# Besart Ibraimi

Besart Ibraimi (Macedonian: Бесарт Ибраими; born 17 December 1986) is a Macedonian professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Shkendija. He is the all-time top goalscorer in the 1.MFL with 200 goals.
Ibraimi recently reached 150 goals for the Macedonian football team,Shkendija.

## Early life

Born in Kičevo, North Macedonia. He is Macedonian by nationality but is ethnically Albanian by origin. Ibraimi began playing football in his hometown Kičevo for the youth of FK Vlazrimi.

## Club career

Ibraimi began his professional career 2005 with FK Vlazrimi (meaning Brotherhood), earning 32 caps and scoring 11 goals, before joining FK Napredok in January 2007. He played for FK Napredok for one season, 2007–08, playing 43 games and scoring 19 goals. In September 2008, he signed for FK Renova. He left Macedonia and his club FK Renova on 12 January 2010 for German Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04. He made his Schalke debut on 6 February 2010 in an away game against SC Freiburg coming on in the 77th minute as a substitute.
Ibraimi only made six appearances for the first team of Schalke 04 before he was transferred to the Schalke 04 II team in the summer of 2010. Ibraimi could participate in training with Schalke 04 II but since he is a non EU player, he could not play in league games for Schalke 04 II. After a half year, he signed on 26 January 2011 with the Ukrainian club PFK Sevastopol.
In January 2014, Ibraimi ended his contract with PFK Sevastopol and joined the Cypriot club Enosis Paralimini. After showing his impressive qualities in Enosis Paralimini all "the elite" clubs in Cypriot First Division ran after Besart Ibraimi, he finally decided to move to Ermis Aradippou where he signed a contract for one year. He made his debut with Ermis Aradippou on 1 September 2014, in the 56th minute of the match against Apollon Limassol.

## International career

Ibraimi chose to represent North Macedonia, his birthplace over Albania. Ibraimi is a former member of the U-21 team. He made his senior debut for North Macedonia in a September 2009 FIFA World Cup qualification match away against Scotland and has earned a total of 15 caps, scoring no goals.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 31 August 2024
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Others | Others | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Vlazrimi | 2005-06 | Macedonian First Football League | 22 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | 2 |
| Vlazrimi | 2006-07 | Macedonian First Football League | 10 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 2 |
| Napredok | 2006-07 | Macedonian First Football League | 18 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 2 |
| Napredok | 2007-08 | Macedonian First Football League | 25 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 25 | 12 |
| Renova | 2008-09 | Macedonian First Football League | 26 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 26 | 13 |
| Renova | 2009-10 | Macedonian First Football League | 16 | 12 | - | - | 2 | 2 | - | - | 18 | 14 |
| Schalke 04 | 2009-10 | Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| Sevastopol | 2010-11 | Ukrainian Premier League | 11 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 3 |
| Tavriya Simferopol | 2011-12 | Ukrainian Premier League | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 |
| Sevastopol | 2011-12 | Ukrainian First League | 21 | 8 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 8 |
| Sevastopol | 2012-13 | Ukrainian First League | 11 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 1 |
| Metalurh Zaporizhzhia | 2012-13 | Ukrainian Premier League | 11 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | 0 |
| Sevastopol | 2013-14 | Ukrainian Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 |
| Enosis Neon Paralimni | 2013-14 | Cypriot First Division | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 9 | 6 |
| Ermis Aradippou | 2014-15 | Cypriot First Division | 23 | 2 | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 27 | 4 |
| Shkëndija | 2015-16 | Macedonian First Football League | 32 | 25 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 39 | 26 |
| Shkëndija | 2016-17 | Macedonian First Football League | 30 | 20 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 4 | - | - | 44 | 29 |
| Shkëndija | 2017-18 | Macedonian First Football League | 32 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 5 | - | - | 43 | 36 |
| Shkëndija | 2018-19 | Macedonian First Football League | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | - | - | 17 | 16 |
| Shkëndija | 2019-20 | Macedonian First Football League | 23 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 31 | 9 |
| Shkëndija | 2020-21 | Macedonian First Football League | 32 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | - | - | 36 | 26 |
| Shkëndija | 2021-22 | Macedonian First Football League | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 2 |
| Shkëndija | 2024-25 | Macedonian First Football League | 4 | 1 | | | | | | | 4 | 1 |
| Shkëndija | Total | Total | 169 | 112 | 19 | 17 | 35 | 16 | - | - | 223 | 145 |
| Xanthi | 2021-22 | Super League Greece 2 | 13 | 4 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 4 |
| Struga | 2022-23 | Macedonian First Football League | 29 | 19 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 32 | 19 |
| Struga | 2023-24 | Macedonian First Football League | 29 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 7 | - | - | 37 | 22 |
| Struga | 2024-25 | Macedonian First Football League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Struga | Total | Total | 58 | 34 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 45 |
| Total career | Total career | Total career | 446 | 213 | 30 | 19 | 49 | 29 | - | - | 525 | 261 |

### International
## Honours

FC Struga Trim-Lum
* Macedonian First Football League: 2022–23, 2023–24
Shkëndija
* Macedonian First Football League: 2017–18, 2018–19
* Macedonian Football Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18
Individual
* Macedonian Footballer of the Year: 2009, 2016
Records
* 22/23 Prva Makedonska Fudbalska Liga: 19 Goals
* 20/21 Prva Makedonska Fudbalska Liga: 24 Goals
* 17/18 Prva Makedonska Fudbalska Liga: 22 Goals
* 16/17 Prva Makedonska Fudbalska Liga: 20 Goals
* 15/16 Prva Makedonska Fudbalska Liga: 25 Goals