The first destination in our alphabetical World tour is Albania. Having played their first FIFA recognised fixture in 1946, Albania qualified for their first ever major tournament at Euro 2016.
It may not be such a surprise that only two Albanian players have ever played in the Premier League, although one of these individuals happens to be one of the biggest names in the history of the Eagles national side.
First Player – Lorik Cana (Sunderland; 2009-10)
If you’re not from Sunderland or Albania, you probably won’t have an extensive knowledge of Lorik Cana. A versatile defender or midfielder, Cana arrived at the Stadium of Light after spells at PSG and Marseille and was made club captain soon after.
Though he became a popular figure on Wearside, he moved to Galatasaray after one season and 31 league appearances, citing Champions League football and proximity to his family in Albania as contributing factors.
While he was popular in Sunderland, he is a legend in Albania. Earning 92 caps over 13 years, Cana holds the record for most appearances. During this time, he captained his country for five years, leading them to Euro 2016 where he was sent off in their tournament opener against Switzerland as Albania exited at the group stage.
Records
- Most Appearances – Lorik Cana (31)
- First appearance – Lorik Cana (Bolton 0-1 SUNDERLAND, August 15th 2009)
- Most goals – None
- First goal – N/A
Other players
18-year-old forward Armando Broja only made his debut for Chelsea against Everton recently, but in doing so became the second Albanian to appear in the Premier League. Elsewhere, Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka’s parents are both Albanian and his brother, Taulant, elected to represent Albania at international level. The brothers faced each other at Euro 2016.
Trivia
- Lorik Cana (93 caps) has 15 more caps than any other Albanian.
- Granit Xhaka (Arsenal) and Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke, Liverpool) could’ve chosen to play for Albania.
