The list of Kosovo international footballers born outside Kosovo includes all the players who were born outside Kosovo, including the Kosovan diaspora. This has happened officially since 6 February 2013, when the national team was given permission by FIFA to play against FIFA member associations in international friendlies. [1] The first non-Albanian international football player, Adis Nurković was born in Velika Kladuša, SFR Yugoslavia (now Bosnia and Herzegovina) and he represented Kosovo during the 2017. [2] The majority of these players were born in Switzerland.
The following players:
The players are ordered per modern-day country of birth or if the country at the time of birth differs from the current, this is indicated with a subsection.
Below is the list of the 73 (66 eligible + 7 ineligible) players who have born outside Kosovo.
Name | Place of birth | Origin | Pos. | First call-up | Last call-up | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Opponent | Date | Opponent | Date | ||||
Amir Saipi | Schaffhausen | Prizren | GK | Lithuania | 12 October 2024 | Cyprus | 15 October 2024 |
Andi Hoti | Uster | Ratkoc | DF | Switzerland | 9 September 2023 | Lithuania | 12 October 2024 |
Kreshnik Krasniqi | Hønefoss | Gjakova | MF | Norway , 5 June 2024 | |||
Shkelqim Vladi | Thun | Ferizaj | FW | Northern Ireland | 24 September 2022 | Cyprus | 9 September 2024 |
Valon Zumberi | Hamburg | Preševo | DF | Cyprus | 2 June 2022 | Romania | 12 September 2023 |
Bashkim Ajdini | Halmstad | Veliki Trnovac | DF | San Marino | 1 June 2021 | Malta | 4 June 2021 |
Dren Feka | Bad Oldesloe | Vushtrri | MF | Albania , 29 May 2018 | |||
Labinot Kabashi | Vantaa | Poljance | MF | Croatia | 6 October 2016 | Ukraine | 9 October 2016 |
Player is not available at international level due to FIFA eligibility rules.
Name | Place of birth | Origin | Pos. | Caps | Goals | First cap or call-up | Last cap or call-up | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Opponent | Date | Opponent | Date | |||||||
Uran Bislimi | Basel | Shtime | MF | 2 | 1 | Armenia | 16 November 2022 | Faroe Islands | 19 November 2022 | [P 59] |
Agon Sadiku | Raahe | FW | 2 | 0 | Armenia | 16 November 2022 | Faroe Islands | 19 November 2022 | [P 60] | |
Gledi Mici | Tirana | Pristina (by naturalization) | DF | Has not debuted | Guinea | 8 June 2021 | Gambia | 11 June 2021 | — | |
Enis Bunjaki | Offenbach am Main | Gjilan | FW | 2 | 0 | Senegal | 25 May 2014 | Oman | 7 September 2014 | [P 61] |
Albion Avdijaj | Zürich | Gjakova | FW | 2 | 0 | Turkey | 21 May 2014 | Senegal | 25 May 2014 | [P 62] |
Edvin Kurtulus | Halmstad | Prizren | DF | Has not debuted | Cyprus | 2 June 2022 | Greece | 12 June 2022 | — | |
Kastriot Dermaku | Scandiano | Kamenica | DF | Azerbaijan | 7 September 2018 | Faroe Islands | 10 September 2018 |
The Kosovo national football team represents Kosovo in men's international football. The team is controlled by the Football Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for football in Kosovo, and is under the jurisdiction of FIFA globally.
Football Club Drita, commonly known as Drita, is a professional football club based in Gjilan, Kosovo. The club plays in the Football Superleague of Kosovo.
The Fadil Vokrri Stadium, previously known as Pristina City Stadium, is a multi-purpose stadium in Pristina, Kosovo, which is used mostly for football matches and is the home ground of FC Prishtina and the Kosovo national football team. The stadium has a capacity of 13,980.
Kosovo made its Olympic debut as a member state in 2016. Its team is organized by the Olympic Committee of Kosovo (OCK), created in 1992 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee on 9 December 2014. It won its first medal in its debut appearance in 2016, when judoka Majlinda Kelmendi took gold in the women's -52 kg category. In the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Nora Gjakova won gold in the women's judo -57 kg class, and Distria Krasniqi won gold in the women's judo -48 kg class.
Sport in Kosovo is a tradition and plays a prominent role. Popular sports in Kosovo include football, basketball, volleyball, handball, and rugby, whereas major individual sports include wrestling, judo, swimming, boxing, karate and skiing.
Albert Bunjaki is a Kosovan professional football coach and former player who is the current manager of IF Karlstad.
Donis Xhemë Avdijaj is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for Austrian Bundesliga club TSV Hartberg. Born in Germany, he represented the Kosovo national team.
Albion Qaush Avdijaj is a professional footballer who plays as a forward. Born in Switzerland, he represented that nation at youth international levels, appeared in two friendly matches for the Kosovo senior team, and played twice for Albania at under-21 level.
Julian Bibleka, is a Kosovar professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for German club 1. FC Kaan-Marienborn. He made one appearance for the Kosovo national team in 2014.
Alban Bunjaku is a professional footballer who last played as an attacking midfielder for Dutch club Dordrecht. Born in England, he represented Kosovo at international level.
Mersim Asllani is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Swiss club Bulle and the Kosovo national team.
Emir Sahiti is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a left winger for 2. Bundesliga club Hamburger SV and the Kosovo national team.
Qendresa Krasniqi is a Kosovan-born Albanian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Swiss Women's Super League club FC Basel, the Albania women's national team and later for the Kosovo women's national team.
Jetmir Topalli is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a forward for TFF First League club Manisa, on loan from İstanbulspor, and the Kosovo national team.
Naser Sahiti is a Kosovan mechanical engineer, professor, and former rector. He was a Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and served as the Rector of the University of Pristina, from 2020 to 2022.
Fisnik Asllani is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for German 2. Bundesliga club SV Elversberg on loan from TSG Hoffenheim. A former international for Kosovo U17, he played for the Germany national youth teams in a pair of friendlies before switching back to play for the Kosovo national team.
Ilir Krasniqi is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Ukrainian Premier League club Kolos Kovalivka. Born in Germany, he represents the Kosovo national team at international level.
Ermal Krasniqi is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a winger for Czech First League club Sparta Prague and the Kosovo national team.