Albanian National Team [General topic]

[redfootballsv2]

Back in 2022, Edi Reja fielded a lineup with like 10 players playing in “top leagues”..

Israel still beat us 1-2 at home..

Go check it out..

By the way, saying Baggio failed in Serie A is disingenuous..

At his peak, he scored on all the best teams in that league..

Baggio isn't what he was obviously.

As mentioned, none of the players with the exception of Djimsiti had proven to be permanent starters in top5 leagues.


The reality is the team actually doesn't have that much quality. It is not about speed or slowness of the league, they just aren't that good, there's not enough technical quality in the team.

You say let's add Messi and see. But how about adding some actual top5 league players? Most of these guys didn't last there and just had one or two seasons.

Sherri - Albanian league
Mitaj - actually good and could probably play in a top5 league but hasn't tried yet
Hysaj - practically hasn't played for 2 years
Djimsiti - actually good Atalanta mainstay
Ajeti - Serie C/B player
Asllani - still unknown quantity
Mehmeti - good Championship player
Laci - Super Lig level player/Ligue 2
Ramadani - relegation Serie A level
Hoxha - Dinamo Zagreb level
Broja - not even making squad lists in a relegated Burnley

Only 3 of these guys at best are confirmed top5 league level players. The rest bounce in and out and mostly couldn't remain in top leagues.

[Raketa]

The reality is the team actually doesn't have that much quality. It is not about speed or slowness of the league, they just aren't that good, there's not enough technical quality in the team.

You say let's add Messi and see. But how about adding some actual top5 league players? Most of these guys didn't last there and just had one or two seasons.

Sherri - Albanian league
Mitaj - actually good and could probably play in a top5 league but hasn't tried yet
Hysaj - practically hasn't played for 2 years
Djimsiti - actually good Atalanta mainstay
Ajeti - Serie C/B player
Asllani - still unknown quantity
Mehmeti - good Championship player
Laci - Super Lig level player/Ligue 2
Ramadani - relegation Serie A level
Hoxha - Dinamo Zagreb level
Broja - not even making squad lists in a relegated Burnley

Only 3 of these guys at best are confirmed top5 league level players. The rest bounce in and out and mostly couldn't remain in top leagues.

Israel doesn’t have any top league players though yet they play fast and score many goals..

How do you explain that?

[Aurora Bulkuolis]

Without a top striker, Albania is nothing. We don't have the squad depth. Our entire fate depends on Broja becoming an elite striker, but at this rate he will end up in League One.

[ReyM9]

Israel doesn’t have any top league players though yet they play fast and score many goals..

How do you explain that?

Israel has never qualified for a major tournament in their history.....

Does San Marino play fast too? Who cares.

[ReyM9]

You say let's add Messi and see. But how about adding some actual top5 league players? Most of these guys didn't last there and just had one or two seasons.

Yup. Most of them turned out to be fraud top league players. I thought Asllani would at least become a mid table Serie A player but he never improved.

I don't think Mitaj is good enough for a top league either. Just having a soft touch doesn't cut it. He struggles physically, defensively and pace is not great for a modern fullback.

Arber Hoxha(the best attacker in this current team) just signed for a mid table Polish team. So even he is nowhere near top league level.

[Raketa]

Israel has never qualified for a major tournament in their history.....

It’ll come..

Literally beat us 4 in a row and topped our UNL group last time so that has to count for something..

Israel doesn’t have any big names or big strikers either..

They literally plug and play from the domestic league and guess what..?

The style never changes.. it’s always fast and high scoring no matter who plays.

[ReyM9]

It’ll come..

Literally beat us 4 in a row and topped our UNL group last time so that has to count for something..

Israel doesn’t have any big names or big strikers either..

They literally plug and play from the domestic league and guess what..?

The style never changes.. it’s always fast and high scoring no matter who plays.

They were stronger a few years back, Not having enough top leaguers is the reason Israel can't qualify. They are at that Bulgaria level. Their style doesn't translate to winning football because they can't cope defensively. Not professional enough because they have too many domestic players.

Israel reminds be of Albania of Briegel and prior. Might get an upset here and there, a bunch of feel good losses but no real substance.

Israel is the last team Albania should look up too. We have already surpassed them by qualifying twice and making the WC playoffs once in the last 10 years. Even Kosovo has surpassed them just by making the playoffs. So has Macedonia and most of Europe.

It's actually impressive how pathetic Israel has been.

[SugarRey]

Back in 2022, Edi Reja fielded a lineup with like 10 players playing in “top leagues”..

Israel still beat us 1-2 at home..

Go check it out..

By the way, saying Baggio failed in Serie A is disingenuous..

At his peak, he scored on all the best teams in that league..

Baggio isn't what he was obviously.

As mentioned, none of the players with the exception of Djimsiti had proven to be permanent starters in top5 leagues.


The reality is the team actually doesn't have that much quality. It is not about speed or slowness of the league, they just aren't that good, there's not enough technical quality in the team.

You say let's add Messi and see. But how about adding some actual top5 league players? Most of these guys didn't last there and just had one or two seasons.

Sherri - Albanian league
Mitaj - actually good and could probably play in a top5 league but hasn't tried yet
Hysaj - practically hasn't played for 2 years
Djimsiti - actually good Atalanta mainstay
Ajeti - Serie C/B player
Asllani - still unknown quantity
Mehmeti - good Championship player
Laci - Super Lig level player/Ligue 2
Ramadani - relegation Serie A level
Hoxha - Dinamo Zagreb level
Broja - not even making squad lists in a relegated Burnley

Only 3 of these guys at best are confirmed top5 league level players. The rest bounce in and out and mostly couldn't remain in top leagues.

Most of Albania's players are painfully mediocre with short peaks. For example, a guy like Bajrami peaked a few years ago and now is obviously not a competent player. We milked him in the 2024 qualification cycle and that was his peak. These players may have a good game and then 2-3 games where they are non existent.

Albania needs to continue calling up players due to the boom and bust cycle of these mediocre players. A guy like Bajrami shouldn't be playing any more. Guys like Broja, Daku, Bajrami, Seferi, Manaj, etc, all should be moved on. How many times are we going to see Broja just not care out there?

Calling up someone like Hasa was encouraging. Getting back Medon Berisha should be a plus. That Turkish winger could be a good addition. Albania needs to continue scouting more and it's the reality of the situation when you don't produce any players domestically and have a strong diaspora.

Some guys like Ramadani, Ajeti, Uzuini, Laci should still be in the fold since they have always produced and played hard. Even if sometimes the talent may not be there.

[Simboli i Diellit]

EURO 2028 qualifying pots will be determined by positions in UEFA Nations League 2026.

Projected pots:

Pot 1:
Pot 2:
Pot 3:
Pot 4:
Pot 5: (Pot 5 locked )

12 group winners and 8 best runners-up qualify directly.

Remaining 4 runners-up and 4-9 UNL group winners that finished outside Top 2 in qualifying will go to Playoffs.

Hosts WILL participate in qualifiers, two automatic spots are reserved for them in case they don't qualify directly.

How many automatic spots they use will determine the number of UNL teams that enter the Playoffs.

Full analysis of seeding probabilities for EURO 2028 in our Simulator