Albania national football team

Albania

Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)	Kuq-E-Zi
Association	Football Association of Albania
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Otto Barić, 2006-
Captain	Altin Lala
Most caps	Foto Strakosha (73)
Top scorer	Alban Bushi (14)
Home stadium	Qemal Stafa
FIFA code	ALB
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	69
Highest	34 (August 2003)
Lowest	80 (August 1997)
First international
Albania 2 - 3 Yugoslavia (Tirana, Albania; October 7, 1946)
Biggest win
Albania 8 - 0 Guam (Tirana, Albania January 23, 1994)
Biggest defeat
Albania 2 - 3 Hungary (Tirana, Albania; September 24, 1950)

The Albania national football team is the national football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania. It has never advanced to the finals of any major international competition.

Although long considered one of the least strongest & passionate footballing sides in Europe, Albania have occasionally managed to hold their own against more illustrious opponents. In the 1968 European Championship qualifiers, they managed a 0-0 draw against West Germany, which eventually eliminated West Germany from qualification. During that era, Albania boasted arguably its greatest ever footballer, Panajot Pano.

The 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers brought further notable results with a 2-2 draw away to Poland and a 3-1 win over eventual semi-finalists Belgium.

The qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup saw Albania forced to play some home games on neutral venues owing to civil unrest at home. However, they acheived a 4-1 win over Turkey. The 2004 European Championship and 2006 World Cup qualifiers have seen Albania's results improve markedly, including a 2-1 victory against European Champions Greece.

Famous players

• Foto Strakosha
• Besnik Hasi
• Mehmet Dragusha
• Loro Boriçi
• Riza Lushta
• Selman Stërmasi
• Sokol Kushta
• Vasil Ruci
• Ervin Skela
• Altin Lala
• Igli Tare
• Lorik Cana
• Panajot Pano
• Erjon Bogdani
• Edvin Murati
• Altin Rraklli
• Alban Bushi
• Rudi Vata
• Bledar Kola
• Naim Kryeziu
• Sulejman Demollari
• Arben Minga
• Agustin Kola
• Mirel Josa
• Besart Berisha
• Edmond Kapllani

Current squad

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Arjan Beqaj	August 20 1975	23	0	Anorthosis Famagusta FC
	1GK	Samir Ujkani	July 51988	0	0	U.S. Città di Palermo
	1GK	Enea Koliqi	February 13 1986	14	0	Iraklis
	1GK	Isli Hidi	October 15 1980	-	-	SK Tirana
	2DF	Armend Dallku	June 16 1983	16	0	Vorskla Poltava
	2DF	Kristi Vangjeli	May 19 1985	2	0	Aris Thessaloniki
	2DF	Arjan Pisha	January 18 1977	-	-	SK Tirana
	2DF	Elvin Beqiri	September 27 1980	34	0	Metalurg Donetsk
	2DF	Nevil Dede	January 10 1975	19	0	SK Tirana
	2DF	Erion Xhafa	May 31 1982	2	0	Dinamo Tirana
	2DF	Ervin Bulku	March 3 1981	3	0	SK Tirana
	2DF	Debatik Curri	December 28 1983	6	1	Vorskla Poltava
	3MF	Altin Lala	November 18 1975	56	3	Hannover 96
	3MF	Devis Mukaj	December 21 1976	34	0	SK Tirana
	3MF	Altin Haxhi	January 17 1975	59	2	Ergotelis
	3MF	Klodian Duro	March 3 1981	38	1	SK Tirana
	3MF	Lorik Cana	July 27 1983	23	1	Olympique de Marseille
	3MF	Jahmir Hyka	March 3 1988	1	0	Olympiacos
	4FW	Besart Berisha	July 29 1985	5	1	Burnley FC
	4FW	Erion Bogdani	April 14 1977	37	7	Chievo Verona
	4FW	Hamdi Salihi	January 19 1984	2	0	SV Ried
	4FW	Edmond Kapllani	July 31 1982	15	3	Karlsruher SC
	4FW	Alban Bushi	August 20 1973	60	14	Apollon Kalamarias
	4FW	Xhevair Sukaj	May 10 1987	0	0	KS Vllaznia

Other players eligible for the national squad

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Ilion Lika	May 17 1980	14		Dinamo Tirana
	1GK	Elvis Kotorri	July 04 1980			Elbasani
	2DF	Adrian Aliaj	September 24 1976			NK Solin
	2DF	Renaldo Rama				Olympiacos
	2DF	Tefik Osmani	October 08 1985			Elbasani
	3MF	Bledi Shkembi	August 13 1979			Metalurg Zaporozhye
	3MF	Mehmet Dragusha	October 09 1977			SV Elversberg
	3MF	Ervin Skela	November 17 1976			Energie Cottbus
	4FW	Florian Myrtaj	September 19 1975			Teramo Calcio
	4FW	Bekim Kastrati	March 25 1979			Eintracht Braunschweig
	4FW	Igli Tare	July 25 1973			S.S. Lazio

Notable Managers

• Otto Barić
• Hans-Peter Briegel
• Ljubiša Broćić

World Cup record

• 1930 to 1962 - Did not enter
• 1966 - Did not qualify
• 1970 - Entry not accepted by FIFA
• 1974 - Did not qualify
• 1978 - Did not enter
• 1982 to 2006 - Did not qualify

European Championship record

• 1960 - Did not enter
• 1964 to 1972 - Did not qualify
• 1976 - Did not enter
• 1980 to 2004 - Did not qualify

Last Match

Luxembourg 0-3 Albania / Date: 06-June-2007 / Played for: EURO 2008 Qualifier / Score 0-3

Venue: Stade Josy Barthel, Route d'Arlon

Next Match

Albania Vs Netherlands / Date: 12 September 2007 / Playing For: EURO 2008 Qualifier / Score:

Venue: Qemal Stafa Stadium : Tirana, Albania

External Links

• AlbaniaSoccer.com
• AIFR archive of results: 1946-2000/01
• Albanian Soccer News
• Albanian Soccer News and Fun Club