Altin Rraklli

Altin Rraklli (born 17 July 1970) is an Albanian retired footballer who played as a forward and currently works as a coach.

Altin Rraklli
Personal information
Full name Altin Rraklli
Date of birth (1970-07-17) 17 July 1970
Place of birth Kavajë, Albania
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
1987–1990 Besa Kavajë
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1990–1992 Besa 68 (43)
1992–1996 SC Freiburg 86 (22)
1996–1997 Hertha BSC 28 (5)
1997–2002 SpVgg Unterhaching 147 (29)
2002–2003 Diyarbakırspor 12 (2)
2003–2004 Jahn Regensburg 21 (2)
2004–2005 Tirana 35 (19)
2005–2006 Besa 14 (4)
2009 SpVgg Bayern Hof 2 (0)
Total 413 (126)
National team
1992–2005 Albania 63 (11)
Teams managed
2009–2011 Tirana AS
2011–2016 Albania (women)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Most of his professional career was spent in Germany, where he played for five clubs in both major levels of football, mainly Freiburg and Unterhaching for a total of 282 games.[1] He was the first ever player from the nation to compete in the Bundesliga.[2]

Playing career

Club

Born in Kavajë, Rraklli began his career with Besa Kavajë, moving to the professionals three years later. In 1992 he signed a two-year contract worth 15,000 Deutsche Mark with Germany's SC Freiburg,[3] being instrumental in the Black Forest club's first ever top flight promotion by scoring 16 second division goals (squad best, tenth in the league, as Freiburg scored 102); in the next three Bundesliga seasons, he would only manage to be relatively used.

In the following eight years, Rraklli continued to work in Germany, mainly in the second level: Hertha BSC, SpVgg Unterhaching – achieving another promotion and living his best professional years – and SSV Jahn Regensburg, also having one-season spells in Turkey and his homeland and retiring professionally in 2006 with German top flight totals of 111 matches and 16 goals.

Rraklli returned in Albania in the summer of 2004, joining Tirana. He scored 19 league goals in his first season back in Albania, more than any other Tirana player, helping the team to win the championship.[4] One of the highlights of the season was a hat-trick he scored against Teuta Durrës on 6 May 2005.[4] On 21 August 2005, he played in the 2005 Albanian Supercup against Teuta Durrës which ended in a 5–4 penalty shootout win; Rraklli scored his team's last attempt.[5]

Rraklli retired for good in 2009 at 39 years of age, after a brief spell with German amateurs SpVgg Bayern Hof.

International

Rraklli has been a member of Albania national team from 1992 to 2005, amassing 63 appearances and scoring 11 goals.[6][7][8] His debut was a memorable one, as he scored the only goal of a friendly match against Greece on 29 January 1992,[9] to give Albania only their second ever win versus Ethniki.[10] Shortly after, Rraklli was a member of the squad in the qualifying campaign of 1994 FIFA World Cup, making his competitive debut, in his second ever appearance, in a 2–0 defeat to Republic of Ireland in Dublin on 26 May.[11] He went on to play six matches in the remaining part of the qualifiers, scoring only once, a late consolation goal in the home loss to Northern Ireland, which was his first competitive goal as well.[12] It was a campaign to forget for Albania as they finished Group 3 in the last position, collecting only four points in 12 matches.[13]

Rraklli partnered Sokol Kushta in the UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying campaign, where Albania was placed in Group 7.[14] He missed only one game, the opening against Wales in September 1994,[15] but played the remaining nine, wearing the number 10 shirt, and scored two times. Rraklli is especially remembered among Albanian fans for his stupendous goal against Germany,[16] a right-footed volley from the a tight angle that went in the left triangle of Andreas Köpke's goal. Even tho Albania lost the match 2–1 at Fritz-Walter-Stadion,[17] the goal received notoriety in both Albania and Germany.[18] It was yet another poor campaign by Albania, who achieved the last place jointly with Wales, who had better goal difference.[14]

At 32 years old, Rraklli was snubbed by newly appointed manager Giuseppe Dossena for the opening UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying matches against Switzerland and Russia in October 2002. He, however, returned in March 2003 after being called up by team manager Hans-Peter Briegel, making his first qualifying appearance against Russia at Loro Boriçi Stadium, netting the opener inside 20 minutes in a subsequent 3–1 win;[19] he became only the second ever Albania player to reach double-figures with the national team, the first being Sokol Kushta, who achieved the feat in 1995.[20] It was also the official debut of manager Hans-Peter Briegel.[19] At the time he also become all-time top goalscorer of Albania, with 10 goals.[21]

Rraklli's final appearance took part on 30 March 2005 coincidentally against Greece, valid for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. Unlike his debut, Rraklli didn't score, and entered as a second-half substitute, unable to prevent the 2–0 away loss.[22] It was his 63rd appearance, which at that time placed him in second in the all-time appearance maker list, only behind goalkeeper Foto Strakosha (73).[23] He played only two matches during the qualifying stage, both of them as substitute, as Albania concluded Group 2 in fifth position with 13 points, leaving behind Georgia and Kazakhstan.[24]

Managerial career

Rraklli started working as a manager immediately after retiring, creating Tirana AS and going on to win the inaugural Albanian women's championship.[25] In 2011, he was appointed at the helm of the women's national team since 2011.[26]

In April 2016, Rraklli left his position due to family reasons.[27] In December 2015, Rraklli was at the center of a controversy, as several players refused call-ups due to sexual harassment by the coach.[28][29] The local media also released several messages of Rraklli asking for sexual favours to several girls in reward of being part of the team.[30] Some of the players were Ambra Gjegji, Lucie Gjini, Ezmiralda Franja and Megi Doçi, who were not allowed to go to the national team by their family after the scandal became public.[28]

Personal life

In November 2016, Rraklli was accused in match fixing in Austria.[31] He was sentenced to ten months in prison, a sentence currently suspended.[32]

In July 2017, the Prosecution of Tirana requested 7 years imprisonment for Rraklli after being accused for fraud.[33] Rraklli was accused of fraud for €150,000 towards an Albanian citizen, whose name is unknown, but it was alleged that it was his relative.[33] The sentence was reduced to five years by the court, and later to three years and four months, due to Rraklli asking for shortened trial. Later, his sentence was converted into two years of test service.[32]

Career statistics

Club

Sources:[34][35][36]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Besa Kavajë 1990–91 Albanian Superliga 382700——3827
1991–92 301600——3016
Total 684800——6848
SC Freiburg 1992–93 2. Bundesliga 371611——3817
1993–94 Bundesliga 21632——248
1994–95 17010——180
1995–96 110202[lower-alpha 1]0—150
Total 86227320—9525
Hertha BSC 1995–96 2. Bundesliga 14300——143
1996–97 14210——152
Total 28510——295
SpVgg Unterhaching 1997–98 2. Bundesliga 27900——279
1998–99 33921——3510
1999–2000 Bundesliga 32610——336
2000–01 30421——325
2001–02 2. Bundesliga 25120——271
Total 1472972——15431
Diyarbakırspor 2002–03 Süper Lig 12200——122
Jahn Regensburg 2003–04 2. Bundesliga 21222——234
Tirana 2004–05 Albanian Superliga 29199400—3823
2005–06 60414[lower-alpha 2]11[lower-alpha 3]0152
Total 351913541105325
Besa Kavajë 2005–06 Albanian Superliga 14400——144
SpVgg Bayern Hof 2009–10 Bayernliga 2000——20
Career total 40812630126110445139
  1. All appearance(s) in UEFA Cup
  2. All appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  3. Appearance in Albanian Supercup

International caps

Sources:[6][7]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Albania 199251
199331
199442
199561
199640
199740
199882
199961
200030
200141
200240
200381
200431
200510
Total6311
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Goals Result Competition
1 29 January 1992Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania1 Greece1–1 TFriendly
2 17 February 19936 Northern Ireland1–2 L1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 14 May 1994Gradski stadion, Tetovo, Macedonia9 Macedonia1–5 LFriendly
4 18 December 1994Fritz-Walter-Stadion, Kaiserslautern, Germany12 Germany1–2 LUEFA Euro 1996 qualifying
5 6 September 1995Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania16 Bulgaria1–1 T
6 21 January 1998Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Antalya, Turkey27 Turkey 4–1 WFriendly
7 9 October 1999Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania40 Georgia2–1 WUEFA Euro 2000 qualifying
8 28 March 200145 England1–3 L2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 29 March 2003Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania52 Russia3–1 WUEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
10 18 August 2004Tsirio Stadium, Limassol, Cyprus61 Cyprus1–2 LFriendly

Honours

Club

Tirana

References
  1. Arnhold, Matthias (16 July 2015). "Altin Rraklli – Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  2. "Rakli futbollisti i parë shqiptar që luajti në Bundesligën gjermane" [Rraklli the first Albanian footballer that played in the German Bundesliga] (in Albanian). Alsat-m.tv. 30 November 2017. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  3. ""Ambasadori" Altin Rraklli: Më shumë mirënjohje në Gjermani, se në Shqipëri!" [“The Ambassador” Altin Rraklli: More gratitude in Germany than in Albania] (in Albanian). Alsat-m.tv. 17 February 1991. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  4. Nappi, Giovanni (28 September 2005). "Albania 2004/05". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  5. Nappi, Giovanni (1 September 2005). "Albania Cup (Kupa e Shqipërisë) 2004/05". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  6. "Altin Rraklli". European Football. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  7. Mamrud, Roberto (6 April 2011). "Altin Rraklli – Goals in International Matches". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  8. Hoxha, Florent; Mamrud, Roberto (29 February 2012). "Goalscoring for Albania National Team". RSSSF. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  9. "Albania 1–0 Greece". Football Database. 29 January 1992. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  10. "Albania national football team: record v Greece". 11v11.com. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  11. Davies, Christopher (5 June 2003). "Albania have new hunger to succeed". Dublin: The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  12. "Albania 1:2 (0:2) Northern Ireland". allworldcup.narod.ru. 17 February 1993. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  13. Stokkermans, Karel; Jarreta, Sergio Henrique (9 June 2016). "World Cup 1994 Qualifying". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  14. "Preliminary round – Group 7". UEFA.com. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  15. "Wales 2–0 Albania". UEFA.com. 7 September 1994. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  16. "EKSKLUZIVE/ RRAKLLI: Ja çfarë më tha MATHEUS kur i shënova Gjermanisë. FSHF më gënjeu, DERBIN e fiton…" [Exclusive/ Rraklli: Here is what Matthaus told me when I scored against Germany. AFA lied to me, the derby is going to be win by…] (in Albanian). Sport.Alpenews.al. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  17. "Germany 2–1 Albania". UEFA.com. 18 December 1994. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  18. "Altin Rraklli: Gjermanët më shikonin shtrembër për golin e 1994-s" [Altin Rraklli: The Germans used to see me awry for the goal of 1994] (in Albanian). Gazeta Dita. 11 April 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2019.
  19. "Flying start for Briegel". UEFA.com. 30 March 2003. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  20. "Sokol Kushta". European Football. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  21. "Golashënuesit e Kombëtares, kryeson Alban Bushi" [Goalscorers of national team, Alban Bushi leads]. Albania Sport. Arkiva Shqiptare e Lajmeve. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
  22. "Greece vs. Albania 2 – 0". Soccerway. 30 March 2005. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  23. "Statistika/ Ndeshjet ndërkombëtare të lojtarëve të Kombëtares" [Statistics/ International matches of national team players]. Albania Sport. Arkiva Shqiptare e Lajmeve. 11 July 2006. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  24. "World Cup 2006 Qualifying - Match Details". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  25. "Der Trainer ist ein saucooler Typ" [The coach is a cool guy] (in German). Spox. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  26. "Rraklli: Every game is an experience". FIFA.com. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
  27. "EKSKLUZIVE/ Rraklli largohet nga stoli i Kombëtares së femrave, ja kush e zëvendëson" [EXCLUSIVE/ Rraklli leaves women's national team, who replaces him] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 22 April 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  28. "Skandali / Katër vajza refuzojnë thirrjen e trajnerit Rraklli" [The scandal / Four girls refuses the call of coach Rraklli] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  29. "Skandali në Kombëtaren e Femrave, trajneri kërkon favore nga lojtaret, zbardhen mesazhet ngacmuese" [The scandal in the women's national team, the coach asks sexual favours from the players, the teased messages are unveiled] (in Albanian). Newsbomb.al. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  30. Syla, Elidona (4 December 2015). "Trajneri kërkon favore nga futbollistet e kombëtares, zbulohen mesazhet ngacmuese" [The coach asks favours from the national team players, the teased messages are unveiled] (in Albanian). Shekulli.com.al. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  31. "Altin Rraklli: Ju rrëfej të vërtetën e gjyqit dhe dënimit tim në Austri" [Altin Rraklli: I confess you the truth of the court and my sentence in Austria] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 6 November 2016. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  32. "Altin Rraklli i shpëton prangave. Pas burgut me kusht në Austri, dënohet me shërbim prove në Shqipëri" [Altin Rraklli escapes from the handcuffs, sentenced with test service in Albania] (in Albanian). BalkanWeb.com. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  33. "Prokuroria, 7 vite burg për Rrakllin!" [The Prosecution, 7 years jail for Rraklli!] (in Albanian). Sport Ekspres. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  34. "Altin Rraklli". Football Database. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  35. "Altin Rraklli". National Football Teams. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
  36. Arnhold, Matthias. "Altin Rraklli - Matches and Goals in Bundesliga". RSSSF.com. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
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