KAMLOOPS – She's played on the biggest stages of world soccer against the best teams and players on the planet, and now Esi Lufo is bringing that experience and her talent to the Thompson Rivers WolfPack women's soccer team.
 
 "We are really excited to get Esi to TRU and the WolfPack," said WolfPack head coach Mark Pennington. "This is a player that has unbelievable ability, and her pedigree speaks for itself."
 
Just 14 years old when she made her first team professional debut, Lufo has done it all in her young soccer career.
 
A product of Albania's capital city Tirana, the forward is a long-time standout for KF Vllaznia, a club that just recently captured its 10th-straight Albania Women's National Championship title.
 
In this most recent season Vllaznia embarked on a magnificent run through the UEFA Women's Champions League. Lufo helped the squad as they earned victories over Slovakian side Spartak Myjava and Ukranian team Vorskla Poltava en route to earning a spot as one of the top 16 teams to move on to the Group Stage.
 
In the Group Stage, Lufo played against European soccer giants Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.
 
"It is a special feeling, you can't describe it," said Lufo on playing in the Champions League. "It was magic night playing under the lights in a full stadium in London against Chelsea. It was so special for me to play against big players like Sam Kerr and Lauren James and that will be a great memory for me for the rest of my life."
 
At just 21 years old Lufo has already suited up for her country of Albania ten times at the senior level and has tallied a goal for her country against Armenia in the European qualifiers.
 
"There are a lot of emotions, it's something really special and something that every player wants to achieve, to be an important player for your national team," said Lufo. "That's a feeling that I've never felt before, playing for your country is something big – especially at a young age, so that was my first goal but not my last one."
 
Deciding to focus on both education and athletics after a lifetime of soccer excellence, TRU and Kamloops are the perfect fit for Lufo.
 
"I wanted something more, a new adventure, so I contacted Mark and I liked the project here so I decided to come to Kamloops to grow as a player and have a great career here in Canada," said Lufo. "I've found an opportunity here to be student and also play soccer which are the most important things in my life. I look forward to playing here and achieving great things."
 
Lufo watched the WolfPack go on a fantastic playoff run of their own last season. The team that had never won a playoff game in program history advanced past both the UVic Vikes and MRU Cougars in shootout fashion to punch their ticket to the Canada West Final Four.
 
"I saw some of the games last year and they did really well and I'm happy for that, but I hope that we can do better this year and why can't we be the champions?" said Lufo. "It's my mentality to win, I will score goals and do my best and why not win some championships here in Kamloops."
 
Arriving in Kamloops in early January, Lufo has quickly taken to the city, the university and her new team.
 
"My first days have been really great; I've met a lot of great people. The team has welcomed me and I think I can find myself here and not leave," said Lufo. "This is a new adventure for me, a new experience with new people and I want to stay here and get to know everyone better. There's a lot of work for me to do."
 
For his part, Pennington is excited for what the signing of Lufo for the 2023 season signals for the future of the WolfPack.
 
"It's taken a lot of work to get her here, and the fact that she has chosen to join the WolfPack, and our project, is a huge statement and we are looking forward to having her on the team."