Kosovo men's national handball team

Last updated

Kosovo
Kosovo Handball Federation.jpg
Information
Nickname
  • Dardanët (Dardanians)
  • Luanët e Artë (Golden Lions)
Association Handball Federation of Kosovo
CoachJesper Östlund
CaptainValon Dedaj
Most caps Kastriot Jupa (56)
Most goalsKastriot Jupa (189)
Colours
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
1st
Kit left arm.svg
Kit body.svg
Kit right arm.svg
Kit shorts.svg
2nd
Results
IHF Emerging Nations Championship
Appearances2 (First in 2015 )
Best result3rd (2015, 2017)
Last updated on 18 June 2017.

The Kosovo national men's handball team is the national handball team of Kosovo, representing the country in international competition. The team is governed by Handball Federation of Kosovo. The national handball team started competing in international competitions in 2014, following Kosovo's full status recognition from the International Handball Federation (IHF).

Contents

History

Handball first arrived in Kosovo in the late 1940s, and by 1948 there were several registered clubs starting to compete in informal domestic competitions. By 1951, indoor handball was introduced. Two years later, in 1953, Handball Federation of Kosovo was founded, under the auspices of the Yugoslav Handball Federation.

In 1979, whilst part of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo hosted the 1979 Women's Junior World Handball Championship.

Following the breakdown of Yugoslavia and subsequent independence of Kosovo as a nation, Handball Federation of Kosovo began operating independently.

In 2014, six years after Kosovo declared independence, the European Handball Federation (EHF) recognised Kosovo as a full member state and immediately the Kosovo national handball team started competing in international competition.

After a difficult start, Kosovo's national team has started to gain notoriety in international competition. After twice winning the bronze medal in the international IHF Trophy for emerging nations, in Kosovo 2015 on home soil and as well in Bulgaria 2017 the team is no longer considered an emerging nation. [1] Kosovo after this tournament advanced to the 2nd phase of qualification for EURO 2020.

Following a lengthy campaign in the 2020 European Men's Handball Championship qualification where Kosovo defeated Israel and drew Poland, the team won a direct spot in the second phase of the upcoming 2022 qualification tournament.

Most recently, at the 2021 World Men's Handball Championship – European qualification tournament, Kosovo drew with Italy and defeated Georgia to take the second place, behind Romania, in the qualifying group.

IHF Emerging Nations Championship

YearPositionPldWDL
Flag of Kosovo.svg Kosovo 2015 Bronze medal icon.svg6402
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Bulgaria 2017 Bronze medal icon.svg6402
Total12804

Team

Current squad

No.Pos.NameDate of birth (age)HeightApp.GoalsClub
2RW Agon Bajqinovci (1999-08-26) 26 August 1999 (age 26)1.86 m52 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Prishtina
5PV Kastriot Jupa (1992-12-17) 17 December 1992 (age 32)1.88 m56189 Flag of Germany.svg LHC Cottbus
11CB Valon Dedaj (1989-09-25) 25 September 1989 (age 35)1.75 m42164 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg HSC Kreuzlingen
12GK Flamur Gërbeshi (1990-04-14) 14 April 1990 (age 35)1.88 m180 Flag of Sweden.svg IFK Karlskrona
14RB Drenit Tahirukaj (1998-04-28) 28 April 1998 (age 27)1.92 m2882 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg HSC Kreuzlingen
18LW Florian Rexha (2001-11-29) 29 November 2001 (age 23)1.88 m20 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Vëllaznimi
21RB Arbios Mushkolaj (2000-07-24) 24 July 2000 (age 25)1.90 m73 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Deçani
24PV Luigj Quni (1996-02-26) 26 February 1996 (age 29)1.91 m3649 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg GC Amicitia Zürich
25LB Festim Mustafa (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 27)2.02 m102 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Kastrioti
26RW Drilon Tahirukaj (1995-08-28) 28 August 1995 (age 30)1.80 m4188 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg HSC Kreuzlingen
27LW Lulëzim Shabani (1998-11-09) 9 November 1998 (age 26)1.89 m1818 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Kastrioti
28GK Haris Berisha (1996-06-26) 26 June 1996 (age 29)1.99 m331 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg HSC Kreuzlingen
31LB Bujar Ramosaj (1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 30)1.99 m2311 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg HSC Kreuzlingen
33LB Jon Muqolli (1999-02-11) 11 February 1999 (age 26)1.90 m189 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Besa Famgas
33CB Leonard Gegaj (2001-10-02) 2 October 2001 (age 23)1.80 m139 Flag of Sweden.svg Vinslövs HK
35PV Rron Ramadani (1996-10-04) 4 October 1996 (age 28)1.92 m100 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Prishtina
35LB Atdhe Basholli (1998-07-07) 7 July 1998 (age 27)1.95 m20 Flag of Germany.svg AM Hallo Essen
68CB Egzon Gjuka (1995-05-17) 17 May 1995 (age 30)1.92 m35105 Flag of Kosovo.svg KH Besa Famgas
77LW Matej Taçi (2001-12-05) 5 December 2001 (age 23)1.80 m44 Flag of Croatia.svg GRK Varaždin
91GK Liridon Zena (1991-04-11) 11 April 1991 (age 34)1.90 m150 Flag of Croatia.svg RK Rudan Adria Oil
94CB Shaban Zogaj (2002-03-07) 7 March 2002 (age 23)1.90 m69 Flag of Denmark.svg Aalborg Håndbold

Individual all-time records

Notes and references

Notes

  1. ^
    Taip Ramadani during 2020 due to COVID-related travel restrictions could not join the team and so Cabanas was named as his replacement for the 2020 matches. [4]

References

  1. "Kosova fiton medaljen e bronztë në hendboll".
  2. "Qerimi shpall listën për ndeshjet me Malin e Zi dhe Slloveninë".
  3. 1 2 Official website OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg (in Albanian)
  4. "Javier Cabanas drejton Kosovën në ndeshjet me Malin e Zi dhe Suedinë" [Javier Cabanas leads Kosovo in matches with Montenegro and Sweden] (in Albanian). Handball Federation of Kosovo. 21 October 2020.