Kosovo men's national handball team

  • Dardanët (Dardanians)
  • Luanët e Artë (Golden Lions)
AssociationHandball Federation of KosovoCoachBujar QerimiCaptainValon DedajMost capsKastriot Jupa (56)Most goalsKastriot Jupa (189)Colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
1st
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
2nd
ResultsIHF Emerging Nations ChampionshipAppearances2 (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).

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.

EHF European Championship

IHF Handball World Championship

IHF Emerging Nations Championship

Year Position Pld W D L
Kosovo Kosovo 2015 3rd 6 4 0 2
Bulgaria Bulgaria 2017 3rd 6 4 0 2
Total 12 8 0 4

Team

Current squad

No. Pos. Name Date of birth (age) Height App. Goals Club
2 RW Agon Bajqinovci (1999-08-26) 26 August 1999 (age 24) 1.86 m 5 2 Kosovo KH Prishtina
5 PV Kastriot Jupa (1992-12-17) 17 December 1992 (age 31) 1.88 m 56 189 Germany LHC Cottbus
11 CB Valon Dedaj (1989-09-25) 25 September 1989 (age 34) 1.75 m 42 164 Switzerland HSC Kreuzlingen
12 GK Flamur Gërbeshi (1990-04-14) 14 April 1990 (age 33) 1.88 m 18 0 Sweden IFK Karlskrona
14 RB Drenit Tahirukaj (1998-04-28) 28 April 1998 (age 25) 1.92 m 28 82 Switzerland HSC Kreuzlingen
18 LW Florian Rexha (2001-11-29) 29 November 2001 (age 22) 1.88 m 2 0 Kosovo KH Vëllaznimi
21 RB Arbios Mushkolaj (2000-07-24) 24 July 2000 (age 23) 1.90 m 7 3 Kosovo KH Deçani
24 PV Luigj Quni (1996-02-26) 26 February 1996 (age 28) 1.91 m 36 49 Switzerland GC Amicitia Zürich
25 LB Festim Mustafa (1998-05-22) 22 May 1998 (age 25) 2.02 m 10 2 Kosovo KH Kastrioti
26 RW Drilon Tahirukaj (1995-08-28) 28 August 1995 (age 28) 1.80 m 41 88 Switzerland HSC Kreuzlingen
27 LW Lulëzim Shabani (1998-11-09) 9 November 1998 (age 25) 1.89 m 18 18 Kosovo KH Kastrioti
28 GK Haris Berisha (1996-06-26) 26 June 1996 (age 27) 1.99 m 33 1 Switzerland HSC Kreuzlingen
31 LB Bujar Ramosaj (1995-02-09) 9 February 1995 (age 29) 1.99 m 23 11 Switzerland HSC Kreuzlingen
33 LB Jon Muqolli (1999-02-11) 11 February 1999 (age 25) 1.90 m 18 9 Kosovo KH Besa Famgas
33 CB Leonard Gegaj (2001-10-02) 2 October 2001 (age 22) 1.80 m 13 9 Sweden Vinslövs HK
35 PV Rron Ramadani (1996-10-04) 4 October 1996 (age 27) 1.92 m 10 0 Kosovo KH Prishtina
35 LB Atdhe Basholli (1998-07-07) 7 July 1998 (age 25) 1.95 m 2 0 Germany AM Hallo Essen
68 CB Egzon Gjuka (1995-05-17) 17 May 1995 (age 28) 1.92 m 35 105 Kosovo KH Besa Famgas
77 LW Matej Taçi (2001-12-05) 5 December 2001 (age 22) 1.80 m 4 4 Croatia GRK Varaždin
91 GK Liridon Zena (1991-04-11) 11 April 1991 (age 32) 1.90 m 15 0 Croatia RK Rudan Adria Oil
94 CB Shaban Zogaj (2002-03-07) 7 March 2002 (age 22) 1.90 m 6 9 Denmark Aalborg Håndbold

Coaches

No. Name Period
1. Kosovo Alfred Llazari 2014–2015
2. Kosovo Taib Kabashi 2015–2016
3. Australia Taip Ramadani
→ Spain Javier Cabanas[a] 		2016–2021
2020–2021
4. KosovoBelgium Bujar Qerimi 2021–

Captains

  • Ylber Mjeku (2014–2016)
  • Valon Dedaj (2016-)

Individual all-time records

Most matches played

As of 22 December 2022[3]
Total number of matches played in official competitions only.
Rank Player Matches Goals
1 Kastriot Jupa 56 189
2 Deniz Terziqi 43 136
3 Valon Dedaj 42 164
4 Drilon Tahirukaj 41 78
5 Luigj Quni 36 49
6 Egzon Gjuka 35 105
6 Lindrit Fetahu 35 60
8 Oltion Beshiri 34 63
9 Haris Berisha 33 1
10 Drenit Tahirukaj 28 82

Most goals scored

As of 22 December 2022[3]
Total number of goals scored in official competitions only.
Rank Player Goals Matches
1 Kastriot Jupa 189 56
2 Valon Dedaj 164 42
3 Deniz Terziqi 136 43
4 Egzon Gjuka 105 35
5 Drilon Tahirukaj 88 41
6 Drenit Tahirukaj 82 28
8 Florim Hoxha 81 28
8 Enis Kabashi 67 19
9 Oltion Beshiri 63 34
10 Kreshnik Krasniqi 60 24
10 Lindrit Fetahu 60 35

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. ^ a b Official website Edit this at Wikidata (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.

External links

  • Official website Edit this at Wikidata (in Albanian)
  • IHF profile