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Kosovo
Kosovo
Information
Nickname	Dardanët (Dardanians); Luanët e Artë (Golden Lions);
Association	Handball Federation of Kosovo
Coach	Bujar Qerimi
Captain	Valon Dedaj
Most caps	Kastriot Jupa (56)
Most goals	Kastriot Jupa (189)
Colours
1st	2nd
Results
IHF Emerging Nations Championship
Appearances	2 (First in 2015)
Best result	3rd (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

2018 European Men's Handball Championship - Round 1 (did not qualify)
2020 European Men's Handball Championship - Phase 2 Playoffs (did not Qualify)
2022 European Men's Handball Championship - Phase 2 Playoffs (did not qualify )
2024 European Men's Handball Championship - In progress

IHF Handball World Championship

2017 World Men's Handball Championship - Round 1 (did not qualify)
2019 World Men's Handball Championship - Round 1 (did not qualify)
2021 World Men's Handball Championship - Round 1 (did not qualify)
2023 World Men's Handball Championship - Round 1 (did not qualify)

IHF Emerging Nations Championship

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

Team

Current squad

The squad selected for the 2024 European Men's Handball Championship qualification matches.^[2]
Updated: 22 December 2022
Head coach: Bujar Qerimi

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

Coaches

No.	Name	Period
1.	Alfred Llazari	2014–2015
2.	Taib Kabashi	2015–2016
3.	Taip Ramadani → Javier Cabanas^[a]	2016–2021 2020–2021
4.	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

^
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]