The Albania national football team represents Albania in international association football and is governed by the Federata Shqiptare e Futbollit (FSHF). Known by fans as the Kuqezinjtë (“The Red and Blacks”), the team carries the national pride of a country with a passionate love for the game. It is very easy to get the 1xBet application and then use it to bet on matches of the Albanian national side too.
Although football was played in Albania in the early 20th century, with matches recorded in Shkodër as early as 1913, the national team truly began to take organized shape with the founding of the Albanian Football Association on 6 June 1930. Two years later Albania joined FIFA, and in 1954 the country became a founding member of UEFA. And the application from 1xBet also allows you to bet on the go on UEFA tournaments too.
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Albania’s first official international match took place on 22 September 1946, a 3-2 defeat to Yugoslavia played at Qemal Stafa Stadium in Tirana. Soon after, Albania enjoyed its first major success by winning the Balkan Cup later that year, defeating Romania 1-0 in the final. An extraordinary achievement for the young national side.
Struggles followed by new opportunities
For much of the mid-20th century, Albania competed in qualifying campaigns for major tournaments with mixed results. Nonetheless, notable results included draws against Northern Ireland in 1965 and West Germany in 1967, surprising stronger teams and showing the squad’s competitive spirit.
The real watershed moment in Albanian football arrived in the 2010s. Under Italian coach Gianni De Biasi, Albania achieved a historic milestone by qualifying for the UEFA European Championship in 2016, their first appearance in a major tournament finals. The team’s performance had several highlights, including a memorable 1-0 win over Portugal in qualifying, and Albania secured its first-ever win at a major finals with a group-stage victory against Romania.
Albania continued its progress by again qualifying for UEFA Euro 2024, demonstrating that the national team could consistently compete at a higher level in European football. Throughout recent years, the squad has blended homeland talent with diaspora players from top European leagues, raising Albania’s profile and international ranking.
The team has also had some notable players, such as:
- Panajot Pano;
- Lorik Cana;
- Erjon Bogdani;
- and Igli Tare.
Though Albania has yet to qualify for a FIFA World Cup, its journey reflects both the cultural importance of football in Albanian society and a growing presence in international football.
