The Albania national football team is the national football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania. Although not considered as one of the strongest footballing sides in Europe, Albanians are passionate about their football and have occasionally managed to display a good image against more illustrious opponents.
| Shirt badge/Association crest | |||
| Nickname(s) | Kuq e zinjtë (Red and Blacks) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 78 | ||
| Highest | 62 (August 2006) | ||
| Lowest | 124 (August 1997) | ||
| First international | |||
 Albania 2 - 3 Yugoslavia  (Tirana, Albania; October 7, 1946) | |||
| Biggest win | |||
 Turkey 1 - 4 Albania  (Antalya, Turkey; January 21, 1998) | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
 Hungary 12 - 0 Albania (Budapest, Hungary; September 24, 1950) | |||
Founded on June 6 1930, Albania had to wait 16 years to play the first international match, debuting against Yugoslavia in 1946. In 1932 Albania had already joined FIFA (during the congress June 12 - June 16) and in 1954 it was one of the founding members of UEFA. Albania had been invited to play in World Cup 1934, but owing to organizing difficulties it didn't take part.
The early years oversaw a notably successful Balkan Cup in the 1946 campaign. Albania won the cup after overcoming Yugoslavia on level points but a better goal difference. The final match was played and won against Romania 1-0. Four days earlier, Albania had already beaten Bulgaria 3-1. Interestingly, Albania wasn't expected to participate, but the withdrawal of Greece from the tournament offered Albania a chance to join in the re-established post-war cup.
After taking part for the first time in European Championships in 1963, for edition 1964, in the 1968 European 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 2-0 win over eventual semi-finalists Belgium.
The qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualifiers saw Albania forced to play some home games on neutral venues due to civil unrest at home. However, they achieved a 4-1 win over Turkey in an away friendly match in 1998 - the only time Albania have scored more than 3 goals in a full international match (although they did win 5-0 at home to Montenegro on September 22, 1946, Montenegro was at that time part of Yugoslavia).
During the 2004 European qualifiers, Albania managed a heroic 3-1 win against Russia in Shkodër.
The 2006 World Cup qualifiers qualifiers have seen Albania's results improve markedly, including an epic 2-1 victory against the then newly crowned European Champions, Greece.
In the current matches for the 2008 European qualifiers campaign, Albania have managed very good results as well as good team play. Starting with the 2-2 away draw to Belarus, two wins against Luxembourg home and away (2-0, 0-3) and a 0-0 draw away to Bulgaria have been the most cherished results. Great matches have been played against Netherlands in both legs, although extremely dubious referee decisions have marred Albania's performances[1][2], ending up in two losses (2-1, 0-1). Other set-backs have also been suffered after drawing 0-0 against Slovenia and losing to 0-2 Romania in both matches played at home. Albania ended hopes of qualifying mathematically when they failed to win over Slovenia away and managed a yet again 0-0 draw. In the penultimate match at home against Bulgaria, Albania excelled playing wonderfully but ended up in a very unlucky draw. After going ahead with dominating football, they conceded in the dying minutes and later missed a penalty. Now Albania sit 4th with 11 points, meaning a win against Belarus in the next match at home would break the all-time record of 14 points in WC and Euro competitions.
Squads
In spite of the senior football team, Albania also has teams of U21, U19, and U17 level. The one of the most successful is the feeder of the senior team, the U21 level. In the finals of the UEFA 1984 U21 championship they went all the way to the quarter-finals, only to be knocked out by Italy 2-0 on aggregate. They became the only Albanian team in any level to qualify for a competitive tournament.
Currently Albania does not have a womens' team but they are working towards creating one.
Home stadium
Most of the matches of Albanian national team have been played in Qemal Stafa. The stadium was built around the 1930s as a multi use stadium. Today, it is mostly used for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 25,000 spectators with 15,000 seats. Albania has also used the Loro-Boriçi stadium in Shkodra where they have had some successful matches, like beating Russia 3-1 in a home Euro 2004 qualifying match. There is a rumor that the Football Association of Albania is planning to build a stadium in Tirana with a capacity of around 40,000.
History
FIFA World Cup 1966 Qualification
The first time that Albania competed for a place in the world's elite for the World Cup 1966 in England was a match against Netherlands in mid-1964. Drawn in Group 5 with the Dutch were also Northern Ireland and Switzerland. Albania only got a point from this qualification round in a game against Northern Ireland in Tirana.
Group 5
May 24, 1964, Rotterdam, Netherlands - 
Netherlands 2 - 0 Albania
October 25, 1964, Tirana, Albania - Albania 0 - 2 Netherlands
April 11, 1965, Tirana, Albania - Albania 0 - 2 
Switzerland
May 2, 1965, Geneva, Switzerland - Switzerland 1 - 0 Albania
May 7, 1965, Belfast, Northern Ireland - 
Northern Ireland 4 - 1 Albania
November 24, 1965, Tirana, Albania - Albania 1 - 1 Northern Ireland
- Switzerland qualified.
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland
|
9 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| 2 | Northern Ireland
|
8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 |
| 3 | Netherlands
|
6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 4 | Albania
|
1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 12 |
UEFA Euro 1984 Qualifications
In its first participation of a Euro qualifier in group edition, Albania finished last out of four other team competing for the spot in the tournament. In 8 played matches Albania got 2 points, with 2 draws, 6 losses, and no wins. On the other hand, Albania made some power nations nervous. They, lost 0-1 away to Turkey with the goal being scored in the 86th minute. In the next two games Albania tied Northern Ireland to a scoreless draw and lost 1-2 to Germany, both home games. In the last three matches, Albania tied Turkey, in Qemal Stafa, also losing to Austria 2-1 in Tirana. The last game of the competition was an away game to Germany. After 22 minutes Albania went ahead 0-1 with a goal by Genc Tomori. However, they were tied one minute later, and eventually lost 2-1 with the last goal being scored in the 79th minute.
Group 6
September 22, 1982, Vienna, Austria 
Austria 5 - 0 Albania
October 27, 1982, Izmir, Turkey Turkey 1 - 0 Albania
December 15, 1982, Tirana, Albania Albania 0 - 0 Northern Ireland
March 30, 1983, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 2 
West Germany
April 27, 1983, Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 1 - 0 Albania
May 11, 1983, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 1 Turkey
June 8, 1983, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 2 Austria
November 20, 1983 West Germany 2 - 1 Albania
- West Germany qualified.
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Germany
|
11 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 5 |
| 2 | Northern Ireland
|
11 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 5 |
| 3 | Austria
|
9 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 10 |
| 4 | Turkey
|
7 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 |
| 5 | Albania
|
2 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 14 |
FIFA World Cup 1986 Qualification
In a 4-team group Albania got 4 points with one win and 2 draws. After losing to Belgium in Brussels, Albania were visitors in eventual group winners Poland. There Albania got its first point in a shocking 2-2 draw. Less than two months later Albania was host to group runners up Belgium in Tirana, defeating them with a clear 2-0 win. After losing to Greece away and Poland at home, Albania got its last point in its last game against neighbour rivals Greece in a 1-1 draw.
Group 1
October 17 1984, Brussels, Belgium 
Belgium 3 - 1 Albania
October 31 1984, Mielec, Poland 
Poland 2 - 2 Albania
December 22 1984, Tirana, Albania Albania 2 - 0 Belgium
February 27 1985, Athens, Greece 
Greece 2 - 0 Albania
May 30 1985, Tirana, Albania Albania 0 - 1 Poland
October 30 1985, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 1 Greece
- Poland and Belgium qualified.[3]
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Poland
|
8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 6 |
| 2 | Belgium
|
8 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 |
| 3 | Albania
|
4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 |
| 4 | Greece
|
4 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 |
FIFA World Cup 1998 Qualification
In the 1998 World Cup, Albania was drawn in a 6-team group which included Germany, Portugal, Ukraine, Northern Ireland and Armenia, Albania got 4 points but showed again that it can battle with the big powers. Its two matches with Germany saw them lose 2-3 at neutral ground and a 3-4 unfortunate defeat in Hannover. Albania got a 1-0 win against Northern Ireland and a 1-1 tie against Armenia.
Group 9
October 9 1996, Tirana, Albania Albania 0 - 3 
Portugal
November 9 1996, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 1 
Armenia
December 14 1996, Belfast, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland 2 - 0 Albania
March 29 1997, Granada, Spain Albania 0 - 1 
Ukraine
April 2 1997, Granada, Spain Albania 2- 3 Germany
June 7 1997, Porto, Portugal Portugal 2 - 0 Albania
August 20 1997, Kyiv, Ukraine Ukraine 1 - 0 Albania
September 6 1997, Yerevan, Armenia Armenia 3 - 0 Albania
September 10 1997, Zürich, Switzerland Albania 1 - 0 Northern Ireland
October 11 1997, Hannover, Germany Germany 4 - 3 Albania
- Germany qualified.[4]
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germany
|
22 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 9 |
| 2 | Ukraine
|
20 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 6 |
| 3 | Portugal
|
19 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 4 |
| 4 | Armenia
|
8 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 17 |
| 5 | Northern Ireland
|
7 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 10 |
| 6 | Albania
|
4 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 20 |
UEFA Euro 2004 Qualifications
The 2004 Qualifications for the European competition was of some success for Albania. This was the season when Albania was undefeated at home. Tying two and winning two, but with 0 points on the road. Albania started the undefeated run with a 1-1 draw against eventual winners of the group, Switzerland. Then a back to back encounter with Russia, saw the lose 4-1 in Russian soil, but when they returned, they paid them back by beating them 3-1. This game was the biggest for Albania. After missing a penalty, Albania scored first after just 20 minutes, but Russia tied 56 minutes later. Then after a lot of pressure from Albania, Russia conceded 2 goals in just 3 minutes. In the two other home games, Albania tied Republic of Ireland 0-0 and beat Georgia 3-1. Away Albania got 0 points, but managed to score 4 goals.
Group 10
October 12, 2002, Tirana, Albania Albania 1 - 1 Switzerland
October 16, 2002, Volgograd, Russia 
Russia 4 - 1 Albania
March 29, 2003, Shkodër, Albania Albania 3 - 1 Russia
April 2, 2003, Tirana, Albania Albania 0 - 0 
Republic of Ireland
June 7, 2003, Dublin, Republic of Ireland Republic of Ireland 2 - 1 Albania
June 11, 2003, Geneva, Switzerland Switzerland 3 - 2 Albania
September 6, 2003, Tbilisi, Georgia 
Georgia 3 - 0 Albania
September 10, 2003, Tirana, Albania Albania 3 - 1 Georgia
- Switzerland qualified.
- Russia play-off.
| Rank | Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland
|
15 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 15 | 11 |
| 2 | Russia
|
14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 12 |
| 3 | Republic of Ireland
|
11 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 11 |
| 4 | Albania
|
8 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 15 |
| 5 |  Georgia
|
7 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 14 |
FIFA World Cup 2006 Qualification
Albania kicked off the qualification for a place in Germany 2006 World Cup with a bang. Two months after Greece beat Portugal to win the European championship, Albania made the Portuguese happy by beating Greece 2-1 in a match which Albania scored goals in the 2' and 11' minute. Albania went on to disappoint by losing to Georgia away and Denmark at home, before returning to winning ways by beating Kazakhstan 0-1. February and March of 2005 would be the toughest part of the qualification for Albania since they had to play Ukraine, Turkey, and Greece, loosing all three of those ties. Later Albania would beat Georgia 3-2 and Kazakhstan 2-1. The last positive result for Albania in this tournament would be a 2-2 draw away at Ukraine. At the end Albania got 13 points and topped Georgia and Kazakhstan. The 13-point mark set a new record for group matches.
Group 2
September 4, 2004, Tirana, Albania - Albania 2 - 1 Greece
September 8, 2004, Tbilisi, Georgia - Georgia 2 - 0 Albania
October 9, 2004, Tirana, Albania - Albania 0 - 2 Denmark 
October 13, 2004, Almaty, Kazakhstan - 
Kazakhstan 0 - 1 Albania
February 9, 2005, Tirana, Albania - Albania 0 - 2 Ukraine
March 26, 2005, Istanbul, Turkey - Turkey 2 - 0 Albania
March 30, 2005, Piraeus, Greece - Greece 2 - 0 Albania
June 4, 2005, Tirana, Albania - Albania 3 - 2 Georgia
June 8, 2005, Copenhagen, Denmark - Denmark 3 - 1 Albania
September 3, 2005, Tirana, Albania - Albania 2 - 1 Kazakhstan
October 8, 2005, Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine - Ukraine 2 - 2 Albania
October 12, 2005, Tirana, Albania - Albania 0 - 1 Turkey
- Ukraine qualified.
- Turkey play-off.
| Team | Pts | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ukraine
|
25 | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 7 | 11 |
| Turkey
|
23 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 9 | 14 |
| Denmark
|
22 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 12 |
| Greece
|
21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 6 |
| Albania
|
13 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 11 | 20 | -9 |
| Georgia
|
10 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 14 | 25 | -11 |
| Kazakhstan
|
1 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 29 | -23 |
Some memorable matches
Squad
Note:
- Players containing the UN
[1] flag possess dual nationality. In spite of the Albanian passport, they are either registered as Kosovo citizens or have been born there. According to the FIFA laws, they are entitled to play for Kosovo when the political status is eventually resolved. - Players containing the
, are yet to be called-up for the next two matches against Belarus on November 17 and Romania on November 21. - Players containing the
, were either recently withdrawn from the squad due to injury, or are currently injured. - Players containing the
, are suspended for the next match.
Goalkeepers
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1
|
GK | Arjan Beqaj 
|
20 August 1975 (age 32) | 28 | 0 |  Anorthosis Famagusta
|
| 12 | GK | Isli Hidi | October 15 1980 (age 26) | 3 | 0 | FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
|
| - | GK | Ilion Lika | May 17 1980 (age 27) | 14 | 0 | KS Elbasani
|
Defenders
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
DF | Elvin Beqiri | July 27 1980 (age 27) | ? | ? | FC Metalurh Donetsk
|
| 3 | DF | Andi Lila | February 12 1986 (age 21) | 0 | 0 | KS Besa Kavajë
|
| 4 | DF | Armend Dallku
|
June 16 1983 (age 24) | 20 | 0 | Vorskla Poltava
|
| 6 | DF | Blerim Rrustemi | February 4 1983 (age 24) | 3 | 0 | AC Horsens
|
| 16 | DF | Erion Xhafa | May 31 1982 (age 25) | 3 | 0 | SK Tirana
|
| 21 | DF | Kristi Vangjeli | September 5[5] 1985 (age 22) | 7 | 0 | Aris Thessaloniki
|
| 24 | DF | Debatik Curri
|
December 28 1983 (age 23) | 10 | 1 | Vorskla Poltava
|
| 28 | DF | Nevil Dede | January 10 1975 (age 32) | 24 | 0 | SK Tirana
|
| - | DF | Endri Vrapi | May 23 1982 (age 25) | 2 | 0 | KS Elbasani
|
Midfielders
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | MF | Lorik Cana
|
July 27 1983 (age 24) | 24 | 1 |  Olympique Marseille
|
| 10 | MF | Klodian Duro | December 21 1977 (age 29) | 43 | 2 | SK Tirana
|
| 13 | MF | Ervin Skela | November 17 1976 (age 30) | 47 | 9 | Energie Cottbus
|
| 14 | MF | Altin Lala | November 18 1975 (age 31) | 61 | 3 | Hannover 96
|
| 19 | MF | Jahmir Hyka | March 3 1988 (age 19) | 3 | 0 | SK Tirana
|
| 20 | MF | Devis Mukaj | December 21 1976 (age 30) | 39 | 0 | SK Tirana
|
| 23 | MF | Altin Haxhi | January 17 1975 (age 32) | 64 | 2 | Ergotelis Heraklion
|
| 29 | MF | Ervin Bulku | March 3 1981 (age 26) | 7 | 0 | FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
|
| - | MF | Elis Bakaj | June 26 1987 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | KF Partizani Tirana
|
Strikers
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | FW | Alban Bushi | August 20 1973 (age 34) | 64 | 14 | Apollon Kalamarias
|
| 9 | FW | Edmond Kapllani | July 31 1982 (age 25) | 18 | 3 | Karlsruher SC
|
| |
FW | Besart Berisha
|
July 29 1985 (age 22) | 7 | 2 |  Burnley FC
|
| 17 | FW | Dorian Bylykbashi | August 8 1980 (age 27) | 0 | 0 | FC Kryvbas Kryvyi Rih
|
| 18 | FW | Hamdi Salihi | January 19 1984 (age 23) | 4 | 1 | SV Ried
|
| 22 | FW | Erjon Bogdani | April 14 1977 (age 30) | 42 | 7 |  AS Livorno
|
The most common line-up
| The 4-5-1 line-up used by Otto Barić. |
Coaching staff
| Head Coach | Otto Baric
|
| Assistant Coach | Slavko Kovacic
|
| Assistant Coach | Shpetim Duro
|
| Goalkeeping Coach | Foto Strakosha
|
| Team Doctor | Dritan Baholli
|
| Masseurs | Ylli Mihali
|
| Asllan Kasa
|
Euro 2008 Qualification
| Date | Venue | Opponents | Score | Competition | Albania scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 September 2006 | Dinamo Stadium (A) |  Belarus
|
2-2 | ECQ | Ervin Skela (pen) |
| 6 September 2006 | Qemal Stafa (H) |  Romania
|
0-2 | ECQ | |
| 11 October 2006 | Amsterdam Arena (A) | Netherlands
|
2-1 | ECQ | Debatik Curri |
| 24 March 2007 | Loro-Boriçi Stadium (H) |  Slovenia
|
0-0 | ECQ | |
| 28 March 2007 | Vasil Levski National Stadium (A) |  Bulgaria
|
0-0 | ECQ | |
| 2 June 2007 | Qemal Stafa (H) |  Luxembourg
|
2-0 | ECQ | Edmond Kapllani |
| 6 June 2007 | Josy Barthel (A) | Luxembourg
|
0-3 | ECQ | Edmond Kapllani (2) |
| 12 September 2007 | Qemal Stafa (H) | Netherlands
|
0-1 | ECQ | |
| 13 October 2007 | Arena Petrol (A) | Slovenia
|
0-0 | ECQ | |
| 17 October 2007 | Qemal Stafa (H) | Bulgaria
|
1-1 | ECQ | |
| 17 November 2007 | (TBD) (H) | Belarus
|
vs. | ECQ | |
| 21 November 2007 | (TBD) (A) | Romania
|
vs. | ECQ |
- Key
- H = Home match
- A = Away match
- ECQ = European Championship Qualifier
Standings
Key:
- Teams highlighted in green are certain of qualification.
- Teams highlighted in red are unable to qualify.
Template:UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying Group G
Last Match
Albania 1-1 Bulgaria , October 17 2007 (20:45 local time), Euro 2008 Qual.
- Goals: 1-0 Radostin Kishishev (o.g.) 32', 1-1 Dimitar Berbatov 87'
Next Match
Albania vs. Bularus , November 17 2007 (TBD), Euro 2008 Qual.
- Venue: (TBD, possibly Qemal Stafa, Tirana, Albania)
- Referee: (TBD)
Albania versus other countries
| Against | Wins | Draws | Losses | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
 Andorra |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Armenia |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Austria |
0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
 Azerbaijan |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
 Bahrain |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Belarus |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Belgium |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Bulgaria |
2 | 4 | 5 | 11 |
 China |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Cuba |
0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Cyprus |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Czechoslovakia |
2 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Denmark |
1 | 0 | 5 | 6 |
| England |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Cyprus |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Estonia |
1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
 Finland |
2 | 1 | 4 | 7 |
| France |
0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Georgia |
3 | 1 | 6 | 10 |
| Germany |
0 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
| Greece |
4 | 4 | 6 | 14 |
 Hungary |
0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 Iceland |
2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Republic of Ireland |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Kazakhstan |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Luxembourg |
2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
 Latvia |
0 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
 Lithuania |
1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
 Macedonia |
1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
 Mexico |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Moldova |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Netherlands |
0 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| Northern Ireland |
1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
 Norway |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Poland |
1 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| Portugal |
0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Romania |
2 | 1 | 9 | 12 |
| Russia |
1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 San Marino |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Slovenia |
0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
 Spain |
0 | 0 | 5 | 5 |
 Sweden |
1 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Switzerland |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| Turkey |
3 | 1 | 5 | 9 |
| Ukraine |
0 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
 Vietnam |
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Wales |
0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| Yugoslavia |
0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Total | 44 | 42 | 130 | 216 |
Former famous players
- Loro Boriçi
- Riza Lushta
- Selman Stërmasi
- Bledar Kola
- Naim Kryeziu
- Sulejman Demollari
- Agustin Kola
- Mirel Josa
- Arben Minga (28 caps, 2 goals)
- Sokol Kushta (31 caps, 10 goals)
- Vasil Ruci (67 caps, 10 goals)
- Panajot Pano (25 caps, ? goals)
- Rudi Vata 1990-2001 (59 caps, 5 goals)
- Blendi Nallbani 1989-2002 (18 caps, 0 goals)
- Mehmet Dragusha 2003-2005 (6 caps, 0 goals)
- Altin Rraklli 1997-2005 (63 caps, 11 goals)
- Foto Strakosha 1996-2006 (73 caps)
- Besnik Hasi -2006 (50 caps, 2 goals)
- Adrian Aliaj -2006
- Igli Tare -2007
- Edvin Murati -2007
Notable Managers
Hans-Peter Briegel 2002-2006
Honours
Senior team
- Winners of VIII Balkan Cup (Tirana, October 1946)
- Winners of Rothmans Football International Tournament (Valletta, February 4 - February 10 2000)[6]
Albania U-23
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1969 in Romania
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1970 in Bulgaria
- 2nd place in Balkan Cup 1974 in Romania
Albania U-21
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1976 in Greece
- Winners of Balkan Cup 1978 (home-away matches)
- Winners of Balkan Cup 1981 in Greece
Albania U-18
- 2nd place in Balkan Cup 1979 in Bulgaria
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1985 in Greece
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1987 in Turkey
- 2nd place in Adriatic Tournament 1990 in Italy
- 2nd place in Balkan Cup 1990 in Greece
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 1995 in Turkey
Albania U-17
Albania U-16
Albania U-15
- Winners of Beato Annibale Maria di Francia Tournament 1996 in Italy
- 3rd place in Balkan Cup 2001 in Albania
Albania U-14
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
See also
References
- ^ Disallowed Albanian goal, versus Holland, Euro 2008 qualifier: ESPNsoccernet website. Retrieved on September 14 2007.
- ^ Albanian Football Federation, files official complaint with UEFA regarding Holland game: Albania soccer website. Retrieved on September 16 2007.
- ^ WC 1986 Qual. Group 1
- ^ WC 1998 Qual. Group 9
- ^ Conflicting reports over his birthday. I choose to take UEFA.com's information as official.
- ^ Malta 2000 Events
- ^ Note: the Serbian province of Kosovo is under UN administration since the 1999 Kosovo War.
See also: United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK).