Each of the 24 participating teams in Euro 2024 has its own history and records and stats. However, none has a story quite like Albania‘s.
The team from the country located between Croatia, Greece, and North Macedonia is participating in only its second Euro Cup, having qualified for the 2016 edition and made its debut against Italy at Signal Iduna Park, where they lost 2-1 despite scoring within 26 seconds, scoring the fastest goal ever in the tournament.
Managed by Brazilian Sylvinho, with Argentine and former Manchester City player Pablo Zabaleta as assistant coach, Albania’s national team has the particularity that out of its 26 Euro 2024 squad members, a total of 19 are naturalized/ dual nationals who were not born in Albanian soil but chose to represent the “shqiponjat” due to their roots or residency.
Albania’s dual nationals
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The reason why Albania has so many naturalized players is since Sylvinho took over as coach, the coaching staff and delegation realized that the Albanian national team needed improvement on in all aspects of the field. They began a scouting program to find players from all over the world who have Albanian roots.
Qazim Laci 14, Albania heads the ball into the net for 1 0 Hamburg Volksparkstadion Hamburg Germany
Albania has a population of around 3 million people, but the local football federation believes there are over 9 million Albanians worldwide. Therefore, creating a database to find players with Albanian roots or nationality became crucial for the team to grow exponentially.
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The players include:
Thomas Strakosha (Athens, Greece)
Elhan Kastrati (Albania)
Etrit Berisha (Kosovo)
Berat Djimsiti (Zurich, Switzerland)
Marash Kumbulla (Italy)
Ardian Ismajli (Kosovo)
Enea Mihaj (Rhodes, Greece)
Arlind Ajeti (Basel, Switzerland)
Mario Mitaj (Athens, Greece)
Naser Aliji (Kumanovo, North Macedonia)
Elseid Hysaj (Albania)
Iván Balliu (Spain)
Kristjan Asllani (Albania)
Ylber Ramadani (Starnberg, Germany)
Klaus Gjasula (Albania)
Amir Abrashi (Bischofszell, Switzerland)
Qazim Laci (Albania)
Medon Berisha (Münsingen, Switzerland)
Ernest Muci (Albania)
Nedim Bajrami (Zurich, Switzerland)
Arbër Hoxha (Heidelberg, Germany)
Jasir Asani (Skopje, North Macedonia)
Armando Broja (Slough, England)
Rey Manaj (Albania)
Taulant Seferi (Kumanovo, North Macedonia)
Mirlind Daku (Gjilan, Kosovo)
