Armend Sabit Dallku (born 16 June 1983) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player who is a current manager of Dukagjini. He represented Albania at under-21 and full international level, collecting 64 international senior caps between years 2005–2013, thus becoming part of top ten of list of Albania international footballers, remaining until March 2017, when he was overwrited by national side captain at the time, Ansi Agolli.

Armend Dallku
Dallku with Vorskla Poltava in 2016
Personal information
Full name Armend Sabit Dallku[1]
Date of birth (1983-06-16) 16 June 1983 (age 41)
Place of birth Vushtrri, SFR Yugoslavia
(now Kosovo)
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Centre-back, right-back
Team information
Current team
Dukagjini (manager)
Youth career
1997–2002 Vushtrria
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Prishtina 47 (1)
2004–2005 Elbasani 23 (0)
2005–2016 Vorskla Poltava 292 (5)
2016–2019 Prishtina 41 (4)
Total 403 (10)
International career
2002–2005 Albania U21 5 (0)
2005–2013 Albania 64 (1)
Managerial career
2019 Prishtina U19
2019–2020 Prishtina
2020– Dukagjini
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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Early career

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Dallku was born in Vushtrri, and began his career at his hometown club KF Kosova Vushtrri. before transferring to Prishtina. Dallku's professional career started off in 2003 when he signed up with KF Prishtina. He spent the 2002–03 season there.[2] In 2004, he moved to Elbasani, playing 25 games in all competitions.

Vorskla Poltava

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Dallku with Vorskla Poltava in September 2011

In the summer of 2005, Dallku joined Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava in the Ukrainian Premier League. He became one of the team's key players of the defending line. He scored two goals during the 2006–07 season.

On 1 May 2016, Dallku announced his retirement from professional football at the end of the season via a Facebook status.[3] Fourteen, Dallku played his final match as a professional footballer in a 1–0 home loss to Oleksandriya in the final day of the season, ending thus his 13-year career, 11 of them with Vorskla Poltava.[4]

Prishtina

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On 14 June 2016, Dallku completed a transfer to his first senior club Prishtina, signing a one-year contract, taking the vacant squad number 4.[5] He was presented on the same day along with players such as Ahmed Januzi and Debatik Curri, his former international teammates.[6] Two weeks later, he was prompted new captain after the position was left vacant.[7] Speaking of that, Dallku stated: "It doesn't matter who's the captain. The important thing is the team to work properly."[7]

Dallku made his official debut with the club on 13 August in the Kosovan Supercup, where Prishtina beat 1–0 Feronikeli to win the first silverware of the season.[8] He made his league debut on 19 August in the opening league match against Llapi, playing full-90 minutes in a 3–1 home success.[9] He scored his first goal of the later on 22 October in the matchday 10 against Trepça.[10]

On 14 January 2017, in the yearly ceremony held by Football Federation of Kosovo, Dallku was named in the 2016 Team of the Year along with his teammate Liridon Leci.[11] He played 31 matches and scored one goal as Prishtina finished runner-up in the championship.[12]

International career

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Dallku received the Albanian citizenship on 16 August 2004.[13]

In 2004 Dallku became part of the Albania national under-21 team managed by Hasan Lika playing in 4 first matches valid for the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification Group 2 where he completed full 90-minutes in each match, helping the team to take 1 win versus Kazakhstan and 1 draw against Greece.[14]

His performances resulted in a call up from Senior team by coach Hans-Peter Briegel for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA) 5th game against Ukraine on 9 February 2005. Briegel decided to give the 20-year-old defender a start as a centre-back on his debut against a very strong Ukraine side. Although he played well he was unable to stop Ukraine from scoring two goals on either side of the interval. He became regular part of the senior side as he was called up for the March's matches playing the full match against Turkey as right-back where Albania lost 2–0.[15] In the next game against Greece coach Briegel left Dallku on the bench, bringing him on in the 85th minute with score at 2–0, though he was unable to change anything as Albania lost again.[16] Dallku was returned to U-21 for June's matches playing the full 90-minutes against Denmark in a heavy defeat 7–0.[17] He returned soon to senior side being an unused substitute against Kazakhstan on 3 September 2005, match won by Albania 2–1. He returned in action in October's month playing the full match against Ukraine as a centre-back in a 2–2 draw. Then 4 days later in the closing match against Turkey he played in the starting line up as a centre-back, receiving a yellow card in the 22nd minute with Albania losing home 0–1 by a 58th-minute goal where Dallku was replaced in the 63rd minute.[18]

He scored his first goal in a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifier against Malta on 10 September 2008. The match ended 3–0 to Albania, which sent them to the top of their group ahead of giant teams such as Portugal, Sweden and Denmark.

He retired from international football on 6 March 2014 with 64 senior international caps and one goal.[19][20] Dallku announced that he will play one last game against Kosovo, which was played on 13 November in Pristina.[21] However, Dallku didn't play but was mentioned.[22]

Personal life

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Dallku's younger brother, Ardin (born 1 November 1994), is also a footballer who plays also as a defender and from 2012 to 2016 both brothers played each other at Vorskla Poltava.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 4 November 2017[23][24]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Prishtina 2002–03 Football Superleague of Kosovo 30 0 0 0 30 0
2003–04 17 1 0 0 17 1
Total 47 1 0 0 47 1
Elbasani 2004–05 Albanian Superliga 23 0 23 0
Vorskla Poltava 2005–06 Ukrainian Premier League 25 0 25 0
2006–07 28 2 28 2
2007–08 27 0 2 0 29 0
2008–09 28 0 4 0 32 0
2009–10 29 0 1 0 2[a] 0 1 0 33 0
2010–11 29 1 1 0 30 1
2011–12 26 1 2 0 11[a] 0 39 1
2012–13 28 0 1 0 29 0
2013–14 28 1 2 0 30 1
2014–15 22 0 4 0 26 0
2015–16 22 0 5 1 2[a] 0 29 1
Total 292 5 22 1 15 0 1 0 330 6
Prishtina 2016–17 Football Superleague of Kosovo 29 1 2 0 1[b] 0 32 1
2017–18 12 3 0 0 2[a] 0 14 3
Total 41 4 2 0 2 0 1 0 46 4
Career total 403 10 24 1 17 0 2 0 446 11
  1. ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ Appearance in Kosovar Supercup

International

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As of 25 October 2015[25][26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Albania 2005 7 0
2006 6 0
2007 9 0
2008 6 1
2009 8 0
2010 8 0
2011 8 0
2012 8 0
2013 4 0
Total 64 1
Albania score listed first, score column indicates score after each Dallku goal.[26]
International goals by date, venue, cap, opponent, score, result and competition
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 September 2008 Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania 26   Malta 2–0 3–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

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Prishtina
Vorskla Poltava

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Dekret nr.4297, datë 16.8.2004 për dhënie të shtetësisë shqiptare" [Decree No. 4297, dated 16.8.2004 on granting Albanian citizenship] (in Albanian). Center of Official Publications (Albania). 16 August 2004. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 3 October 2019. I jepet shtetësia shqiptare me kërkesë të tij: Armend Sabit Dallku
  2. ^ "Armend Dallku - biography, stats, rating, footballer's profile". Footballtop.com. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  3. ^ Erald Kodheli (1 May 2016). "Armend Dallku mes Europës dhe lamtumirës nga Vorskla" [Armend Dallku between Europe and farewell from Vorskla] (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  4. ^ Sotir Kora (16 May 2016). "Armend Dallku "var këpucët në gozhdë"" [Armend Dallku "hangs up the boots in nail"] (in Albanian). Super Sport Albania. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  5. ^ "Prishtina me lojtarë me karrierë ndërkombëtare" [Prishtina with players with international careers] (in Albanian). Telegraf.al. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Prishtina e ka seriozisht, afron tre ish-lojtarë të Shqipërisë" [Prishtina is serious, approaches three ex-players of Albania] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 14 June 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. ^ a b "Kush do të jetë kapiten i Prishtinës? Përgjigjet Dallku" [Who's gonna be the new captain of Prishtina? Dallku answers] (in Albanian). Gazeta Olle. 26 June 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  8. ^ "Kosovë / Prishtina e Dallkut dhe Currit fiton Superkupën" [Kosovo / Prishtina of Dallku and Curri wins the Supercup] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  9. ^ Avni Durmishi (19 August 2016). "Java I: Prishtina – Llapi 3:1" [Week I: Prishtina – Llapi 3:1] (in Albanian). Prishtina FC. Retrieved 27 September 2016.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "Prishtina mposht Trepçën" [Prishtina defeats Trepça] (in Albanian). Indeks Online. 22 October 2016. Archived from the original on 1 March 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
  11. ^ a b "FFK-ja zgjedh më të mirët e vitit" [FFK selects the bests of the year] (in Albanian). Prishtina FC. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ "Java XXXIII: Drenica - Prishtina 1-3" [WEEK XXXIII: Drenica - Prishtina 1-3] (in Albanian). Prishtina FC. 28 May 2017. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  13. ^ "PËR DHËNIE TË SHTETËSISË SHQIPTARE" [FOR GIVING THE ALBANIAN CITIZENSHIP] (in Albanian). Qendra e Botimeve Zyrtare. 16 August 2004. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
  14. ^ Armend Dallku at WorldFootball.net
  15. ^ "Turkey - Albania 2:0 (WC Qualifiers Europe 2004/2005, Group 2)". WorldFootball.net. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  16. ^ "Greece vs. Albania". Soccerway. 26 March 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Denmark - Albania 7:0 (U21 EURO Qualifiers 2004/2005, Group 2)". WorldFootball.net. 7 June 2005. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  18. ^ "Armend Dallku » WC Qualifiers Europe 2004/2005". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  19. ^ "Armend Dallku, lamtumirë kombëtares" [Armend Dallku, goodbye to the national team] (in Albanian). FSHF.org. 6 March 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  20. ^ "Armend Dallku, lamtumirë kombëtares" [Armend Dallku, goodbye to the national team] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport. 6 March 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  21. ^ "Kosovë – Shqipëri, pensionohet Dallku" [Kosovo – Albania, Dallku retires] (in Albanian). Lajmi.net. 4 November 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  22. ^ "Dallku e Curri përshëndeten nga Kombëtarja" [Dallku and Curri gets greeted by the national team] (in Albanian). Telegrafi.com. 13 November 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  23. ^ Armend Dallku at Soccerway. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  24. ^ "Armend Dallku profile". FC Prishtina. Archived from the original on 29 October 2017. Retrieved 28 October 2017.
  25. ^ "Armend Dallku". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Armend Dallku - national football team player". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  27. ^ "Kapiteni i Prishtinës, Armend Dallku "Mjeshtër sporti" në Ukrainë" [Prishtina's captain, Armend Dallku “Sport master” in Ukraine] (in Albanian). PrishtinaFC. 13 December 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
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