Fresh from victories in group, national side now stands 43 in the world, outranking regional powerhouses such as Turkey and Bulgaria.
TIRANA, May 8 – Albania’s national football team has climbed to the highest position ever in its history in the official FIFA rankings, becoming 43rd best team globally.
Fresh from some good performances in qualifying and friendly games, the Albanian national soccer side now outranks regional powerhouses such as Turkey and Bulgaria.
Albania’s national soccer team recently scored two wins in a row, creating a lot of buzz about the new selection of players led by Italian coach Gianni de Biazi.
The first win came against Norway for the World Cup qualifier in Group E. Hamdi Salihi found the net from the edge of the box to bring the visitors in a surprisingly victory in the Oslo.
Albania moved to within a point of FIFA World Cup Group E leaders Switzerland, as a neat Hamdi Salihi strike earned them a 1-0 win on a bitterly cold evening in Oslo.
Albania produced another excellent victory, this time in its home pitch, Qemal Stafa stadium, against Lithuania in a friendly just days after victory in Oslo. The match, held under a heavy rain and a muddy pitch, ended 4-1 for Albania. Albania’s Italian coach, de Biazi, is preparing a good team with many new players. The latest successes have increased hope of a dreamed qualification for the World Cup finals, which Albania has never been able to achieve.
