Kujtim Majaci and the Apolonia of Fier!

Kujtim Majaci (20 March 1962 – 14 July 2009)

Unforgettable, Majaci is undoubtedly one of the symbols of the city of Fier. Especially in football, he is the greatest footballer of all time and the best scorer for this city! Alongside intellectuals in various fields, numerous artists, Majaci as an athlete has also contributed to the name of Fier standing out as one of the vanguard, main and important cities of Albania. So, in this city if football is mentioned, Kujtim Majaci would definitely be the most famous name.

Majaci and Apolonia, Apolonia and Majaci!

Both have no meaning without each other. Apolonia was once a city well-known in antiquity for its economic and cultural importance, whose ruins are close to today’s Fier, and whose name was taken by the football team and the city’s sports club founded in 1925.

Apolonia of Fier football, will be 5 times winner of the second category: 1966–67, 1971–72, 1978–79, 1984–85, 2019-20!
So, it means that the team participated in several seasons in the first category championships, especially in the mid-80s, alongside the best teams of the national rank! From 1968-1969 to 1970-1971; returns and participates only one season in the years 1972-1973; and 1979-1980; And after 5 years re-enters the first category in the 1985-1986 season to stay until the end of the 90s! Apolonia has won the Albanian Cup once (1997-1998), the Super Cup (1998) and is a two-time winner of the “Bashkimi Newspaper” Cup (1985, 1988).

However, in the international arena its experience is negative. In the 1989-1990 season Apolonia participated in the UEFA Cup, which was eliminated in the first round by AJ Auxerre (0-3 / 0-5). In the 1998-1999 season Apolonia would be eliminated in the preliminary round of the UEFA Cup, against the Belgian team KRC Genk (1-5 / 0-4).

Only in the early 80s and especially in the 1985-1986 season and onwards, Apolonia would reach its highest level of Fier football like never before. Precisely this team composed of names such as Stefa, Tegu, Bita, Mece, Haxhia, Kokuri, Tole and above all by the outstanding striker Kujtim Majaci.

His skills as a great player and a top scorer, together with the strength of Apolonia this season, explosive, technical and attacking football, will test the biggest teams like Partizani, Dinamo, Vllaznia, 17 Nentori, Flamurtari, Luftetari, Lokomotiva, who will be defeated by them in the “Loni Papuciu” stadium, always full on Sundays!

In the 1985-1986 season, in the second week (September 15) they will stop Dinamo in Tirana (1-1); In the third week (September 22) they will beat Vllaznia in Fier (3-1) and will be ranked third in the table standings.

Then, Majaci and his Apolonia beat Flamurtari 1-0 in Fier on October 6 (week 5), held Vllaznia in Shkoder (1-1) in week 16 on March 9, 1986; They beat “17 Nentori” 4-1 in week 19 on March 30; drew in Gjirokaster against Luftetari (2-2) on April 20, 1986, and at the end of this season, they were positioned in 7th place with 26 points.

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Kujtim Majaci was born in Fier on March 14, 1962. For 15 years he played with Apolonia and the National Team, where he scored a total of 174 goals.
In the years 1979-1980, with the youth team, he was declared the winter champion.

Immediately in the second phase, he was called to adult main team by the coach Vangjel Capo and since then he has become the most important member of the first team.

Since Apolonia’s in the First Division, in the 1985-1986 season, Kujtim Majaci broke the long-standing record of the best goal scorer in the championship.

With his 20 goals, he became the new record holder of that time, leaving behind Ilir Përnaska with 19 goals.

Kujtim Majaci has been a symbolic player of Apolonia and the city of Fier, being active with this team for 15 years, from the 1977-1978 season to the 1992-1993 season.

He played around 300 league matches and with 174 goals scored by him, to this day, Majaci continues to be the best scorer in the history of the Fier club.
He was called up to the National Team “Kombetarja” just for 3 matches, where he made his debut on January 18, 1989, against Greece (1-1). On March 8, 1989, Majaci played in the last 15 minutes replacing Letter Millon in the 2–0 defeat at the “Qemal Stafa” Stadium against England, a match valid for the 1990 World Cup qualifiers. He played his third and final match with the National Team on November 17, 1990, in a Euro 1990 qualifying match against France, which ended in a 1–0 defeat at the “Qemal Stafa” Stadium.

Majaci suffered a cardiac arrest while with his family on Seman beach on July 14, 2009.

In honor of Majaci, a bust of him has been erected and the “Majaci Cup” is now organized. Kujtim Majaci remains a legend of Fier football and one of the stars of Albanian football.