Albania national football team

Albania
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Kuqezinjtë (The Red and Blacks)
AssociationFederata Shqiptare e Futbollit
ConfederationUEFA
Head coachSylvinho
CaptainBerat Gjimshiti
Most capsLorik Cana (93)
Top scorerErjon Bogdani (18)
Home stadiumArena Kombëtare
FIFA codeALB
First colours
Second colours
Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current 66 Decrease 2 (4 April 2024)[1]
Highest22 (August 2015[2])
Lowest124 (August 1997[3])
First international
 Albania 2–3 Yugoslavia 
(Tirana, Albania; 7 October 1946)
Biggest win
 Albania 5–0 Vietnam 
(Bastia Umbra, Italy; 12 February 2003)
 Albania 6–1 Cyprus 
(Tirana, Albania; 12 August 2009)
 Albania 5–0 San Marino 
(Elbasan, Albania; 8 September 2021)
Biggest defeat
 Hungary 12–0 Albania 
(Budapest, Hungary; 24 September 1950)
European Championship
Appearances2 (first in 2016)
Best resultGroup stage (2016)

The Albania national football team (Albanian: Kombëtarja e futbollit të Shqipërisë) represents Albania in men's international football, and is governed by the Albanian Football Federation (FSHF), the governing body for football in Albania.

Albania competes in three major international football tournaments: the FIFA World Cup, UEFA European Championship and UEFA Nations League. Albania was the winner of the 1946 Balkan Cup and the 2000 Malta Rothmans International Tournament. At Euro 2016, Albania made its debut at a major men's football tournament, scoring its first goal and recording its first victory in a major tournament against Romania on 19 June 2016.[5] They will compete in Euro 2024.

Since its completion in 2019, Arena Kombëtare (National Arena), named officially "Air Albania Stadium" for sponsorship reasons, has been the team's home ground. Albania's highest FIFA World Ranking was 22nd in August 2015.

The team uses red, white and black colours and the Albanian double headed eagle as its symbol. Its supporters are collectively known as the Tifozët Kuq e Zi and use the same national red and black colours.

In 2020, Albania won group 4 of UEFA Nations League C and was promoted to UEFA Nations League B.

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  2. ^ "FIFA World Ranking August 2015". Archived from the original on 3 October 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  3. ^ "FIFA World Ranking August 1997". Archived from the original on 12 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
  4. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 3 June 2024. Retrieved 3 June 2024.
  5. ^ Amofa, Richard (19 June 2016). "Euro 2016: Albania 0–1 Romania – Armando Sadiku scores the only goal to seal his country's first ever win at a major competition". telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2016.

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