Melbourne Victory FC, Australia’s joint most successful football club, have been lucky enough to have been able to boast some magical foreign players in their starting line-up.
From Carlos Hernandez and his outrageous long-range efforts, to Matthieu Delpierre, the brick wall in the middle of the defence, to Gui Finkler, the free-kick guru, the Victory have had their fair share of legendary imports.
There is one though, who stands head and shoulders above the rest.
Besart Berisha signed for Melbourne with an already impressive record in Australia. He had racked up 57 goals over three seasons at Brisbane Roar, picking up a golden boot and an A-League title along the way.
He arrived at AAMI Park with a fiery reputation, a bad temper and a sharp eye for goal. This reputation was lived up to and taken to further heights as he screamed and scored his way into Victory folklore.
Turn your mind back to the 25th of April, 2014. Having already appeased the Victory faithful two weeks earlier from the penalty spot on debut against the Western Sydney Wanderers, Berisha was in the starting line-up for his third game…the Melbourne derby.
It is in these games and moments that Berisha is the truest version of himself. He coolly scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win to secure Melbourne Victory’s supremacy over their rivals and his place in the hearts of the fans. He is a person fuelled by passion and pressure and he is no stranger to either force.
Having walked almost 1,200km as an eight-year-old from Pristina to Berlin to escape the raging conflict in the Balkans, Berisha is all too familiar with the pressure of carrying the expectations and hopes of many.
At age 14 he was already contributing to his family’s income via his right foot, earning him $50 per performance.
“I had to take responsibility from an early age and when that is the situation you have to develop a winning mentality” Berisha wrote in his Players Voice article.
This winning mentality has never left him, and it is something he brings onto the field with him every time he plays. He wants to win but he also needs to win. The ferociousness of his desire if something that has earned him his cult hero status among the Victory fans.
Besart Berisha of the Victory celebrates a goal with Kosta Barbarouses. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
The adulation he receives is also buoyed by his long list of accolades. His league record of 116 goals, eight of which have come in final series have led to two golden boot awards, a total of four A-League titles and one FFA Cup title.
This makes him the most prolific goal scorer ever in Australian football and one of its most decorated players.
Berisha’s goals may win games but it is his passion and approach to life that has won him his fans. The ‘do or die’ attitude and his necessity to win has, in a way, helped add some legitimacy to a league often accused of lacking real emotion and feeling.
The A-League is a competition thought of by many as somewhere ageing players go for one last hoorah and where young players make a name for themselves before rushing off to Europe.
Berisha, however, helped change this notion in a massive way. At his peak, Berisha could have played elsewhere in Asia for a higher salary.
However, he stuck with Australia and in his time here was able to develop a very close relationship with the fans.
“I feel connected with the supporters, the people, the coach and I want to be here forever”, Besart’s genuine love for Australian football and its supporters is clear and is a love that causes fans to attend and sing their hearts out week in and week out.
For many at Victory he was their first footballing hero, I know he has been mine.
He’s also someone that truly wears his heart on his sleeve. His passionate outbursts like his clash with Dean Bouzanis and wildly over the top celebrations in the February 2017 derby, or his sharing of tears with fans after late heartbreak against Brisbane in the 15-16 finals series make this clear.
Besart Berisha celebrates a goal for Melbourne. (AAP Image/Joe Castro)
It also makes clear to fans that he is really just one of us, he wouldn’t be out of place sitting in the North Terrace or South End at AAMI Park and that’s what makes him so great.
Love him or hate him it is undeniable that he has helped fuel rivalries, passions and dreams, contributing massively to the history and legend of the A-League.
These are all factors that add to the drama and excitement that encompass the emotion that football is capable of conjuring.
It’s what causes people to sing, to get out of their seats and to follow their teams across the country. It’s an emotion that creates a real and legitimate footballing culture and one that has helped put Australia onto the path of becoming the footballing nation it should have always been.
Berisha often made note of how grateful he has been for what Australia has done for him. As he departs, I am sure Australia feels the same way about what he has done for us.
AxeMaster
Roar Rookie
Yep, totally agree with BrainsTrust here, Barisha's last year and a half was very ordinary. I've always thought the Sydney F.C. forward pack was much better. If he stayed at Victory, this season would have been worse for him....form wise. Adios Besart.
BrainsTrust
Guest
This is the sale of the century , Berisha was washed up last season, lucky to have sold him off. The thing thst doesn;t make sense is why no one came with a big offer when Berisha was performing well. Berisha had the misfortune his second year at Brisbane they were hopeless, and his third year he got a lot of red cards and suspensions. So his goal tally was down for those two years, Then at MV he became unselfish doing Archie Thompson defensive work and dropping back so his tally was down that year despite that being a better team, then he scored more the next two seasons. Lats season Berisha was in a super attacking team and could have matched Bobo''s goal tally with Leroy George,Barbarouses,Antonis, and even a similiarly half baked Troisi providing good service. However was poorer technically and missed heaps of opportunities.. There have been a lot of strikers in the A-league that have performed better at a more advanced age. Mori shoudl be more of a role model he was over 35 and still did well in the A-league, and scored heaps of goals in the NSL before then.
Nemesis
Guest
Totally agree. Fornaroli & Berisha should be the prototypes used by young Aussie strikers. For sure, they're both technically high quality (touch, control, shielding the ball, shooting) but they also have an underlying trait to work hard, scrap, harass. I think we're creating the technical attributes in the younger players coming through the junior ranks now. But, the mental strength needs to be worked on. How badly do they want to score & win. That's the key. I think Jamie Maclaren has that junk yard dog mentality when he plays for his clubs; it's never been shown at international level. Same with Adam Taggart.
Onside
Guest
There have been times Nemesis, when I wished Besart was an Aussie , who'd introduce a bit of mongrel and impulsive, unscripted drive into the Socceroo attack. He has had his day in the A-League sun, but his legacy is that he never stopped trying. Even when his body slowed , his mind never gave up. That cannot be taught at the AIS. I hope your trip is going well ,and you and your family are enjoying the magical experience.
Onside
Guest
Yeah Mahler , Berisha had some 'moments' that he would now look back on and cringe. Its similar to growing up, most people have a few, looking back , 'who was that person' I like players with Berishas drive and work ethic who also need guidance and mentoring .
MarkfromCroydon
Roar Pro
Farewell and thank you to Bes. He's been a great servant of the club and I wish him well. Now on to business. This is good for the club. Bes is not going to improve any more, but this move gives us potentially a $1.4M transfer fee, as well as freeing up $800K in salary spend and allows us to target a foreign marquee of say up to $3M salary. PS. Maybe it's the KFC I just had for lunch talking, but King Carlos is still my favourite ever foreign player.
Nemesis
Guest
To be fair, in 2015/16 Brisbane without Berhisa & coached by Aloisi went into the final round of ALeague matches needing a win away against MVFC to win the Premiership. The only reason they did not was due to a lot of bad luck & Lawrence Thomas outstanding in goals for MV. In the same season, in the Preliminary Final without Berisha, Brisbane went ahead 0-3 at Parramatta Stadium. How they lost from that position is still a mystery.
Mahler
Guest
A lot of Berisha's behavior on the field, and just off it, was a poor example to young football players. Sure, he was a great goal scorer but overall he was a man of 2 faces - surly, ill-tempered on the one hand and sweet and suddly on the other.
Onside
Guest
Berisha leaving Brisbane was a tipping point from which the team never recovered It was like loosing two players as he was as hungry in defence as he was in attack. Because he gave the Roar everything , I was happy to see him succeed at Victory . Berisha would never have left Brisbane, but salary cap rules left him with no choice. I hope there's a bit left in those hardworking legs, and he does well at his next club.