boriçi Stadium in Shkodër is named in his honor.

Club career Born Lorenco Boriçi on 4 August 1922 in Shkodër, the northern part of Albania to an Albanian Catholic family, whom spoke the Albanian language in the Gheg dialect. His family descends from Boriç a village near Antivar, Montenegro. Daut Boriçi may be a distant relative. Boriçi was pursuing secondary studies in the Xaverian College of his city, and was only 15 when he played as part of the first team of Vllaznia Shkodër in an August 1937 friendly against Dragoi Pogradec. He went to Italy, and registered at La Sapienza University, Rome, to pursue Jurisprudence studies, and in 1941, became part of the SS Lazio team, where he played in the first year with the reserves, and in the second year he was part of the first team, with which he scored 6 goals in 19 matches. Upon his return to Albania he captained Vllaznia Shkodër to two titles, the 1945, and the 1946 ones, after which, in 1949, at the age of 27, he joined Partizani Tirana. With Partizani Boriçi won the 1949 and 1954 titles. He closed his career at Spartak Tirana, but it is believed that he may have played some games also with Flamurtari Vlorë.

International career Boriçi made his debut for the Albania national team in an August 1946 friendly match against Montenegro and earned a total of 24 caps, scoring 6 goals. His final international was a September 1957 friendly match against China. Boriçi captained Albania in winning the Balkan Cup in 1946. 1945, 1949, 1954 as a coach: 3 1963, 1964, 1971 1946 Balkan Cup winner as a Player & Captain