Albania women's national football team
Nickname(s) | Kuq e Zinjtë (The Red and Blacks) | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Albanian Football Association | ||
Confederation | UEFA (Europe) | ||
Head coach | Vioresin Sinani | ||
Captain | Albina Rrahmani | ||
Most caps | Luçije Gjini (39) | ||
Top scorer | Megi Doçi (11) | ||
Home stadium | Elbasan Arena | ||
FIFA code | ALB | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 73 (16 August 2024)[1] | ||
Highest | 40 (April 2015) | ||
Lowest | 136 (December 2011) | ||
First international | |||
Albania 1–0 Macedonia (Pogradec, Albania; 5 May 2011)[2] | |||
Biggest win | |||
Albania 5–0 Armenia (Tirana, Albania; 21 October 2021) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
Albania 0–11 Norway (Durrës, Albania; 13 September 2014) |
The Albania women's national football team (Template:Lang-sq) represents the country of Albania in international football and is controlled by the Albanian Football Association which is headquartered in the city of Tirana. The team is affiliated with UEFA and competes in the two major professional tournaments, the FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship.
Women's football was long met with skepticism in Albania, and the first recorded tournament took place as late as 2007, before the FSHF formed the Albanian Women's National Championship in 2009, which is the only women's league in the country. The rise in popularity of the sport among women led to the formation of the Albania national team in 2011, and they made their debut in a friendly match against Macedonia that ended in a 1–0 win. The current head coach is Armir Grimaj, replacing Altin Rraklli who was in charge from the formation in 2011 until 2016.
History
The Albanian women's national football team was formed in 2011 and made their debut in a friendly against Macedonia FYR on 5 May 2011 at the Gjorgji Kyçyku Stadium.[3] The match ended 1–0 with Albania's first win and midfielder Aurora Seranaj scoring the first goal for Albania.[3]
Towards the end of 2011, the national team strengthened its squad with the arrival of football players from the Albanian diaspora communities, notably Furtuna Velaj, Dafina Memedov, Ellvana Curo, Elizabeta Ejupi, Arjeta Krasniqi and Arbnora Robelli. The national team ended the year with their second win against Macedonia FYR away in Struga. [4] The second victory against Macedonia FYR is currently the national team's biggest win.
On 15 May 2012, Albania faced Montenegro in Bar and won 4–2. [5] Three days later, the Albanian team won again with a rematch against Montenegro, winning 4–3 at the Loro Boriçi Stadium in Shkodër. [6] On 22 May, Albania encountered Macedonia FYR again, winning 2–0 with 2 goals from Suada Jashari. [7] The national team had so far been undefeated in 5 games, with 15 goals scored, and 6 goals conceded. On 29 August, The Albanian national team participated in an unofficial football tournament held in Drama. The national team drew 1–1 with Amazons Drama[8] and lost 0–3 to Greece.[9]
Team image
Kits and crest
Kit suppliers
Kit provider | Period |
---|---|
Legea | 2011 |
Adidas | 2011–2016 |
Macron | 2016–present |
Home stadium
The Elbasan Arena is currently the national stadium of the Albania women's national football team. The first home match in the country was played in the Gjorgji Kyçyku Stadium of Pogradec in May 2011.[3] Following the completion, the National Arena in Tirana will be the home venue of both the men's and women's national team.
In November 2013, Qemal Stafa Stadium was shut down by FIFA for not fulfilling international standards.[10] During the period of friendly games and the Euro qualifier with Greece in 2015, the women's team used the Loni Papuçiu Stadium in Fier to hold their matches. The Qemal Stafa Stadium held the match between France and Albania on 27 November 2015.
Results and fixtures
This Is the schedule of past & upcoming games for the Albania women's football team.
- Legend
Win Draw Lose Fixture
2022
7 April 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | Albania | 0–5 | Belgium | Elbasan, Albania |
18:30 | Report | Stadium: Elbasan Arena Referee: Eszter Urban (Hungary) |
12 April 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification– UEFAGroup F | Armenia | 0–4 | Albania | Armavir, Armenia |
19:30 | Report | Stadium: Armavir City Stadium Referee: Angelika Söder (Germany) |
1 September 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification | Albania | 1–2 | Poland | Elbasan, Albania |
|
Report | Stadium: Elbasan Arena Referee: Lorraine Watson (Scotland) |
6 September 2023 Women's World Cup Q | Norway | 5–0 | Albania | Oslo, Norway |
Report | Stadium: Ullevaal Stadion Referee: Rasa Grigonė (Lithuania) |
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2021) |
Position | Name | Ref. |
---|---|---|
Head coach | Vioresin Sinani |
Manager history
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (August 2021) |
- Altin Rraklli (5 May 2011 – 22 April 2016)
- Armir Grimaj (22 April 2016–present)[11]
Players
Current squad
The following players were named to the squad for the matches against Norway and Kosovo on 25 and 30 November 2021.[12]
Caps and goals accurate up to and including 27 November 2020[citation needed].
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GK | Viona Rexhepi | 24 July 1996 | 7 | 0 | Mitrovica |
12 | GK | Antigona Hyska | 23 June 2003 | 1 | 0 | Apolonia |
5 | DF | Arbiona Bajraktari | 10 September 1996 | 23 | 1 | Vllaznia |
6 | DF | Sara Maliqi | 9 October 1995 | 19 | 0 | Vllaznia |
8 | DF | Endrina Elezaj | 12 January 1997 | 10 | 0 | Mitrovica |
3 | DF | Arbenita Curraj | 28 July 1996 | 8 | 0 | Vllaznia |
DF | Matilda Gjergji | 21 May 2003 | Vllaznia | |||
DF | Aglia Iliadhi | 30 November 2004 | Apolonia | |||
16 | MF | Luçije Gjini | 2 May 1994 | 39 | 2 | Vllaznia |
11 | MF | Megi Doçi | 14 October 1996 | 32 | 11 | Vllaznia |
10 | MF | Qëndresa Krasniqi | 28 June 1994 | 18 | 1 | EP-COM Hajvalia |
2 | MF | Alma Hila | 2 February 2000 | 5 | 0 | Como |
20 | MF | Vanesa Levenaj | 10 August 2001 | 1 | 0 | Vllaznia |
4 | MF | Mikaela Metalla | 22 October 2002 | 1 | 0 | Tirana AS |
MF | Luana Zajmi | 14 June 2002 | 0 | 0 | Pomurje | |
MF | Gresa Berisha | 26 April 1998 | 0 | 0 | Vllaznia | |
18 | MF | Ezmiralda Franja | 4 February 1997 | Vllaznia | ||
17 | FW | Kristina Maksuti | 6 February 1993 | 13 | 1 | SV Meppen |
7 | FW | Mimoza Hamidi | 28 April 1998 | 1 | 0 | Basel |
9 | FW | Esi Lufo | 10 September 2001 | Vllaznia | ||
13 | FW | Mesuare Begallo | 1 March 2000 | Partizani | ||
FW | Gleona Taullai | 0 | 0 |
Recent call ups
The following players have been called up to the squad in the past 12 months.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Records
Individual
- As of 5 August 2021
*Active players in bold.
Most capped players
|
Top goalscorers
|
Competitive record
FIFA Women's World Cup
FIFA Women's World Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Pld | W | D * | L | GF | GA | GD | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
1991 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
1995 | ||||||||||||||||
1999 | ||||||||||||||||
2003 | ||||||||||||||||
2007 | ||||||||||||||||
2011 | ||||||||||||||||
2015 | Did not qualify | 6/6 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 8 | 56 | −48 | |||||||
2019 | 4/5 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 9 | 25 | −16 | ||||||||
2023 | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/9 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Total | 24 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 81 | −64 |
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
UEFA Women's Championship
UEFA Women's Championship record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Result | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | GD |
1984 | Did not enter | Did not enter | ||||||||||||||
1987 | ||||||||||||||||
1989 | ||||||||||||||||
1991 | ||||||||||||||||
1993 | ||||||||||||||||
1995 | ||||||||||||||||
1997 | ||||||||||||||||
2001 | ||||||||||||||||
2005 | ||||||||||||||||
2009 | ||||||||||||||||
2013 | ||||||||||||||||
2017 | Did not qualify | 5/5 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 31 | −28 | |||||||
2021 | Did not qualify | 4/5 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 21 | −14 | |||||||
Total | 0/11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | Total | 16 | 2 | 0 | 14 | 10 | 52 | −42 |
Head-to-head record
- As of 5 August 2021
Opponent | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Differential |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Belgium | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | −8 |
Croatia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | −8 |
Finland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 11 | −11 |
France | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | −12 |
Greece | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 12 | −6 |
Hungary | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | −6 |
Kosovo | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | −1 |
Latvia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 |
Luxembourg | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 |
North Macedonia | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 |
Malta | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Montenegro | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 6 | +2 |
Netherlands | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 14 | −13 |
Norway | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 18 | −18 |
Portugal | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 11 | −10 |
Poland | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | −3 |
Romania | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 |
Turkey | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Ukraine | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | −6 |
19 Countries | 41 | 11 | 3 | 27 | 39 | 134 | −95 |
See also
- Sport in Albania
- Football in Albania
- Women's football in Albania
- Football in Albania
- Albania women's national football team
- Albania women's national football team results
- List of Albania women's international footballers
- Albania women's national under-19 football team
- Albania women's national under-17 football team
References
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Women's World Ranking". FIFA. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
- ^ Kirill (16 August 2010). "Albania matches". Kirill. Archived from the original on 20 August 2010. Retrieved 16 August 2010.
- ^ a b c Fatjon Pandovski – Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) (6 May 2011). "Seranaj scores as Albania women make their debut". uefa.com.
- ^ Sue Prior. "Winning International debut for Liz". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Montenegro vs. Albania 2 – 4". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Albania vs. Montenegro 4 – 3". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Albania vs. Macedonia FYR 2 – 0". Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Δράμα -Αλβανία μέσα απο το φακό". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Αυλαία στο τουρνουά της Δράμας (+photos)- Κόγγουλη "Καλό τεστ το τουρουά για την Εθνική"". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2012.
- ^ "Sport.albeu.com – UEFA "djeg" edhe "Ruzhdi Bizhutën" e "Niko Dovanën"". Archived from the original on 26 May 2014. Retrieved 19 June 2015.
- ^ Rraklli largohet nga stoli i Kombëtares së femrave, ja kush e zëvendëson
- ^ "Botërori për femra/Grima shpall listën për ndeshjet me Norvegjinë dhe Kosovën". 19 November 2021.