Vasil Ruci


Vasil Ruci is an Albanian retired football player and coach who spent his entire career with Flamurtari Vlorë between 1976 and 1993. He is most noted for being an important figure in the club's famous 1986–87 UEFA Cup and 1987–88 UEFA Cup runs.

Club career

He is a one club man, having spent the entirety of his playing career at Flamurtari Vlorë, where he scored 93 league goals between 1976 and 1993, making him the current 16th top goalscorer in Albanian history. He made his debut for Flamurtari under coach Bejkush Birçe in 1976 against Besa Kavajë and won a 1991 league medal with them, despite Ruci being out injured for the season. He twice topped the Albanian league's goalscoring charts, in 1982 and 1984.
He put Flamurtari 1-0 up against Spanish giants FC Barcelona in the famous 1-1 UEFA Cup draw in Vlora on 16 September 1986 with Barcelona qualifying for the next round on away goals two weeks later. He als scored a consolation goal in the 4–1 loss at Barcelona on 25 November 1987 the second successive season the clubs met each other in the UEFA Cup.

Personal life

His older brother Petro also played for Flamurtari.

Honours