Elvir Gigolaj

Elvir Gigolaj
Gigolag in 2016
Personal information
Full name Elvir Gigolaj
Date of birth (1992-06-30) 30 June 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Croatia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2011 Saint Mary's 26 (11)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011 London City
2012–2013 FC Edmonton 6 (1)
2016–2017 FC London 39 (40)
2021 St. Catharines Hrvat
2024– Hamilton City
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 February 2019

Elvir Gigolaj (born 30 June 1992) is a Bosnian footballer who plays with Hamilton City.

Early life

Gigolaj was born in Croatia to a Kosovar Albanian father and Bosniak mother from Brčko, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was raised in London, Ontario, where his father owns a bakery that carries the family name.[1]

Club career

Early career

He, at one point, played for London City's soccer side who participated in the Canadian Soccer League and with whom he had a good relationship with his coach, Luka Shaqiri.[1][2]

Gigolaj attended St. Mary's University for two years from 2010 to 2012, playing for the Huskies in the 2010 and 2011 varsity seasons, scoring 11 goals in 26 appearances.[3][4]

FC Edmonton

In January 2012, after training with the team, Gigolaj officially joined FC Edmonton of the North American Soccer League.[1] Gigolaj then made his debut for FC Edmonton in the NASL on 3 June 2012 in which he came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Yashir Pinto as FC Edmonton went on to lose the match 2–1.[5]

He then scored his first professional goal of his career on 23 September 2012 against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in which he found the net in the 90th minute to start a late comeback for Edmonton as they went from 2–0 down to finishing the match drawing 2–2.[6]

On 30 June 2013, it was announced that Gigolaj was released by FC Edmonton.[7]

Germany

After being released by FC Edmonton, Gigolaj attempted to join the reserve team of German Bundesliga side, Hertha BSC but he had hit paperwork problems.[8]

FC London

Gigolaj spent the 2016 and 2017 seasons with League1 Ontario club FC London.[9][10]

CSL

In 2021, he returned to the Canadian Soccer League to play with St. Catharines Hrvat.[11] Gigolaj signed with league rivals Hamilton City in 2024.[12]

Honours

FC London

Career statistics

As of 1 October 2017[15]
Club League Season League Playoffs Cup Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
FC Edmonton NASL 2012 6 1 0 0 0 0 6 1
2013 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
FC Edmonton total 6 1 0 0 0 0 6 1
FC London League1 Ontario 2016[16] 20 23 1 1 1 1 22 25
2017[17] 19 17 0 0 1 0 20 17
Total 39 40 1 1 2 0 42 42
Career total 45 40 1 1 2 1 48 42

References

  1. ^ a b c Sandor, Steve (17 January 2012). "Confident Gigolaj wants to be a starter for FC Edmonton". The 11. Archived from the original on 6 August 2013.
  2. ^ "Canadian Soccer League". 2 October 2011. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. ^ "St. Mary's men's soccer 2010 stats". AUS. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  4. ^ "St. Mary's men's soccer 2011 stats". AUS. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
  5. ^ "FC EDMONTON VS. ATLANTA SILVERBACKS 1 – 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  6. ^ "FC EDMONTON VS. FORT LAUDERDALE STRIKERS 2 – 2". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  7. ^ Sandor, Steve. "LeRoy, Gigolaj cut loose by FC Edmonton". The 11. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  8. ^ Sandor, Steve. "Canadian striker Gigolaj waiting on DFB clearance before he can play with Hertha Berlin's reserves". The 11. Archived from the original on 23 January 2015. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
  9. ^ "Elvir Gigolaj 2016". League1 Ontario. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Elvir Gigolaj 2017". League1 Ontario. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Canadian Soccer League | Player Stats". cslregistration.ca. Archived from the original on 21 September 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  12. ^ Adamson, Stan (12 August 2024). "Unity Hold Scarborough in Rough and Tumble - Wins for Falcons, Serbian White Eagles". Canadian Soccer League. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  13. ^ "League1 Ontario Announces 2016 Men's First And Second Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. 17 November 2016.
  14. ^ "League1 Ontario Announces 2017 Men's First, Second and Third Team All-Stars". League1 Ontario. 10 November 2017.
  15. ^ Elvir Gigolaj at Soccerway
  16. ^ "Elvir Gigolaj 2016 profile".
  17. ^ "Elvir Gigolaj 2017 profile".