Albania National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

ETRIT (BERISHA) · IVÁN (BALLIU) · ENEA (MIHAJ) · MARASH (KUMBULLA) · STAVRO (PILO) · MEDON (BERISHA) · JULJAN (SHEHU) · TAULANT (SEFERI) · ARBËR (HÖXHA) · LUIS (HASA) · REY (MANAJ)

Albania aims to play a high press, winning the ball back high up the pitch to catch opponents in transition. This intention is built into a 4-3-3 formation designed to stretch the defence and create attacking waves. The lineup relies on aggressive movements to squeeze the space in the middle and force turnovers in the final third.

Etrit acts as the last line of defence, managing the space behind the back line. The defensive unit operates as a flat back four, with Iván providing stability at right back while Stavro acts as an attacking full back on the left. In the center, Enea and Marash work as a central pair, with Enea focusing on winning the second ball and Marash acting as a covering defender to sweep behind the line when the team pushes up. The unit works to stay compact and maintain a high line to keep the team close together.

The midfield uses a three-man midfield with a carrier to control the tempo. Taulant plays as the attacking ten, operating in the hole to link the lines and arrive late into the box. Medon and Juljan occupy the central spaces, with Medon looking to drive forward with the ball and Juljan shielding the defence to deny the pivot of the opposition. This trio connects the defensive unit to the attack by recycling possession and finding the feet of the striker.

Albania utilizes three attackers across the front to pin the last defender. Rey operates as a pressing centre-forward, working to disrupt the opposition build up from the back. On the flanks, Luis and Arbër function as inverted wingers who cut inside to create central overloads. This movement allows the team to play through the lines and creates space for the full backs to overlap the winger. The front three look to combine in tight spaces and hit in behind on the transition once the ball is recovered.

One major advantage for Albania is the ability to press high in coordinated waves, making it difficult for opponents to play out from the back. The team also creates wide overloads when the wingers move inside, allowing the full backs to provide width. This creates numerical superiority in the attacking third and forces the opposition to defend against multiple threats.

This 4-3-3 formation is built for a side that wants to control the game through aggressive ball recovery and quick vertical movements. It is best suited for matches against opponents who struggle to play under pressure or leave large spaces behind their midfield.