Kosovo national football team

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Kosovo
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Dardanët (Dardanians)
Association Football Federation of Kosovo (FFK)
Confederation UEFA (Europe)
Head coach Albert Bunjaki
Captain Samir Ujkani
Most caps Shpëtim Hasani (6)
Top scorer Albert Bunjaku
Mërgim Brahimi (2)
Home stadium Pristina City Stadium
Olympic Stadium Adem Jashari
FIFA code KOS
First colours
Second colours
First international
Official (Permitted by FIFA)
Kosovo Kosovo 0–0 Haiti 
(Mitrovica, Kosovo; 5 March 2014)
Unofficial
 Albania 3–1 Kosovo Albania
(Tirana, Albania; 14 February 1993)

The Kosovo national football team (Albanian: Kombëtarja kosovare e futbollit) represents Kosovo in international men's football. It is controlled by the Football Federation of Kosovo,[1] the governing body for football in Kosovo. They have been a member of UEFA and FIFA since May 2016.[2] The team is coached by Albert Bunjaki,[3] who took charge in May 2009.

History

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Main article: Membership of Kosovo in international sports federations

The national team was formed following the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, and has played a number of friendly matches. Most of these friendly matches were played against club teams, although a number were played against national teams of other countries. On 6 May 2008, Kosovo applied for FIFA membership. Kosovo's application was discussed at the FIFA Congress in Zurich, in October 2008 when Kosovo was rejected membership in FIFA and could not play friendly matches as it was deemed it did not comply with article 10 of the FIFA statutes, that only "an independent state recognised by the international community" may be admitted into FIFA.[4][5] FIFA reverted that decision on 22 May 2012, stating that Kosovo may play other countries in international friendlies according to Article 79 of the FIFA Statutes.[6]

In September 2012, Albanian international Lorik Cana, along with Swiss internationals Xherdan Shaqiri, Granit Xhaka and Valon Behrami (all of them with Kosovar Albanian origin) wrote a declaration to FIFA President Sepp Blatter, asking him to allow the Kosovo national team to be allowed to play friendly matches. The declaration was also signed by eight other Albanian footballers, hailing from Kosovo: Lorik Cana, Armend Dallku, Mërgim Mavraj, Samir Ujkani, Alban Meha, Burim Kukeli, Etrit Berisha, and Ahmed Januzi.[7] In a meeting held in May 2012, FIFA decided to allow friendly matches to be played, a decision it later revoked following a protest issued by Football Association of Serbia. A new meeting was planned to be held at FIFA on 27 and 28 September in which the Kosovo issue was again planned to be discussed, which was then postponed until December.[8][9] In February 2013, FIFA announced that they would allow Kosovo to play against other nations in non-official competitions providing that they did not display national symbols.[10]

On 13 January 2014, the national team was given permission by FIFA to play against FIFA member associations in international friendlies, with the notable exception of "representative teams of countries of the former Yugoslavia". Even club teams would be allowed to play friendlies after a FIFA Emergency Committee meeting. However, it was stipulated that "clubs and representative teams of the (Football Federation of Kosovo) may not display national symbols (flags, emblems, etc.) or play national anthems." The go-ahead was given after meetings between the Serbian Football Association and Blatter. Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi welcomed the decision and expressed his hope that the country would be a full member of FIFA and UEFA in the near future.[11][12] Following FIFA's ruling, it was announced that Kosovo's first officially sanctioned international match[dubious – discuss] would be against Haiti on 5 March in Mitrovica.

In March 2015 Michel Platini, UEFA's president, declared that Kosovo will be likely accepted in UEFA in 2016.[13]

In September 2015 at an Executive committee meeting in Malta, UEFA approved the request from the federation to the admission in UEFA to the next Ordinary Congress to be held in Budapest on 3 May 2016.[14] At the Ordinary Congress on 3 May 2016, Kosovo were accepted into UEFA after members voted 28-24 in favor of Kosovo.[15]

On 13 May 2016 Kosovo was accepted in FIFA during their 66th congress in Mexico with 141 votes in favour and 23 against.[16] The association joined Gibraltar as the 210th and 211th members of FIFA, respectively.

Match record

Kosovo has played a number of unofficial international friendlies. The first one was against Albania on 14 February 1993, lost 1–3. The line-up of that match was: Ahmet Beselica (Afrim Tovërlani), Fadil Berisha, Isa Sadriu (Nushi), Bardhyl Seferi, Gani Llapashtica, Selaudin Jerlini (Osmani), Kushtrim Munishi, Sadullah Ajeti (Ramiz Krasniqi), Muharrem Sahiti (Abdullah Rafuna), Genc Hoxha [c] (Idrizi) and Ardian Kozniku.[17]

One of the most important international matches was a 1–0 win over Saudi Arabia,[18] played in Ankara, Turkey, on 15 June 2007. It was the first time that Kosovo played a team that has taken part in the FIFA World Cup and the winning goal was scored by Kristian Nushi from the penalty spot on the 84th minute. The biggest win for Kosovo is the 7–1 defeat of Monaco,[19] who hosted the event on 24 April 2006. The team that played against Monaco was led by the former Kosovo national team coach, Muharrem Sahiti, who after the match stated that: "I am very pleased with the team's performance even though we had predicted a stronger opponent. However, I want to emphasize that our players have been fantastic. The fact that we do not play many international matches may have inspired the players to give it their all this time".[20]

In 2005 they participated in the KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup in Northern Cyprus, finishing second out of three. They lost 1–0 against the host and won 4–1 against Sàpmi.[citation needed]

On 5 March 2014, Kosovo played its first international friendly against Haiti. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.[21] Before the match, a selection of Kosovo players posed with guns at a shooting range, causing a stir in Serbia.[22] On the eve of the match, Kosovo supporters burned the flag of Serbia.[23][24] This incident prompted the FSS to request that FIFA revoke Kosovo's right to play international friendlies.[25] On 14 October 2014 the Kosovo, has played another unofficial international test match against the Swiss team FC Wil 1900 at IPG Arena, Wil, and won 1–0 which was scored by Kushtrim Lushtaku at the 77' minute.[26] On 24 March 2015 the Kosovo, has played another unofficial international test match against the German team courses equated with Eintracht Frankfurt with score 0–0 and the date 27 March 2015, lost from Werder Bremen with score 2–0

FIFA World Cup

World Cup Record Qualification record
Year Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1930 to 1990 Part of  Yugoslavia —
1994 to 2006 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
2010 to 2014 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
Russia 2018 To be determined[lower-alpha 1] — — — — — —
Qatar 2022 To be determined — — — — — —
Total 0/22 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
  1. ↑ After Kosovo joined FIFA, they could be added in the qualification process for 2018 World Cup together with Gibraltar

UEFA European Football Championship

UEFA Euro Record Qualification record
Year Round Pos Pld W D L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
1960 to 1992 Part of  Yugoslavia —
1996 to 2004 Not a UEFA member Not a UEFA member
2008 to 2016 Not a UEFA member Not a UEFA member
Europe 2020 To be determined — — — — — —
Total 0/16 - 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Non-FIFA Tournament record

Kosovo has so far only participated in one international tournament, the KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup, held to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Northern Cyprus Football Federation.[27]

Year Round Pos Pld W D* L GF GA
Northern Cyprus 2005 Group stage Runners-up 2 1 0 1 4 2

*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

List of matches

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Main article: Kosovo national football team results

The following is a list of matches of Kosovo since 1993.[28]

1993–2010

2014

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Main article: 2014 Kosovo v Haiti football match

2015

2016

Players

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See also: Kosovo international footballers

Current squad

The following 18 players were called up for the friendly match against Faroe Islands on 3 June 2016.[30]
[31] Caps and goals as of 13 November 2015.

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1GK Samir Ujkani (Captain) (1988-07-05) 5 July 1988 (age 35) 4 0 Italy Latina
1GK Flamur Neziri (1987-05-22) 22 May 1987 (age 36) 0 0 Kosovo KF Feronikeli
2DF Fanol Perdedaj (1991-07-16) 16 July 1991 (age 32) 5 0 Germany FSV Frankfurt
2DF Loret Sadiku (1991-07-28) 28 July 1991 (age 32) 4 0 Turkey Mersin İdmanyurdu
2DF Lum Rexhepi (1992-09-03) 3 September 1992 (age 31) 2 0 Finland HJK Helsinki
2DF Leart Paqarada (1994-10-08) 8 October 1994 (age 29) 3 0 Germany SV Sandhausen
2DF Avni Pepa (1988-11-14) 14 November 1988 (age 35) 3 0 Iceland ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
2DF Bajram Jashanica (1990-09-25) 25 September 1990 (age 33) 2 0 Albania KF Skënderbeu Korçë
3MF Enis Alushi (1985-12-22) 22 December 1985 (age 38) 4 0 Germany St. Pauli
3MF Mërgim Brahimi (1992-08-08) 8 August 1992 (age 31) 2 2 Switzerland Grasshopper
3MF Bersant Celina (1996-09-09) 9 September 1996 (age 27) 2 1 England Manchester City
3MF Bernard Berisha (1991-10-24) 24 October 1991 (age 32) 2 0 Russia Anzhi Makhachkala
3MF Besar Halimi (1994-12-12) 12 December 1994 (age 29) 2 0 Germany FSV Frankfurt
3MF Valmir Sulejmani (1996-02-01) 1 February 1996 (age 28) 1 0 Germany Hannover 96
3MF Hekuran Kryeziu (1993-02-12) 12 February 1993 (age 31) 1 0 Switzerland FC Luzern
4FW Flamur Kastrati (1991-11-14) 14 November 1991 (age 32) 2 0 Norway Strømsgodset
4FW Elba Rashani (1993-05-09) 9 May 1993 (age 30) 1 1 Norway Rosenborg
4FW Albert Bunjaku (1983-11-29) 29 November 1983 (age 40) 3 2 Switzerland FC St. Gallen

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Visar Bekaj (1997-05-24) 24 May 1997 (age 26) 1 0 Kosovo Prishtina v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
DF Ilir Berisha (1991-06-25) 25 June 1991 (age 32) 3 0 Albania Flamurtari Vlorë v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
DF Denis Markaj (1991-02-20) 20 February 1991 (age 33) 2 0 Switzerland Le Mont v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
DF Alban Pnishi (1990-10-20) 20 October 1990 (age 33) 1 0 Switzerland Grasshopper v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
MF Eroll Zejnullahu (1994-10-19) 19 October 1994 (age 29) 3 0 Germany Union Berlin v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
MF Imran Bunjaku (1992-10-18) 18 October 1992 (age 31) 3 1 Switzerland Grasshopper v.  Equatorial Guinea, 10 October 2015
MF Liridon Krasniqi (1992-01-01) 1 January 1992 (age 32) 3 0 Malaysia Kedah FA v.  Equatorial Guinea, 10 October 2015
MF Leonit Abazi (1993-07-05) 5 July 1993 (age 30) 1 0 Albania Skënderbeu Korçë v.  Equatorial Guinea, 10 October 2015
MF Shkëlqim Pacolli (1994-02-28) 28 February 1994 (age 30) 0 0 Kosovo Hajvalia v.  Equatorial Guinea, 10 October 2015
FW Shpëtim Hasani (1982-08-10) 10 August 1982 (age 41) 6 1 Sweden Sundsvall v.  Albania, 13 November 2015
FW Erton Fejzullahu (1988-06-09) 9 June 1988 (age 35) 1 0 China Dalian Transcendence v.  Equatorial Guinea, 10 October 2015

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Stadium

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Main articles: Pristina City Stadium and Olympic Stadium Adem Jashari

Main stadium of Kosovo national team is Pristina City Stadium (Albanian: Stadiumi i Qytetit), a multi-purpose stadium based in Pristina, but also the second used stadium is Olympic Stadium Adem Jashari (Albanian: Stadiumi Olimpik Adem Jashari), a multi-use stadium in Mitrovica, Kosovo[a].

Kit history

The Kosovo kit has been mostly red and black before the declaration of independence in 2008 with few changes throughout the years. After the independence kits are mostly blue and yellow.

Kit suppliers

Kit provider Period
Germany Adidas 1993–2013
Italy Legea 2013–2015
Germany Puma 2015–present

Managerial history

This is a chronological list of the managers who have guided Kosovo since 1993.

Individual all-time records

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Main article: List of Kosovo international footballers

Below are two lists of the top 10 players with the most caps and goals for Kosovo.

As of 13 November 2015.[17][32][33][34][35][36]
  Active players are highlighted

Appearances records

# Name Career Caps Goals
1
Shpëtim Hasani
 2005, 2010, 2014– 6 1
2
Kristian Nushi
 2007–2014 5 1
Fanol Perdedaj
 2014– 5 0
4
Kushtrim Mushica
 2005, 2010, 2014– 4 0
Anel Raskaj
 2010, 2014– 4 0
6
Ilir Nallbani
 2005–2010 3 0
Yll Hoxha
 2010, 2014– 3 0
Samir Ujkani
 2014– 3 0
Albert Bunjaku
 2014– 3 2
Imran Bunjaku
 2014– 3 1
Enis Alushi
 2014– 3 0
Faton Toski
 2014– 3 0
Dardan Rexhepi
 2014– 3 0
Shkodran Metaj
 2014– 3 0
Liridon Krasniqi
 2014– 3 0
Loret Sadiku
 2014– 3 0

Top goalscorers

# Name Career Goals Caps
1
Albert Bunjaku
 2014– 2 3
Mërgim Brahimi
 2015– 2 1
2
Kushtrim Munishi
 1993 1 1
Shpëtim Hasani
 2005, 2010, 2014– 1 6
Kristian Nushi
 2007–2014 1 5
Dukagjin Gashi
 2007–2010 1 2
Imran Bunjaku
 2014– 1 3

Head-to-head records against other countries

As of 14 November 2015
Opponent Games Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Differential Reference
 Albania 4 0 1 3 5 9 −4 [32][37][38][39]
 Equatorial Guinea 1 1 0 0 2 0 2 H2H results
 Haiti 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 H2H results
 Monaco 1 1 0 0 7 1 6
 Northern Cyprus 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Oman 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 H2H results
 Saudi Arabia 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 [34]
 Senegal 1 0 0 1 1 3 −2 H2H results
 Turkey 1 0 0 1 1 6 −5 H2H results
9 Countries 12 4 2 6 18 20 −2 All results at EU-Football.info

References

  1. ↑ Kosovo national team info by FFK
  2. ↑ Kosovo, Gibraltar join FIFA before 2018 World Cup qualifying Daily Mail
  3. ↑ coach of Kosovo Kent national football team (AlbaniaSoccer)
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Fifa rejects Kosovo football body application – Sport The Sofia Echo
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Shaqiri Xhaka Cana & Co deklarate per Kosoven ne FIFA
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/13/uk-soccer-fifa-kosovo-idUKBREA0C1G620140113
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Koha Jone UEFA, Platini: Kosova do të pranohet brenda një viti
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Zyrtare: Kosova pranohet në FIFA, jemi të barabartë me të gjitha vendet e botës Telegrafi
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 1993 MATCHES, Match #6 at RSSSF
  18. ↑ Kosovo 1:0 Saudi Arabia (Futbolli.com) Archived 30 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  19. ↑ Kosovo defeated Monaco by a score of 7–1 (AlbaniaSoccer) Archived 22 May 2006 at the Wayback Machine
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Kosovo matches per eloratings.net
  29. ↑ http://koha.net/?id=6&l=111043
  30. ↑ Bunjaku publikon listen e Kosoves Telegrafi Sport
  31. ↑ http://www.ffk-kosova.com/federata/?p=10402
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Kosovo vs. Albania (0:1) National Football Teams
  33. ↑ Kosovo (2005) National Football Teams
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Kosovo (2007) National Football Teams
  35. ↑ Kosovo (2010) National Football Teams
  36. ↑ Kosovo international footballers of all-time EU-Football.info
  37. ↑ International Matches 1993 – Europe, January–March RSSSF
  38. ↑ Koha shtesë ia siguroi fitoren Shqipërisë – Sport plus Bota Sot
  39. ↑ Miqësorja vëllazërore në barazim 2–2, Prishtina e tëra në festë Telesport

External links

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