Albania

Tirana has one stadium that matters to the national side, and the team's identity is older than the building: Albania played its first official international on 7 October 1946, and the same year won the Balkan Cup, the only trophy in its history. Loro Boriçi captained that side.

The governing body, the Albanian Football Federation, dates from 6 June 1930, when it began as a branch of the Albanian Sports Federation. FIFA membership followed on 16 June 1932. Albania was also among the founding members of UEFA, joining on 15 June 1954. After that came a long wait for a major finals.

It ended in October 2015. Under Gianni De Biasi, Albania finished second in their group behind Portugal, and a 3-0 win over Armenia confirmed a place at Euro 2016. The road there had been rough: the qualifier in Belgrade the year before was abandoned after a drone carrying a "Greater Albania" flag flew over the pitch and supporters came onto it. Serbia remains a fixture of the rivalry list; the other name on it is Kosovo, whose meetings with Albania are called the Derbi Shqiptar. Albania went out in the group stage at Euro 2016 and again at Euro 2024. They have never reached a World Cup.

Home games are played at the Arena Kombëtare, which holds 22,500 and carries the sponsor's name, Air Albania Stadium. The Kuqezinjtë, the Red and Blacks, wear red shirts, black shorts and red socks at home. The other nickname, Shqiponjat, means the Eagles.

The record for appearances belongs to Elseid Hysaj, with 100 caps. Erjon Bogdani has the most goals, 18. Lorik Cana, with 93 caps, was central to the Euro 2016 qualification, and he is the name the current generation still cites.