 He left his town in Kosovo as a youngster to join his brother in Tirana, making his footballing debut in the domestic top flight at the age of 15.Following the 1939 Italian invasion of Albania, he was noted by an Italian sports professor who suggested him to AS Roma.As he was considered an Italian following the annexation of Albania, he was allowed to enrol in the Rome "ISEF" (Italian sports university) whilst also playing for AS Roma, where he won an Italian title in 1941–42.