Kushtrim Munishi is a Kosovan professional football coach and former player who is the current manager of Kosovo U19.
Playing career
Club
Kushtrim Munishi started his career in 1990 making his first appearance for FC Prishtina at the age of 17. He made 5 appearances and scored one goal in 1990–91 Yugoslav Second League and one appearance in 1991–92 Yugoslav Second League. In 1993, he joined Zagłębie Lubin from Poland. From 1993 to 1999, he played for DSV Leoben, Lokomotiv Plovdiv in Bulgaria and Partizani in Albania. After the end of the war in Kosovo he returned playing initially for FC Prishtina and then for Besiana, KF Kosova, Flamurtari, Gjilani and Hysi. In his last season he played for FC Prishtina, and was a crucial player in winning the Champion of Kosovo title. While playing overseas he was put in the position of midfielder, which was not his natural role; in Kosovo he was a striker. After 2000, while playing in Kosovo, he was awarded as Best Soccer Player in Kosovo and Best Sportsman and won Best Goal Scoring Award three times. He retired in 2008 and currently he is the head coach of Kosovo's female national squad in the U-19 and U-16 category.
International
Kushtrim Munishi played for Kosovo in their friendly match against Albania on February 14, 1993 and scored the only goal.
Coaching career
After retiring from football he attended UEFA Coaching License training and obtained a UEFA Pro License. Since 2000 he worked as a coach for U17 and U19 of FC Prishtina and was Direct of Football Academy. In 2016, he became Head Coach of the FC Prishtina Senior team and immediately won the Kosovo Super Cup. In the Superliga of Kosovo he managed his team to six victories and one draw, leading the Kosovo Superliga ranking. Following a disagreement on a professional basis and since he didn't want to work without a professional contract, he left the club. Since February 2017 he has been Coach for U19 and U16 females at Federation Football of Kosovo. With the U16 generation he won an international tournament in Tallinn, Estonia which became the first ever UEFA tournament won by Kosovo.
