Igli Tare


Igli Tare is an Albanian football executive and former football player who played as a forward. He is currently the sporting director of Serie A club AC Milan. He played as a forward in Germany and Italy, and later served as sporting director of Lazio from 2008 to 2023.
Tare joined Partizani Tirana as a 9-year-old in 1982, and would later go on to make his debut as a 15-year-old in 1988 before leaving Albania in 1992 to emigrate to Germany. He played in the lower leagues of Germany for Südwest Ludwigshafen and VfR Mannheim before joining Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC in 1996, initially playing for their reserve side before making his Bundesliga debut in 1996. He then joined Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga, where he scored 24 league goals in 63 games in two seasons before returning to the Bundesliga with 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1999, where he netted four league goals in 26 appearances in one year and a half at the club.
After falling out of favour at 1. FC Kaiserslautern he joined Serie A side Brescia in January 2001, where he helped the side finish in a respectable 8th place. He remained at Brescia for a further two seasons, and he scored a total of 15 league goals in 75 games before joining fellow Serie A side Bologna in 2003. He spent two years at the club and scored 11 league goals in 55 games, before joining Lazio in a surprise move in 2005 following Brescia's relegation to Serie B. He was primarily used as a backup player at Lazio and he only scored four goals in 54 league games before retiring as a player at the age of 34 in 2008.

Early life

Igli Tare studied at the Qemal Stafa High School, in Tirana, Albania.

Club career

Tare began his professional career in 1996 with Karlsruher SC in Germany where he remained until 1997 before moving to Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga.
In 1999, Tare moved to 1. FC Kaiserslautern, where he played for a season before being signed by veteran Italian manager Carlo Mazzone. For five seasons, Tare played with Mazzone's Brescia, where he was able to play alongside Roberto Baggio, before again transferring, this time to Bologna where he was reunited with Mazzone once again.
At Bologna, Tare was popular amongst the fans and scored an important goal in the relegation play-off against fierce rivals Parma, however Tare's goal was not enough and they lost the return leg at home, being relegated to Serie B.
Following Bologna's relegation, Tare was loaned out to capital club Lazio scoring just three goals in his first season. Following this loan period, Tare joined the club on a permanent basis.
Tare was not a regular starter under Delio Rossi, but was able to play and score vital goals when others were out with injuries. In late 2007 away to Palermo, Tare scored off a Lorenzo De Silvestri cross, ending a scoring drought which stretched back for almost two years. He backed this goal up with another vital goal in the Coppa Italia against Napoli, which proved to be the winner.

International career

Tare was capped 68 times by the Albania national team and scored ten goals. As one of the most experienced members of the side, Tare was long time captain of the national team.
Tare's most impressive performance for his national side came during his nation's match against Russia in the UEFA Euro 2004 qualifiers, when he helped Albania to a 3–1 victory, scoring his team's third goal.
In 2007, Tare's international career was effectively ended, after being dropped by manager Otto Barić.

Style of play

A tall, physical, and combative forward, Tare usually played as a centre-forward or as a striker, and was mainly known for his ability in the air, as well his work-rate, professionalism, solid technique, and capacity to link-up with teammates, despite not being a significantly elegant or prolific player.

Post-playing career

Tare's Lazio contract expired at the end of the 2007–08 season. He then accepted a non-playing role at Lazio, becoming the club's team manager. In April 2009 he completed a course in order to receive his qualification to be sporting director, a post he has held at Lazio until 5 June 2023. On 26 May 2025, Tare was appointed as the sporting director of AC Milan.

Personal life

Tare has long been publicly supportive of Albanian national causes. During the Kosovo War, he expressed support for the Kosovo Liberation Army and assisted Albanian refugees displaced by the conflict with financial help and accommodation in Albania.
An incident involving Tare occurred during the 2005–06 Serie A match between Inter and Lazio, when tensions escalated between him and Siniša Mihajlović. Tare stated that Mihajlović had provoked him throughout the first half, leading to a confrontation during the interval, an episode he later said he did not regret.
Their rivalry resurfaced in 2016, when Lazio president Claudio Lotito considered appointing Mihajlović as head coach. Despite ongoing discussions and Lotito’s long-standing friendship with Mihajlović, Tare reportedly opposed the appointment and ultimately played a role in preventing the move.
His father Isa also played for Partizani Tirana and later served as a club director.
He is one of three brothers, along Auron, a well-known Albanian journalist and historian, while another brother, Agron, who has served as Consul General of Albania in Istanbul and later as director of the Port of Durrës.
He has two sons, Etienne, a professional footballer, who started as a youth at Lazio and Liam.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
111 October 1997Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover, Germany2–23–41998 World Cup qualifier
214 October 1998Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway2–22–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
35 June 1999Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania1–11–2UEFA Euro 2000 qualification
427 March 2002Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania1-01-0Friendly
529 March 2003Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania3–13–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
610 September 2003Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania2–03–1UEFA Euro 2004 qualification
711 October 2003Restelo, Lisbon, Portugal2–13–5Friendly
84 June 2005Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania1–03–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification
94 June 2005Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania3–03–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification
1016 August 2006Stadio Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino1–03–0Friendly

Honours

;Individual
  • Career Award: 2018