Former Liverpool and LASK Linz striker Besian Idrizaj, who scored a fondly remembered hat-trick, tragically died at the age of 22. Wednesday's Champions League clash between the two sides brings together two of his former teams, with the Austrian forward having made the move to the Reds after departing Linz as a youngster in 2005.
Early Career and Move to Liverpool
Idrizaj made his first-team debut for LASK at just 16 years old and featured in over 30 league matches before making the leap to England. His move was prompted by an impressive performance at a European Under-17 Championships tournament that showcased many future stars.
France clinched victory in that tournament, boasting talents such as Samir Nasri, Karim Benzema and Hatem Ben Arfa. It also provided a platform for Cesc Fabregas and Gerard Pique to shine for Spain, while Mark Noble represented an England side that lost to Portugal in the third-place play-off. Austria ended up behind England and Portugal in the group stage, but Idrizaj stood out.
Hat-Trick and Loan Spells
He remained in Linz for the 2004/05 season, but couldn't resist the chance to test his mettle at Anfield. "I have always been a Liverpool fan and it is a dream come true to play for them. If you get a chance to go to Liverpool on trial then you have to take it," the young striker said upon agreeing to a trial with the Reds in 2005. He originally signed up for the academy after making a strong impression, placing himself tantalizingly close to sharing a field with a squad of players he had witnessed claiming the Champions League trophy in Istanbul. "You cannot ignore a trial with the reigning Champions League winners. I would even have swum across the channel just to take part," he added.
Throughout his maiden campaign with Liverpool's youth setup, Idrizaj played alongside the likes of Jay Spearing and Jack Hobbs, players who would eventually progress to represent the Reds' senior side. Idrizaj himself was brought into the first-team squad by Rafa Benitez during pre-season in 2006 and 2007, netting a memorable hat-trick in a friendly match.
Tragic Death and Legacy
After an outstanding performance alongside Craig Bellamy in a victory over Wrexham in 2006, the promising striker was sent out on loan to Luton Town, where he scored his first senior competitive goal in English football. When he returned to Merseyside the following summer, he was handed a starting role in another encounter with Wrexham and within half an hour he had found the net three times for Liverpool. "I still remember the day," his brother Qerim told The Athletic in 2020. "At the time, the internet was not like now and if we called Besian we had to have a prepaid card." He called home afterwards and he said, 'Did you check the Liverpool website?' I said, 'No. Why? What happened?' He said, 'Just check it.' He was really proud.
Rather than fast-track Idrizaj straight into Liverpool's senior squad, Benitez allowed him to leave on loan again - first to Crystal Palace and later to Wacker Innsbruck in his homeland. Throughout this spell, however, the striker suffered a frightening incident when he collapsed during a match, with medical staff attributing it to a viral infection. Idrizaj's Anfield deal ran out in 2008 and Wacker decided against offering him a permanent contract. Following his return to LASK for training to keep match-fit, he encountered another health crisis and withdrew from football for several months.
The youngster eventually returned to action, initially in Germany before moving to Swansea. He appeared four times during the 2009/10 Championship season but then, mere weeks after the campaign ended, he suffered what was believed to be a heart attack while sleeping and sadly died. He was just 22 years old.
Remembered by Former Teams
Idrizaj left an indelible mark on his Swansea teammates during his short time in south Wales. "A lot of us still talk about him," goalkeeper Dorus de Vries revealed during the club's promotion charge under Brendan Rodgers the subsequent season. "He is still in our thoughts. He was a great colleague, a great team-mate, but he was also a great friend and you can't just forget that. We said as a group that this year would be for him and hopefully we are doing him proud this season."
After their play-off final victory at Wembley, Swansea's players lifted the trophy donned in T-shirts bearing Idrizaj's name and image, with the club subsequently retiring his squad number, 40. "The journey was a great remembrance to him all the way through the season. I felt that he was really in the heart of the players and people," Rodgers expressed. When Liverpool and LASK met in the Europa League in 2023, Besian Idrizaj was undoubtedly on many minds, both at Anfield and the Raiffeisen Arena, and he is remembered again tonight as the two clubs meet in the Champions League.
