Albania national under-21 football team

Albania U21

Association	Football Association of Albania
Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
Head coach	Skënder Gega
Captain	Enco Malindi
Home stadium	Niko Dovana Stadium
FIFA code	ALB
Home colours Away colours
UEFA U-21 Championship
Appearances	1 (First in 1984)
Best result	Quarter-finals, 1984

The Albania national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Albania and is controlled by the Football Association of Albania. The team competes in the European Under-21 Football Championship, which is held held every two years.

In terms of youth football, this team is very amazing and is the highest age group team in which the best young, professional footballers who have were born in Albania, or have Albanian parents or grandparents, can be selected to play in. The team's players have the hope that they can successfully play international football with some success and possibly be called up to play in the full senior Albania team.

Current squad

Head coach: Skender Gega

Goalkeepers

0#0 Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club GK Stivi Frasheri (1990-08-29) August 29, 1990 (age 21) 10 0 KS Bylis Ballsh GK Xhino Sejdo (1991-04-30) April 30, 1991 (age 21) 0 0 KF Tirana GK Dhimitri Strakosha (1995-03-19) March 19, 1995 (age 17) 0 0 Panionios G.S.S.

Defenders

0#0 Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club DF Agonit Sallaj (1992-02-14) February 14, 1992 (age 20) 9 0 FC Biel-Bienne DF Elvis Prençi (1993-06-26) June 26, 1993 (age 18) 3 0 KF Tirana DF Arbnor Fejzullahu (1993-04-08) April 8, 1993 (age 19) 3 0 Besa Kavajë DF Antonio Marku (1992-03-24) March 24, 1992 (age 20) 1 0 Dinamo Tirana DF Bruno Dita (1993-02-18) February 18, 1993 (age 19) 1 0 Dinamo Tirana DF Mergim Bajraktari (1993-05-27) May 27, 1993 (age 19) 1 0 FC Thun

Midfielders

0#0 Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club MF Alfred Deliallisi (1993-03-28) March 28, 1993 (age 19) 1 0 KS Teuta Durrës MF Edon Hasani (1992-09-01) September 1, 1992 (age 19) 1 0 Vllznia Shkodër MF Shpend Matoshi (1992-02-18) February 18, 1992 (age 20) 1 0 FC Chiasso MF Gjelbrim Taipi (1992-12-13) December 13, 1992 (age 19) 1 0 FK Shkëndija MF Fatmir Hysenbelliu (1992-04-04) April 4, 1992 (age 20) 2 0 AS Bari MF Idriz Batha (1992-03-28) March 28, 1992 (age 20) 1 0 Partizani Tirana MF Albi Dosti (1991-09-13) September 13, 1991 (age 20) 5 1 Teuta Durrës MF Enea Gaqollari (1992-12-14) December 14, 1992 (age 19) 1 0 Skoda Xanthi F.C. MF Leotrim Gashi (1991-12-22) December 22, 1991 (age 20) 1 0 AJ Auxerre

Strikers

0#0 Pos. Player Date of Birth (Age) Caps Goals Club FW Bekim Balaj (1991-01-11) January 11, 1991 (age 21) 14 3 KF Tirana FW Ariel Shtini (1992-02-07) February 7, 1992 (age 20) 1 0 Dinamo Tirana FW Fabio Hoxha (1993-07-05) July 5, 1993 (age 18) 4 1 Varese FW Sidrit Guri (1993-10-23) October 23, 1993 (age 18) 1 0 Vllaznia Shkodër FW Gers Delia (1992-06-02) June 2, 1992 (age 19) 1 0 Zejtun Corinthians F.C

1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship

Albania Under-21's have only ever managed to qualify for any competition once in their history, and that came in the year of 1984 when they managed to qualify for the 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. They were drawn in a very tough group which included the West Germany, Turkey and Austria. This historic event in Albanian football history is the only occasion where any Albanian national team has ever managed to qualify for a major European or even World championship. To this day the team that qualified for 1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship are still regarded as the most successful team in Albanian history. This is because they managed to qualify without losing a single game and managing two very good draws against one of the biggest and best footballing nations on the planet, Germany (West Germany).

Qualifying

Qualifying Group 6 P W D L F A Pts 1  Albania 6 4 2 0 9 3 10 2  West Germany 6 3 3 0 13 4 9 3  Turkey 6 1 1 4 6 11 3 4  Austria 6 0 2 4 4 14 2

Austria 1-2 Albania Turkey 0-1 Albania Albania 1-1 W.Germany Albania 1-0 Turkey Albania 3-0 Austria W.Germany 1-1 Albania  Albania qualify as group winners. West Germany failed to qualify despite being undefetead.

Quarter-finals

After the Albania national under-21 football team qualified for the actual tournament, they were drawn against a tough opponent, Italy. In Tirana, Albania showed much spirit and determination, but in the end the class of Italy managed to just scrape a win against Albania through a goal of Vignola. The return match also ended 1–0 for the Azzuri. Italy won 2–0 on aggregate and made it through to the semi-finals where they were knocked out by the runners-up Spain.

• Albania 0–1 Italy
• Italy 1–0 Albania

 Italy win 2–0 on aggregate

References

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Players of Albania national under-21 football team

• Albania national football team
• Albania national under-17 football team
• Albania national under-19 football team
• Albania national youth football team