Albania national under-21 football team

Albania Under-21 participated in the Balkan Youth Championship as a succeder of Under-23 team, in the 1976–78 and 1981 competitions, winning both with finals against Romania and Bulgaria. Notably in 1978, the second leg of the final match against Romania was characterized by a large Albania's win 7–1, which is the largest win ever recorded by Albania U-21.[3]

Albania Under-21s have managed to qualify only 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, although they were competing for the first time in such tournament. They were drawn in a very tough group which included the West Germany, Turkey and Austria. The historic event was the first time any Albanian squad qualified for a Europe or World Championship, and is only the second time any Albanian squad qualified for the major championships. 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 football history. Albania U21 managed to qualify without losing a single game and managing two very good draws against one of the biggest and best footballing nations, West Germany.

Albania played the quarter finals against Italy, against which it lost twice 0–1, and 0–1, in Albania and Italy respectively. Italy advanced to the semifinals of Euro '84 and lost them against England, eventual champions of the tournament.

In the 1986 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania came last in group after Poland and Greece, and could not qualify. In the 1988 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania came again last in group after Spain, Romania and Austria. In the 1990 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania came last in group after Sweden, England and Poland. In the 1992 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship managed to precede Iceland as last in the group, but was preceded by Czechoslovakia, France and Spain. In the qualifiers of the 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania preceded bottom team Republic of Ireland, but was preceded by Spain, Germany and Denmark.

In the 1996 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship qualification Albania did not participate. In the qualifiers of the 1998 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania left behind Armenia, but had to trail in the final rankings Germany, Ukraine, and Portugal. In the qualifiers of the 2000 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania trailed Greece, Norway, Georgia, Latvia, and Slovenia and closed at the bottom of the group. In the qualifiers of the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania came again last behind England, Greece, Germany, and Finland.

In the qualifiers of the 2004 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania had the best result since Euro '84, when it had won the group, as it left two teams behind (Republic of Ireland and Georgia), but was preceded by Switzerland and Russia, and thus failed to qualify to the main tournament. In the qualifiers of the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania left behind itself Kazakhstan, but was preceded by Denmark, Ukraine, Greece, Turkey, and Georgia. In the qualifiers of the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, in a 3 teams group, Albania came last behind Spain and Slovakia and failed to qualify.

In the qualifiers of the 2009 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania was fourth out of 6 teams in the final ranking, leaving behind the Faroe Islands and Azerbaijan, but trailing behind Italy, Croatia and Greece. In the qualifiers of the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania left again behind Azerbaijan but trailed Scotland, Belarus, and Austria in the final rankings. In the qualifiers of the 2013 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Albania came last trailing behind Russia, Portugal, Poland, and Moldova. However, as a consolation for the first time an Albanian footballer, Armando Sadiku was the top goalscorer of the group. Albania drew in Russia against the famous hosts during that tournament, a noticeable fact.

COACH: Alban Bushi

The following players were called up for a 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification match against England on 5 November 2019. Caps and goals as of 11 November 2019.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
	1GK	Gentian Selmani	(1998-03-09) 9 March 1998	11	1	Menemenspor
	1GK	Andrea Hoxha	(1999-09-28) 28 September 1999	1	0	08 Villingen
	1GK	Romeo Harizaj	(1998-09-26) 26 September 1998	0	0	Apolonia
	2DF	Leonardo Maloku	(1998-05-18) 18 May 1998	13	1	San Roque de Lepe
	2DF	Geraldo Bajrami	(1999-09-24) 24 September 1999	2	0	Birmingham City
	2DF	Sergio Kalaj	(2000-01-28) 28 January 2000	1	0	Lazio
	2DF	Jon Mersinaj	(1999-02-08) 8 February 1999	1	0	Lokomotiva
	2DF	Franklin Domi	(2000-05-24) 24 May 2000	0	0	Queens Park Rangers
	2DF	Marsel Ismailgeci	(2000-03-14) 14 March 2000	0	0	Tirana
	3MF	Jurgen Çelhaka	(2000-12-06) 6 December 2000	6	0	Tirana
	3MF	Omar Imeri	(1999-12-13) 13 December 1999	4	2	Shkëndija
	3MF	Esat Mala	(1998-10-19) 19 October 1998	4	0	Partizani
	3MF	Juljan Shehu	(1999-09-06) 6 September 1999	2	0	Laçi
	3MF	Arbin Zejnullai	(1999-02-15) 15 February 1999	2	0	Shkëndija
	3MF	Sherif Kallaku	(1998-03-01) 1 March 1998	1	0	Teuta
	3MF	Aristidi Kolaj	(1999-04-09) 9 April 1999	1	0	Pro Patria
	3MF	Enis Çokaj	(1999-02-23) 23 February 1999	0	0	Lokomtiva
	4FW	Indrit Tuci	(2000-09-14) 14 September 2000	2	0	NK Lokomotiva
	4FW	Eridon Qardaku	(2000-08-10) 10 August 2000	1	0	Bylis
	4FW	Redon Xhixha	(1998-07-14) 14 July 1998	1	0	Laçi
	4FW	Agim Zeka	(1998-09-06) 6 September 1998	1	0	Fortuna Sittard

Following players have been called up in the previous 12 months and are still eligible to represent Under 21 team.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
MF	Lindon Selahi	(1999-02-26) 26 February 1999	5	0	Twente	v.  France, 5 September 2019 INJ

Notes

• ^INJ = Withdrew due to the injury.
• ^KOS = Withdrew to play for Kosovo U21.

Current coaching staff:[4]

Position	Name
Head Coach	Alban Bushi
Assistant Coach	Arjan Bellaj
Goalkeeping Coach	Alfred Osmani
Athletic Coach	Iris Selimi
Team Doctor	Erald Derveni
Physiotherapists	Gledi Rexha
Physiotherapists	Edison Koçi
Base materials	Roland Rarani

The event was classified as a U-23 tournament where at time were played three competitions, 1972, 1974 & 1976.

UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship record								UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship Qualification record
Year	Round	Pld	W	D *	L	GF	GA	Position	Pld	W	D *	L	GF	GA
1978	Did Not Participate
1980
1982
1984	Quarter-finals	2	0	0	2	0	2	Qualifying stage 1/4	6	4	2	0	9	3
1986	Did not qualify							Qualifying Stage 3/3	4	1	0	3	3	7
1988								Qualifying Stage 4/4	6	0	2	4	4	10
1990								Qualifying Stage 4/4	6	0	1	5	1	8
1992								Qualifying Stage 4/5	7	1	2	4	3	13
1994								Qualifying round 4/5	8	1	2	5	5	18
1996	Did Not Participate
1998	Did not qualify							Qualifying round 4/5	8	1	1	6	6	19
2000								Qualifying round 6/6	10	1	4	5	8	21
2002								Qualifying round 5/5	8	1	1	6	3	19
2004								Qualifying round 3/5	8	3	1	4	10	10
2006								Qualifying round 6/7	12	2	3	7	9	27
2007								Qualifying round 3/3	2	0	1	1	0	3
2009								Qualifying round 4/6	10	3	3	4	10	13
2011								Qualifying round 4/5	8	1	1	6	11	20
2013								Qualifying round 5/5	8	1	2	5	11	18
2015								Qualifying round 5/5	8	2	0	6	7	15
2017								Qualifying round 4/6	10	3	3	4	11	20
2019								Qualifying round 5/6	10	1	4	5	9	17
Total: 1/22	Best: Quarter-finals	2	0	0	2	0	2	Total	139	26	33	80	121	266

*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

*The 2019 Competition in Italic is currently playing

Balkan Youth Championship record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1976–1978	Champions	1st	6	3	2	1	12	6
1981	Champions	1st	2	2	0	0	6	2
Total	2 Titles	2/2	8	5	2	1	18	8

*Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty shoot-out.

**Gold background colour indicates that the tournament was won.