In an article entitled Albania’s biggest European success stories, UEFA presents statistics over the performance, appearance and the top scoring of the Albanian players in European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League, underlining the most recent of the Albania’s Red and Blacks national team.
“With Skënderbeu in the UEFA Europa League group stage and the national team bound for UEFA EURO 2016, UEFA.com celebrates Albania’s top UEFA club performers,” UEFA writes on its official website.
UEFA celebrates Albania’s top performers with the highest number of appearances in the European competitions. Besnik Hasi, Anderlecht, tops the list of Albanian players’ appearances in European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League with a total of 35 appearances, followed by Altin Haxhi with 21 appearances, and Lorik Cana with 20 appearances.
The top-scoring Albanian players list is headed by Hamdi Salihi with six goals, followed by Devis Muka with 5, and Alban Bushi placed third with four goals.
Albania’s national team captain Lorik Cana tops the list regarding the number of appearances by Albanian players in UEFA club competition with 56 appearances, followed by Admir Teli with 48, and Ansi Agolli with a total of 45 appearances.
Most appearances by an Albanian player in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying) according to UEFA:
35: Besnik Hasi (Anderlecht)
21: Altin Haxhi (Litex Lovech, CSKA Sofia, Anorthosis, APOEL)
20: Lorik Cana (Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Lazio)
20: Taulant Xhaka (Basel)
19: Elvis Sina (Tirana, Dinamo Tirana)
16: Eldorado Merkoci (Vllaznia, Tirana)
16: Orges Shehi (Skënderbeu)
15: Rezart Dabulla (Tirana)
15: Nevil Dede (Tirana, Elbasani)
Top-scoring Albanian players in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup/UEFA Champions League (including qualifying)
6: Hamdi Salihi (Tirana, Skënderbeu)
5: Devis Mukaj (Tirana)
4: Alban Bushi (Litex Lovech)
3: Klodian Duro (Vllaznia, Tirana)
3: Indrit Fortuzi (Tirana)
3: Agostin Kola (Dinamo Tirana, Tirana)
3: Bledi Shkëmbi (Skënderbeu)
Most appearances by Albanian players in UEFA club competition*
56: Lorik Cana (Paris Saint-Germain, Marseille, Galatasaray, Lazio)
48: Admir Teli (Vllaznia, Elbasani, Qarabağ)
45: Ansi Agolli (Tirana, Neuchâtel Xamax, Qarabağ)
44: Besnik Hasi (Genk, Anderlecht)
40: Altin Haxhi (Panahaiki, Litex Lovech, Iraklis, CSKA Sofia, Anorthosis, APOEL)
37: Hamdi Salihi (Vllaznia, Tirana, Ried, Rapid Wien, Skënderbeu)
36: Orges Shehi (Teuta, Bylis, Vllaznia, Partizani, Besa, Skënderbeu)
34: Elvis Sina (Tirana, Dinamo Tirana)
33: Kliton Bozgo (Maribor, Olimpija Ljubljana)
32: Igli Allmuça (Partizani, Tirana, Dinamo Tirana, Skënderbeu, Kukësi)
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Hamdi Salihi with Rapid Wien
Top-scoring Albanian players in UEFA club competition*
14: Hamdi Salihi (Vllaznia, Tirana, Ried, Rapid Wien, Skënderbeu)
13: Kliton Bozgo (Maribor, Olimpija Ljubljana)
10: Indrit Fortuzi (Tirana)
6: Dorian Bylykbashi (Vllaznia, Partizani)
6: Klodian Duro (Vllaznia, Tirana, Omonia)
6: Devis Mukaj (Flamurtari, Varaždin, Tirana)
6: Vasil Ruci (Flamurtari)
5: Gentian Begeja (Teuta)
5: Daniel Xhafaj (Dinamo Tirana, Teuta, Elbasani, Tirana, Flamurtari, Skënderbeu)
Only Albanian player to play in a UEFA club competition final
Igli Tare (Brescia 1-1agg Paris Saint-Germain, Paris win on away goals, 2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup)
First Albanian to play in the UEFA Champions League group stage
Bledar Kola (Panathinaikos 2-0 Dynamo Kyiv, 16/09/98)
First Albanian to coach in the UEFA Champions League group stage
Besnik Hasi (Anderlecht, 2014/15)
First Albanian to score in the UEFA Champions League group stage
Besart Berisha (Hamburg 3-2 CSKA Moskva, 06/12/06)
First Albanian to score in the European Champion Clubs’ Cup
Kolec Kraja (Partizani 1-1 Norrköping, 12/09/62)/ata/