Original name: Ељиф Елмас
Passport version: Eljif Elmas
Alternative version: Elif Elmas
IPA: ˈɛlif ˈɛlmas
[player id=45373]
Position: central midfielder
Born on 24.09.1999 in Skopje
Club: RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V., Germany
Former clubs: FK Rabotnichki AD Skopje , Fenerbahçe S.K. , SSC Napoli SpA

App/Gls: 61/12

First appearance: 11.06.2017, Skopje, Macedonia – Spain 1:2 (WC 2018 qual.)
First goal: 21.03.2019, Skopje, Macedonia – Latvia 3:1 (EURO 2020 qual.)

Other goals:
21.03.2019, Skopje, Macedonia – Latvia 3:1 (EURO 2020 qual.)
10.10.2019, Skopje, Macedonia – Slovenia 2:1 (EURO 2020 qual.)
10.10.2019, Skopje, Macedonia – Slovenia 2:1 (EURO 2020 qual.)
28.03.2021, Skopje, Macedonia – Liechtenstein 5:0 (WC 2022 qual.)
31.03.2021, Duisburg, Germany – Macedonia 1:2 (WC 2022 qual.)
01.06.2021, Skopje, Macedonia – Slovenia 1:1 (friendly)
14.11.2021, Skopje, Macedonia – Iceland 3:1 (WC 2022 qual.)
14.11.2021, Skopje, Macedonia – Iceland 3:1 (WC 2022 qual.)
23.03.2023, Skopje, Macedonia – Malta 2:1 (EURO 2024 qual.)
16.06.2023, Skopje, Macedonia – Ukraine 2:3 (EURO 2024 qual.)
12.09.2023, Ta’ Qali, Malta – Macedonia 0:2 (EURO 2024 qual.)

Awards:
Serie A: 2022/23 (Napoli)
Italian Cup: 2019/20 (Napoli)

Other facts:
– despite spelled as Eljif his name is pronounced as Elif, with a L (Л) sound instead of LJ (Љ) sound.
– debuted for Rabotnichki at the age of 16 and 3 days in a cup match against Gostivar (4:0 win).
– because of Turkish decent he was eligible to represent Turkey, but in 2017 he declined the offer to play for Turkey.
– he was part of the U21 national team that competed at the 2017 UEFA U21 EURO in Poland. Aged 17, he was the youngest among the 23 players. He played only in all the group stage matches by coming of the bench in the second half.