From a family with a tradition in wrestling, Bedri Omuri chose another path in sports, football. The former midfielder of the Albanian National Team, one of the protagonists of the golden generation of 17 November, recounts in the column "Legends Speak" his beginnings among the alleys of Tirana, the moment when he was discovered by the physical education teacher at the "Mihal Grameno" school and his first steps at Dinamo.
His career took shape between Tirana and Beselidhje e Lezha, before becoming one of the key figures of 17 Nëntor, with whom he won eight Cups and played for a decade in a row. In September 1982, he also made his debut with the National Team, and would later score important goals against Belgium, Poland and Greece, in a period when every international match had special weight.
In this interview, Omuri dwells on key moments of his career, remembers his goals in the red and black jersey and compares the football of the past with that of today, describing his era as one of the most beautiful in Albanian football.
– I want to start with an interesting fact, since your father was part of the sport of wrestling. What pushed you towards football? Didn't he influence you to have an orientation towards the sport itself?
At that time, most kids played soccer in the streets. Wrestling was more specific and I didn't get into it. Even my father didn't insist that I take up that sport.
– Who was the impetus for you to get involved in football?
It was triggered by my physical education teacher at the “Mihal Grameno” school. He saw me playing with the schools and I was on the Dinamo team. Our school depended on the Dinamo sector. And I became part of Dinamo. I started playing football with the money of the Dinamo youth.
– You started your career very late in professional football. Initially at 17 Nëntori, then at Besëlidhja.
I played for two years for the Tirana team (17 Nëntori), but not regularly. From 1976, when I graduated from the Sports Master's Degree, until 1978. Then I went to the Besëlidhje team in Lezha. I also went to the army there. I got a 6 in Marxism, while I should have gotten an 8. And I was forced to do the army. Besëlidhje was a springboard. Even more so, since I was active for two years regularly and played very well there. Then came the invitation from Professor Ver Shehu.
– After two seasons with Beselidhje e Lezha, you returned to Tirana. In the first match you scored a goal. Against which team?
In the first match against Shkodra, here in Tirana, we won 2-0 and I scored one of the goals.
– You won 8 cups with the November 17 team and played for 10 consecutive years. Was Tirana your greatest love?
Of course, it was our life. We had that football. Even more so, seeing the support from the fans that Tirana has had and still has.. It seemed more beautiful to me then than it does today. I remember it as a very beautiful period. For me, it was the best generation of football in Tirana. Maybe other generations have nostalgia for themselves, but I say that we were better than the others.
– You made your debut with the national team in September 1982 against Austria and played 14 matches. For that time, when there weren't many matches, they're not considered few. How did the invitation from the national team come about?
Back then, a match was played every year or every 6 months, that was the calendar. As I remember, back then, Tirana would play a friendly match with the National Team and we would go to Northern Ireland, while the National Team would go to Austria, a week after us. I played very well, and so did Çim Muça. We even beat the National Team 3-0. But, like us, as the national team, we were accommodated at the “Arbana” hotel. When Professor Shehu comes and tells us that you and Çim will go to the National Team. Then I found out that the president of the time, Mehdi Bushati, had intervened a lot. He had given the order that these two would be taken.
– Which do you consider the most important goal in your career with the National Team? Against Poland, Greece or Belgium, given that you have scored against big European teams? Can you give us a brief description of each goal scored with the National Team?
For me, the goal in Belgium. It was a very beautiful action. The one against Poland could have been a coincidence.
Goal against Belgium– One of our actions, Sul Demollari had the ball. At that time, the Belgian defense played a lot of offside positions. And I liked this type of play because I went behind his back. Sul throws a long ball, I dribble, go one on one with the goalkeeper and score.
Goal against Poland – It was a combination with Agustin Kola with a header. He dropped the ball in front of the area, and the ball was left behind me. Instinctively, I lifted my foot and the ball took a parabola and went into the goal.
Goal against Greece – I scored with Greece in Tirana. It was a corner kick. A diagonal ball, a post and inside. Beautiful action. That year I was the top scorer of the group with three goals.
– History repeats itself and the match against Poland in the World Cup play-offs is a déjà vu for Albania. You scored and if you had won the match, you would have qualified for the World Cup and played in Mexico. How does Poland score?
The match is a bit difficult, but I think we will get a positive result. Especially since almost all of the players play in Europe. Back then, you couldn't watch a match on TV, not to have the opportunity to face them every day. But most of the players play abroad, I don't think there will be any problems for our national team.
– If you were given the opportunity to play again, would you choose to play the football of that time or the football of today?
There is some difference, but it was more beautiful football. Now it seems to me that football has become very academic, retreat, 11 men. The surprise of football, as German football had, with 2-3 passes and scoring, is gone. These are rare cases today.
