This is a list of historical and living notable Kosovar Albanians (ethnic Albanian people from Kosovo or people of full or partial Kosovar Albanian ancestry), sorted by occupation and name:

Military personnel

* Idriz Seferi - nationalist guerrilla fighter * Azem Galica - nationalist resistance fighter * Isa Boletini - nationalist guerrilla fighter * Asim Vokshi - volunteer in Spanish Civil War * Sulejman Vokshi - military leader and commander of the League of Prizren * Haxhi Zeka - nationalist leader *

Bislim Bajgora Bislim Kadri Bajgora (c. 1900 – 1 March 1947) was an Albanian nationalist and Axis collaborator, Adjutant for the Balli Kombetar forces of Kosovo during World War II. Early life Born in Mitrovica sometime around the 1900s to an Albania ...

- nationalist leader *

Shote Galica Shote Galica (10 November 1895 – 1 July 1927), born as Qerime Radisheva, was a Kachak Albanian insurgent. She has been declared a People's Heroine of Albania. Biography She was born in Radisheve village of Drenica region in Kosovo which ...

- nationalist guerrilla fighter who was declared as the People's Heroine of Albania * Mic Sokoli - nationalist figure and guerrilla fighter *

Shaban Polluzha Shaban Mustafë Kastrati (1871 – 21 February 1945), known as Shaban Polluzha, was a Kosovo Albanian military leader active in Drenica during World War II. He was a collaborationist, serving in the Royal Albanian gendarmerie and as a commander ...

- military leader * Idriz Gjilani - KLA commander *

Zahir Pajaziti Zahir Pajaziti (1 November 1962 – 31 January 1997) was an Albanian commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was the first Commander of the KLA, known as "First Gun of Freedom". He was killed on 31 January 1997 in a gunfight with Yugo ...

- KLA commander * Adem Jashari - KLA commander * Agim Ramadani - KLA commander *

Njazi Azemi Nijazi Azemi (16 June 1970 – 26 March 2001) was an Albanian soldier of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and later Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB), best known for his support in the Kosovo war. During the war, he ...

- KLA commander

Academics

* Anton Berisha - scholar and folklorist * Flora Brovina - poet, pediatrician and women's rights activist from

Drenica Drenica ( al, Drenicë, Drenica, ), also known as the Drenica Valley, is a hilly region in central Kosovo, covering roughly around of Kosovo's total area (6%). It consists of two municipalities, Drenas and Skenderaj, and several villages in Kl ...

, raised in

Prishtina Pristina, ; sr, / (, ) is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. The city's municipal boundaries in Pristina District form the largest urban center in Kosovo. After Tirana, Pristina has the second largest population of ethnic Albanians an ...

* Din Mehmeti - poet, from Gjakova *

Ali Podrimja Ali Podrimja (28 August 1942 – 21 July 2012) was an Albanian poet. He was born in Gjakova, at the time part of Italian-controlled Albania under Italy (present day Kosovo). After a difficult childhood due to the death of his parents, he st ...

- poet, from Gjakova *Anton Berishaj - academic, from Malsia, Montenegro living in Kosovo

Actors and actresses

Muharrem Qena Muharrem Qena (22 June 1930 – 25 September 2006) was a Kosovo Albanian actor, director, writer and singer. He went to high school in Prishtina, and he completed film school in Belgrade. He is among the noted directors who staged their works at th ...

- actor, director, writer and singer *

Faruk Begolli Faruk Begolli (14 February 1944 – 23 August 2007), was a prominent Kosovo Albanian actor.Historical Dictionary of Kosovo, Robert Elsie, Second Edition, Scarecrow Press Inc. 2011, He attended high school in Pristina and graduated from the Acad ...

- actor *

James Biberi James Biberi (born July 28, 1965 in Gjakova) is an Albanian-American actor. In 2013, he starred as Ilir in the neo-noir crime thriller ''Dead Man Down ''Dead Man Down'' is a 2013 American neo-noir crime thriller film written by J.H. Wyman and ...

- American actor, who was born in

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a international recognition of Kosovo, partiall ...

Arta Dobroshi Arta Dobroshi (born 2 October 1980) is a Kosovo-Albanian actress and producer. Dobroshi is the first Kosovan actress to walk the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, the Berlin International Film Festival and the Sundance Film Festival and b ...

- actress, notable works include ''

Lorna's Silence ''Lorna's Silence'' (french: Le Silence de Lorna) is a 2008 drama film by the Belgian brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. It was the winner of the 2008 LUX Prize, as well as the Best Screenplay Award at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Plot L ...

'' and '' Baby'' * Fortesa Hoti - Swedish actress, best known for her role as Roxana Nilsson, in the Swedish drama series ''

Andra Avenyn ''Andra Avenyn'' (in English ''Second Avenue'') is a Swedish drama series and soap opera, produced by SVT (Swedish Television) and broadcast from 2007 to 2010. Three series were produced. The show was created by Peter Emanuel Falck and Christi ...

'', born in

Arta Muçaj Arta Muçaj (born December 24, 1974) is an Albanian actress from Kosovo. Biography Arta Muçaj studied drama at the Academy of Arts in Tirana, Albania, gaining a Bachelor of Arts in acting in 1997. She has performed at many national and inte ...

- actress born in

Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...

Kosovo. Known for roles in Home Sweet Home as Hana and Njerez dhe Fate (People and Destinies) as Didi. Based in Australia. *

Enver Petrovci Enver Petrovci (born 28 February 1954 in Pristina) is a Kosovo-Albanian actor, writer and director. He went to high school in Prishtina and completed acting school in Belgrade Belgrade ( , ;, ; names in other languages) is the capital ...

- actor, writer and director File:Arta Dobroshi (Cropped).jpg, Dobroshi File:Fortesa Hoti.JPG, Hoti

Entertainment and media

* Ardian Bujupi - German-Kosovar singer-songwriter, who finished in third place of the 8th season of the German talent show ''

Deutschland Sucht den SuperStar ''Deutschland sucht den Superstar'' (''DSDS''; "Germany is looking for the Superstar") is a German reality talent show. Part of the ''Idol'' franchise, it was created by British media mogul Simon Fuller as a spin-off from the British show '' ...

'', born in

Pristina Pristina, ; sr, / (, ) is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. The city's municipal boundaries in District of Pristina, Pristina District form the largest urban center in Kosovo. After Tirana, Pristina has the second largest population o ...

* Rauf Dhomi - classical music composer and conductor *

Rona Nishliu Rona Nishliu (born 25 August 1986) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer and songwriter. She came to international prominence after representing Albania in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where she placed fifth and achieved the best ...

- singer * Tony Dovolani - professional ballroom dancer, instructor and judge based in New York * Gashi - rapper *

Adelina Ismajli Adelina Ismaili (; born 14 December 1979) is a Kosovo-Albanian singer, actress, and former beauty pageant winner. Career Ismaili started singing at a very young age, becoming one of Kosovo's most influential singers during the 90s. She started ...

- singer, actress and model who was crowned

Miss Kosovo Miss Kosovo (Miss Kosova) is a national Beauty pageant in Kosovo. Since 2008, Miss Kosova is responsible for selecting the country's representative to Miss Earth, which is an annual international beauty pageant promoting environmental awareness. ...

in 1997 * Era Istrefi - singer-songwriter *

Akil Mark Koci Akil Mark Koci is a Kosovar Albanian composer and music writer. Education Koci was born in 1936 in Prizren, Kingdom of Yugoslavia (in today's Kosovo). There he graduated from the Josip Slavenski music school. He went on to study at the Sara ...

- composer from

Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...

Memli Krasniqi Memli Krasniqi (born 25 January 1980) is a Kosovar Albanian politician who has been the Chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo The Democratic Party of Kosovo ( sq, Partia Demokratike e Kosovës; abbr. ''PDK'') is one of the largest politic ...

- rapper, singer-songwriter, politician and spokesperson; minister the Culture, Youth and Sport of the

Republic of Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a international recognition of Kosovo, partiall ...

* Albina Kelmendi - singer and runner-up of the fourth season of ''

The Voice of Albania ''The Voice of Albania'' is an Albanian television reality singing competition created by John de Mol and is part of ''The Voice'' franchise. It began airing on Top Channel on October 21, 2011 and ended after six seasons on May 19, 2017. Top C ...

'' *

Zana Krasniqi Zana Krasniqi (born September 17, 1988 in Pristina) is a Kosovar fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Kosovo 2008. She represented Kosovo for the first time in Miss Universe and placed in the Top 10 of the Miss Un ...

- model and

Miss Universe Kosovo Miss Universe Kosova is a national beauty pageant that sends representatives from Kosovo to the Miss Universe pageant. History In 2008, On 4 April 2008, Fadil Berisha - photographer of Miss Universe's official photos - hosted Kosova's inaugu ...

2008 * Patrick Nuo - Swiss recording artist and actor, the father is an Albanian from Gjakova *

Rita Ora Rita Sahatçiu Ora (born Rita Sahatçiu; 26 November 1990) is a British singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence in February 2012 when she featured on DJ Fresh's single, "Hot Right Now", which reached number one in the UK. Her debut stud ...

- British singer-songwriter and actress, born in Pristina *

Dua Lipa Dua Lipa ( , ; born ) is an English and Albanian singer and songwriter. Possessing a mezzo-soprano vocal range, she is known for her signature disco-pop sound. Lipa has received numerous accolades, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy A ...

- British pop singer, parents are immigrants from Kosovo, fleeing during the war * Ismet Peja - folk singer *

Nexhmije Pagarusha Nexhmije Pagarusha (; 7 May 1933 – 7 February 2020) was a Kosovo-Albanian singer and actress, often referred to as the queen of Kosovan music. Pagarusha gained acclaim as a recording artist in Kosova and neighbouring countries for her distin ...

- singer, known for song "Baresha" * Shkëlzen Doli - violinist * Leonora Jakupi - singer * Nita Bahtiri - Kosovar singer and pianist * Lindita - Kosovo-Albanian singer-songwriter * Regard - DJ * Gjon's Tears - Swiss singer-songwriter * Ledri Vula - singer *

Njomza Njomza Vitia (; ; born 22 April 1994), known professionally as Njomza, is an American singer and songwriter. She is currently signed with Capitol, Motown, and SinceThe80s. Since 2013, she has released one mixtape and three EPs. Life and career ...

- Kosovo born songwriter File:Dua Lipa with Warner Music.jpg,

File:Adelina Ismajli KM2009.jpg, Ismajli File:Era Istrefi Russia 2018.jpg, Istrefi File:Lindita Kyiv 2017.jpg, Lindita File:Rona Nishliu.JPG, Nishliu File:Rita Ora 2018 2.jpg,

Ora ORA or Ora may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film * Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress * ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011 * ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012 * "Ora" ...

File:Artistic Director of the high fashion show "Gogh" (cropped).jpg, Pagarusha File:Gjons tears-1621721556 (cropped).JPG, Gjon's Tears

Visual arts and design

* Fatmire Zeka - Artist * Rifo Dobra - photographer *

Adem Kastrati Adem ( ota, آدم, ) corresponding to Adam (see also Adam in Islam), is a masculine given name common in Turkey and Bosnia. Given name * Adem Alkaşi (born 1984), Turkish footballer *Adem Asil (born 1999), Turkish gymnast *Adem Bereket (bo ...

- painter (1930-2000) * Gazmend Freitag - painter *

Lirika Matoshi Lirika Matoshi (born 1996) is a Kosovo-Albanian fashion designer based in New York City who gained prominence through the Internet. Matoshi is noted for her whimsical and feminine designs. Personal life Matoshi grew up in Pristina, the capital ...

- fashion designer * Teuta Matoshi - fashion designer * Burim Myftiu - American contemporary photographer, born in

Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...

* Ramadan Ramadani - painter and artist *

Mustafa Presheva Mustafa Presheva ( tr, Mustafa Preşeva; born 11 October 1961) is a Turkish film editor and actor of Albanian descent. Born in Mitrovica, Yugoslavia (in present day Kosovo), he studied film in Belgrade and since 1983 has worked mainly as a fi ...

- Turkish film editor

Models

Diana Avdiu Diana Avdiu (born 11 June 1993 in Mitrovica, Kosovo) is a Kosovan model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo 2012. She began her career as a model when she was 15 years old and has been featured on the covers of le ...

- Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo 2012 *

Marigona Dragusha Marigona Dragusha (born 23 September 1990), also known as Gona Dragusha, is a Kosovar model and beauty queen who placed as the 2nd runner-up at the Miss Universe 2009 pageant. Dragusha won her national title, Miss Universe Kosovo, on 4 April 200 ...

- model who was crowned

in 2009; second runner-up in

Miss Universe Miss Universe is an annual international beauty pageant that is run by a United States and Thailand based Miss Universe Organization.Natalie Tadena (July 2, 2015"Donald Trump's Miss USA Pageant Lands on Reelz Cable Channel". ''The Wall St ...

2009 * Donika Emini - Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Kosovo *

- Kosovar Albanian fashion model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Kosovo 2008 *Camila Barraza - Argentinian-Kosovar model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Kosovo 2016 and represented Kosovo at Miss Universe 2016. *

Mirjeta Shala Mirjeta Shala (born 12 February 1994) is a Kosovan television presenter, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Kosovo 2013 and was to compete in Miss Universe 2013 before Kosovo withdrew from the pageant. In November 2013, sh ...

- Kosovar Albanian model * Zana Berisha - Kosovar Albanian model and beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Kosovo 2018

Business and entrepreneurship

* Florin Krasniqi - American businessman and political activist * Shkëlzen Shala - veganism activist and entrepreneur *

Ramiz Tafilaj Ramiz Tafilaj (born 6 May 1949 in Deçan, SFR Yugoslavia, now Kosovo) is an Albanian-American businessman, philanthropist, activist, and publisher known for his significant contributions to the Albanian community in the United States and beyond. Ta ...

- American businessman, activist, visionary and publisher

Politics

Albin Kurti Albin Kurti (; born 24 March 1975) is a Kosovar Albanian politician and activist, serving as the Prime Minister of Kosovo since 22 March 2021, having previously served in that role between February and June 2020. He came to prominence in 1997 ...

- current Prime Minister of Kosovo * Vjosa Osmani - current President of Kosovo * Lulzim Basha - Albanian politician. He is the chairman of the

Democratic Party of Albania The Democratic Party of Albania ( sq, Partia Demokratike e Shqipërisë, PD or PDSH) is a conservative political party in Albania. It has been the largest opposition party in the country since 2013. The Democratic Party of Albania was founde ...

, the main opposition party, since 2013. * Agim Çeku - minister of security forces for the

Bajram Curri Bajram Curri (16 January 1862 – 29 March 1925) was an Albanian chieftain, politician and activist who struggled for the independence of Albania, later struggling for Kosovo's incorporation into it following the 1913 Treaty of London. He ...

- minister of defence of Albania, member of the

Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo The Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo ( sq, Komiteti "Mbrojtja Kombëtare e Kosovës" abbrev. KMKK) was an Albanian organization founded in Shkodër on 1 May 1918. It was mainly consisted of the political exiles from Kosovo and was led ...

, independence activist *

Nexhat Daci Nexhat Daci (pronounced ; born June 26, 1944 in Veliki Trnovac, Bujanovac, Serbia) is a Kosovan politician. He was elected as the speaker of Assembly of Kosovo in 2001 as a member of President Ibrahim Rugova's Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) ...

- member of the Assembly of Kosovo * Nexhip Draga - politician and deputy of the Ottoman and later of the Yugoslav parliament *

Jakup Krasniqi Jakup Krasniqi (born 1 January 1951) is a Kosovo-Albanian politician and former acting President of Kosovo. He is former Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo. In November 2020 he was arrested for charges of crimes against humanity and war crime file ...

-spokesman for the Kosovo Liberation Army (during the Kosovo war); Former Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo (2007-2014); Former Acting President of Kosovo. * Ramush Haradinaj - former Prime Minister of Kosovo (2004–05) *

Sinan Hasani Sinan Hasani ( sr, Синан Хасани; 14 May 1922 – 28 August 2010B92''Preminuo Sinan Hasani'' (Sinan Hasani dies) 29 August 2010 ) was a Yugoslav novelist, statesman, diplomat and a former President of Presidency Yugoslavia, a revolvin ...

- former president of Yugoslavia (1986–1987), novelist, statesman and diplomat *

Ali Kelmendi Ali Kelmendi (3 November 1900 – 11 February 1939) was a Kosovar Albanian communist, an organizer of the communist movement in Albania and was posthumously a Hero of Albania under the communist government. Life and career Ali Kelmendi was bor ...

- communist organiser *

Hasan Prishtina Hasan bey Prishtina ( tr, Priştineli Hasan Bey, Hasan Bey Priştine and ''Vulçitrnli Hasan Bey''), originally known as Hasan Berisha (27 September 1873 – 13 August 1933), was an Ottoman, later Albanian politician, who served as the 8th Prim ...

- former Prime Minister, nationalist, organizer of Albanian movements against Ottomans and other regimes installed in Kosovo, during the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century * Ymer Prizreni - cleric, jurist, politician, scholar and patriot, head leader of the Albanian League of Prizren * Bajram Rexhepi - Prime Minister of Kosovo 2002-2004 * Ibrahim Rugova - first president of Kosovo (1992–2000) and (2002–2006) Vreme 767: Vera Didanović
Ibrahim Rugova: Umeren političar, ekstreman cilj
/ref> * Fatmir Sejdiu - first president of the

(2006–2010) * Hashim Thaçi - former Prime Minister and President of Kosovo * Azem Vllasi - senior politician and lawyer

Sports

Football

* Ardit Tahiri - Footballer * Allmir Ademi - Albanian-Swiss footballer * Fidan Aliti - football player *

Enis Alushi Enis Alushi (born 22 December 1985) is a Kosovan retired professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Club career 1. FC Nürnberg On 28 July 2016, Alushi joined 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Nürnberg. His debut with 1. FC Nürnberg came on 6 ...

- football player * Donis Avdijaj - footballer *

Ilir Azemi Ilir Azemi (born 21 February 1992) is a Kosovar former professional footballer who played as a forward. Club career Early career Azemi began his career at local side Motor Gispersleben as a child where he remained until he was spotted by Greu ...

- footballer *

Zymer Bytyqi Zymer Bytyqi (born 11 September 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for Konyaspor. He previously played for Sandnes Ulf and Red Bull Salzburg, and became the youngest player that has ever played in the Norwegian top league ...

- football player *

Adnan Januzaj Adnan Januzaj (born 5 February 1995) is a Belgian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Spanish club Sevilla and the Belgium national team. Born and raised in Brussels, he began his career with Anderlecht before joining Manchester ...

- Belgian football player for

Real Sociedad Real Sociedad de Fútbol, S.A.D., more commonly referred to as Real Sociedad (; ''Royal Society''), La Real in Spanish, Erreala in Basque, is a Spanish professional sports club in the city of San Sebastián, Basque Country, founded on 7 Septemb ...

, La Liga, parents are from the

, of both Kosovan and Turkish descent * Agon Mehmeti - football player *

Albert Bunjaku Albert Bunjaku (born 29 November 1983) is a professional footballer who plays as a striker for German club Bonner SC. Having previously represented Switzerland, participating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he switched to the newly formed Kosovo ...

- Swiss-Albanian football player for

Nürnberg Nuremberg ( ; german: link=no, Nürnberg ; in the local East Franconian dialect: ''Nämberch'' ) is the second-largest city of the German state of Bavaria after its capital Munich, and its 518,370 (2019) inhabitants make it the 14th-largest ...

, German Bundesliga * Almir Murati - Swiss football player who plays for

Potenza S.C. Potenza Sport Club S.r.l. was an Italian football club, based in Potenza, Basilicata. The club was re-founded in 2004 as A.S. Calcio Potenza, (legal suffix S.r.l. was added circa 2005) after the merger of the old A.S.C. Potenza (founded in 19 ...

* Arian Beqaj - football player for Anorthosis Famagusta, Cypriot First Division *

Astrit Ajdarević ) , birth_date = , birth_place = Pristina, SR Serbia,SFR Yugoslavia , height = 1.90 m , position = Midfielder , currentclub = , clubnumber = , youthyears1 = 1996–2000 , youthclubs1 = Rinia IF , youthy ...

- Swedish football player for Leicester City, Premier League, born in

* Beg Ferati - Swiss football player, born in Pristina *

Bernard Berisha Bernard Berisha (born 24 October 1991) is a Kosovar professional footballer who plays as a left winger or attacking midfielder for Russian club Akhmat Grozny and the Kosovo national team. Club career Skënderbeu Korçë Berisha followed Fatj ...

- football player * Besart Berisha - football player for Brisbane Roar,

A-League A-League Men (known as the Isuzu UTE A-League for sponsorship reasons) is the highest-level professional men's soccer league in Australia and New Zealand. At the top of the Australian league system, it is the country's premier men's competiti ...

* Valon Berisha - footballer player who played for Red Bull Salzburg and

Lazio it, Laziale , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

* Mërgim Brahimi - football player * Bersant Celina - football player *

Debatik Curri Debatik Nazmi Curri (born 28 December 1983) is an Albanian professional football coach and former player who is the current assistant manager of Prishtina. From 2006 to 2015 he was also part of Albania national team, collecting 44 appearances ...

- footballer * Ardin Dallku - footballer * Ibrahim Drešević - footballer * Lorik Emini - footballer * Betim Fazliji - footballer *

Ardian Gashi Ardian Gashi (born 20 June 1981) is a Kosovar retired footballer who played as a midfielder]. Gashi played for Molde FK, Molde, Vålerenga, Brann, Fredrikstad and Odd in the Norwegian top division, and Helsingborg in Allsvenskan. Gashi i ...

- footballer, who played for Norway national football team, Norway and

* Besian Idrizaj - Austrian football player for

Swansea City Swansea City Association Football Club (; cy, Clwb Pêl-droed Cymdeithas Dinas Abertawe) is a professional football club based in Swansea, Wales that plays in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Swansea have played their ho ...

, English League Championship, parents are from

* Besar Halimi - footballer, former player of

Mainz 05 1. Fußball- und Sportverein Mainz 05 e. V., usually shortened to 1. FSV Mainz 05, Mainz 05 () or simply Mainz (), is a German sports club, founded in 1905 and based in Mainz, Rhineland-Palatinate. 1. FSV Mainz 05 play in the Bundesliga, the t ...

* Besnik Hasi - former football player turned manager for

Anderlecht Anderlecht (, ) is one of the 19 municipalities of the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium. Located in the south-western part of the region, it is bordered by the City of Brussels, Forest, Molenbeek-Saint-Jean, and Saint-Gilles, as well as the ...

Belgian First Division A The Belgian Pro League,(officially the Jupiler Pro League due to sponsorship reasons with Jupiler), is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 18 clubs since the 2020–21 Belgian First Division A, 2020 ...

* Mehmet Hetemaj - footballer, who played several seasons in the Italian

Serie B The Serie B (), currently named Serie BKT for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It has been operating for over ninety years since the 1929–30 season. It had been ...

* Ylldren Ibrahimaj - footballer * Blendi Idrizi - footballer, currently playing for Schalke 04 *

Flamur Kastrati Flamur Kastrati (born 14 November 1991) is a Kosovar retired professional footballer who recently played as a forward for Eliteserien club Odd. Kastrati is of Kosovar-Albanian descent and grew up in Norway. He has represented Norway at youth ...

- footballer * Kushtrim Lushtaku - footballer *

Alban Meha Alban Sylë Meha (born 26 April 1986) is a Kosovar professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for German club KSV Hessen Kassel. Early life Meha was born in Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia, to Kosovo Albanian parents from Prekaz. He is the ...

- footballer *

Arijanet Muric Arijanet Anan Muric; cnr, Аријанет Мурић, translit=Arijanet Murić (born 7 November 1998) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Burnley. Born in Switzerland, he represents the Kosovo nation ...

- footballer, who played for

Manchester City Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

and

NAC Breda NAC Breda (), often simply known as NAC, is a Dutch professional football club, based in Breda, Netherlands. NAC Breda play in the Rat Verlegh Stadium, named after their most important player, Antoon 'Rat' Verlegh. They play in the Eerste Div ...

* Florent Muslija - football player, who formerly played for

Hannover 96 Hannoverscher Sportverein von 1896, commonly referred to as Hannover 96 (), Hannover, HSV or simply 96, is a German professional football club based in the city of Hanover, Lower Saxony. They played in the Bundesliga for a total of 30 years betw ...

* Besar Musolli - football player *

Atdhe Nuhiu Atdhe Nuhiu (; born 29 July 1989) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Austrian Bundesliga club SC Rheindorf Altach. Club career SV Ried On 31 August 2009, on the deadline day, Nuhiu completed a transfer to SV Ried on ...

- football player * Leart Paqarada - footballer * Avni Pepa - footballer * Fanol Përdedaj - football player, who played for

Hertha BSC Hertha, Berliner Sport-Club e. V., commonly known as Hertha BSC (), and sometimes referred to as Hertha Berlin, Hertha BSC Berlin, or simply Hertha, is a German professional football club based in the locality of Westend of the borough of Charlo ...

* Elbasan Rashani - footballer * Anel Rashkaj - footballer * Dardan Rexhepi - footballer *

Loret Sadiku Loret Sadiku (born 28 July 1991) is a Kosovan professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Hammarby IF in Allsvenskan. Early life Born in SFR Yugoslavia, Sadiku was raised in Sweden and started to play youth football with local ...

- footballer * Herolind Shala - footballer, who played for

Odd Odd means unpaired, occasional, strange or unusual, or a person who is viewed as eccentric. Odd may also refer to: Acronym * ODD (Text Encoding Initiative) ("One Document Does it all"), an abstracted literate-programming format for describing X ...

and Sparta Prague * Valmir Sulejmani - footballer, who formerly played for

* Gjelbrim Taipi - footballer * Samir Ujkani - footballer, who played several seasons in

Serie A The Serie A (), also called Serie A TIM for national sponsorship with TIM, is a professional league competition for football clubs located at the top of the Italian football league system and the winner is awarded the Scudetto and the Cop ...

and

* Mërgim Vojvoda - football player currently playing for Torino F.C. * Eroll Zejnullahu - footballer * Arbër Zeneli - footballer, who played for Heerenveen and

Reims Reims ( , , ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded b ...

* Edon Zhegrova - footballer *

Drilon Shala Drilon Shala (born 20 March 1987) is a Finnish former professional footballer who played as a striker. He is of Albanian origin. Club career Shala progressed through the Reipas youth academy. He made his breakthrough as a senior player for L ...

- Finnish football player for FC Lahti, Finnish Veikkausliiga, parents are from the

* Dren Feka - German football player for

Hamburger SV Hamburger Sport-Verein e.V. (), commonly known as Hamburger SV () or Hamburg (), is a German sports club based in Hamburg, with its largest branch being its football section. Though the current HSV was founded in June 1919 from a merger of three ...

and

Germany national youth football team This article includes current squads of Germany U-19, U-18, U-17, U-16 and U-15 national football teams. Main coaches Germany national under-19 squad * The following players were called up for the friendly matches. * Match dates: 23, 26 and ...

U19. Parents are from

. *

Emir Bajrami Emir Bajrami (born 7 March 1988) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a winger. Starting off his professional career with IF Elfsborg in 2006, he went on to represent FC Twente, AS Monaco, and Panathinaikos before retiring ...

- Swedish football player, born in

Erton Fejzullahu Erton Fejzullahu (born 9 April 1988) is a professional former footballer who played as a striker. He previously represented Sweden at youth and full international level before making his debut for the Kosovo national team in 2016. Early life ...

- Swedish football player, born in Mitrovica * Fatmire Bajramaj (Alushi) - German football player, born in

* Faton Toski - German football player, born in

* Gezim Ljalja - Kosovar Albanian football player who played for

KF Vëllaznimi Klubi i futbollit Vëllaznimi, commonly known as KF Vëllaznimi, or simply as Vëllaznimi is a football club based in Gjakova, Kosovo. They currently play in the second division of football in Kosovo, First Football League of Kosovo. Histor ...

and FK Galenika Zemun.Албанац У Београду: Од Чкаље сам учио српски, а Грејс Кели ме оборила с ногу
at srbin.info, 5-2-2015, retrieved 24-1-2017 * Granit Xhaka - Swiss football player, an ethnic Albanian born in

Johan Berisha Johan Berisha (born 6 September 1979 in Yugoslavia) is a retired Swiss footballer of Albanian descent. Football career Berisha stands at 6"2 and he uses this height to his advantage when challenging defenders in aerial battles and his strengt ...

- retired Swiss football player * Kosovare Asllani - Swedish football player, parents migrated from

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic countries, Nordic c ...

* Kristian Nushi - football player for

FC St. Gallen Fussballclub St. Gallen 1879, commonly known as St. Gallen, is a Swiss professional football club based in the city of St. Gallen, Canton of St. Gallen. As of the 2022–23 season, the team competes in the Swiss Super League. History Founde ...

, Swiss Super League * Labinot Haliti - Australian-Albanian football player for

Western Sydney Wanderers FC Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club (colloquially known as Western Sydney, or simply as Wanderers) is an Australian professional soccer club based in the Western Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales. It competes in the country's prem ...

, born in

Labinot Harbuzi Labinot Harbuzi (4 April 1986 – 11 October 2018) was a Swedish professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Early life Harbuzi's family migrated to Sweden. His father, Ismet, was a table tennis player in Kosovo. He was the cousin (aunt ...

- Swedish football player, parents migrated from

Liridon Krasniqi Liridon Krasniqi (born 1 January 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim. Born in Kosovo, he represents the Malaysia national team. Krasniqi made his senior deb ...

- football player play for Kedah, Malaysia Super League, born in

Vitina Viti ( sq-definite, Vitia) or Vitina ( sr-Cyrl, Витина), is a town and municipality located in the District of Gjilan in Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Viti has 4,924 inhabitants, while the municipality has 46,987 inhabita ...

Lorik Cana Lorik Agim Cana (; born 27 July 1983) is an Albanian former professional footballer. He is currently the Grassroots ambassador for children's football in Albania, named by the Albanian Football Association on 26 October 2017. Cana played in the ...

- football player for

, Italian Serie A * Mehmet Dragusha - football player for

Paderborn Paderborn (; Westphalian: ''Patterbuorn'', also ''Paterboärn'') is a city in eastern North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader and ''Born'', an old German term for t ...

, German 2 Bundesliga * Mentor Zhubi - Swedish football player for Örgryte IS, Swedish Superettan, born in

* Milaim Rama - Swiss football player for

Augsburg Augsburg (; bar , Augschburg , links=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swabian_German , label=Swabian German, , ) is a city in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany, around west of Bavarian capital Munich. It is a university town and regional seat of the ' ...

, German Regional Liga Nord, born in

Milot Rashica Milot Rashica (; born 28 June 1996) is an Albanian- Kosovan footballer. He is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Süper Lig club Galatasaray, on loan from club Norwich City, and the Kosovo national tea ...

- football player for

Werder Bremen Sportverein Werder Bremen von 1899 e. V. (), commonly known as Werder Bremen (), Werder or simply Bremen, is a German professional sports club based in Bremen, Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Founded on 4 February 1899, they are best known for the ...

, Bundesliga, born in Vushtrri,

* Njazi Kuqi - Finnish football player for

TuS Koblenz TuS Koblenz is a German association football club, located in Koblenz, Rhineland-Palatinate. Fussball Club Deutschland Neuendorf, which was formed in 1911, is viewed as the foundation of the modern club. History Nazi era (1933–1945) The or ...

, German Zweite Bundesliga, born in

* Rijat Shala - Swiss football player for

Novara Calcio Novara Football Club, commonly referred to as Novara, is an Italian football club based in Novara, Piedmont. The club was founded in 2021 by the City of Novara to replace old Novara Calcio that lost its professional status. History In Decembe ...

, Italian Lega Pro 1.Divisione, born in

Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...

* Shefki Kuqi - Finnish football player for

, English Football League Championship, born in the

* Shpetim Hasani - football player * Sokol Maliqi - Swiss-Albanian football player * Valdet Rama - football player born in Mitrovica *

Valon Behrami Valon Behrami (born 19 April 1985) is a Swiss former professional footballer who played as a midfielder. Behrami was capped 83 times at international level by the Switzerland national team, playing at four FIFA World Cups, UEFA Euro 2008 and UE ...

- Swiss football player and former player of West Ham United, Premier League, born in Mitrovica *

Xherdan Shaqiri Xherdan Shaqiri (; born 10 October 1991) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire and the Switzerland national team. Shaqiri began his career at FC Basel, winning honours including ...

- Swiss football player, born in

* Xhevat Prekazi -

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly ...

manager and former player of Kosovar Albanian descent. File:Fatmire Bajramaj 2013 1.jpg, Alushi File:20121216 PSG-ASSE 70 - Kosovare Asllani.jpg, Asllani File:Valon Behrami 2018.jpg, Behrami File:Berisha Victory Training May 2015.jpg, B. Berisha File:FC Red Bull Salzburg gegen RSC Anderlecht (Testspiel 7. Juli 2017) 14.jpg, V. Berisha File:Albert Bunjaku 2010.jpg, Bunjaku File:FBBP01 - FCN - 20151028 - Coupe de la Ligue - Lorik Cana.jpg, Cana File:Bersant Celina 20160221 (cropped).jpg, Celina File:YB vs. FCL - Hadergjonaj 3.jpg, Hadergjonaj File:Besar Halimi.jpg, Halimi File:Labinot Harbuzi.jpg, Harbuzi File:Besnik Hasi 2016 (cropped).jpg, Hasi File:Adnan Januzaj (cropped).JPG, Januzaj File:Njazi Kuqi Inter 2016.jpg, N. Kuqi File:Shefki Kuqi (2463777936).jpg, S. Kuqi File:Agon Mehmeti 23 jan 2010.jpg, Mehmeti File:Fanol Perdedaj - Hertha BSC Berlin (1).jpg, Përdedaj File:Milaim Rama - Lausanne Sport vs. FC Thun - 22.10.2011.jpg, M. Rama File:Rama, Valdet FCI 08-09 WP.JPG, V. Rama File:Milot Rashica2 (cropped).jpg, Rashica File:Xherdan Shaqiri 2018.jpg, Shaqiri File:Faton Toski Eintracht Frankfurt.JPG, Toski File:Samir Ujkani.JPG, Ujkani File:2018-02-22 Entrainement excel-64 (cropped2).jpg, Vojvoda File:SWE-SWI (18) (cropped).jpg, Xhaka File:Sweden national under-21 football team, Euro 2015 celebration, players 47 (Zeneli).JPG, Zeneli

Basketball

* Edmond Azemi - Kosovo Albanian professional basketball player who plays for Sigal Prishtina in Kosovo Basketball Superleague

Handball

* Taip Ramadani - head coach of the Australian national handball team, parents are from

American Football

Lirim Hajrullahu Lirim Hajrullahu ( ; born April 24, 1990) is a Kosovar-born Canadian gridiron football placekicker who is a free agent. He became a Grey Cup champion with the Toronto Argonauts after kicking the game-winning field goal in the 105th Grey Cup game ...

- Kosovar-born Canadian

placekicker Placekicker, or simply kicker (PK or K), is the player in gridiron football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals and extra points. In many cases, the placekicker also serves as the team's kickoff specialist or punter. S ...

in both the

CFL The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ci ...

and NFL,

2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...

Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

champion

Boxing, Kickboxing and Wrestling

* Luan Krasniqi - German professional boxer, born in

Junik Junik ( sq, Junik, sq-definite, Juniku; sr, Јуник, Junik) is a town located in Junik Municipality in the Gjakova District in western Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Junik has 6,053 inhabitants, while the municipality ha ...

* Robin Krasniqi - German professional boxer, born in

* Xhavit Bajrami - Swiss former kickboxer, born in

Dumosh (Albanian; or sr, Dumoš, italic=no) is a village located in northeastern Kosovo, in the municipality of Podujevo. Demographics The settlement in Dumosh is divided into several "mahalla" (quarters), such as Podvorica, Kutleshi, Maqastena, V ...

* Aziz Salihu - professional boxer born in Prishtina * Naim Terbunja - Swedish amateur boxer, born in

* Rezar - professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist * Elvis Gashi - professional Boxer in America is born in

Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mou ...

* Ilir Latifi - professional UFC fighter for Sweden, his parents come from Kosovo * Elvir Muriqi - American-Albanian boxer, born in

Azem Maksutaj Azem Maksutaj (born July 8, 1975) is a former kickboxer who competed in the lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, super middleweight, light heavyweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. He originates from Kosovo but relocated to Swit ...

- Swiss former kickboxer, born in

* Donjeta Sadiku - Kosovar female boxer, born in

* Besar Nimani-former Professional Boxer, IBF European intercontinental champion File:Rezar Takeover NOLA.jpg, Rezar

Judo

* Majlinda Kelmendi - Judoka,

2013 File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...

and 2014 World Champion (52 kg), won the

2019 European Games , translation: Time for bright victories! , nations participating = 50 , athletes participating = 4,082 , events = 200 in 15 sports , opening ceremony = 21 June , closing ceremony = 30 June , officially opened ...

, three

European Championships The European Championships is a multi-sport tournament which brings together the existing European Championships of some of the continent's leading sports every four years. The inaugural edition in 2018 was staged by the host cities of Berlin, ...

(

2014 File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the Impeachment of Dilma Rousseff, impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses duri ...

), the 2013 Judo World Masters, seven IJF Grand Slams, 10 IJF Grand Prix, and conquered the gold at the

2016 Summer Olympics ) , nations = 207 (including IOA and EOR teams) , athletes = 11,238 , events = 306 in 28 sports (41 disciplines) , opening = 5 August 2016 , closing = 21 August 2016 , opened_by = Vice President Michel Temer , cauldron = Vanderlei Cordeiro de ...

Distria Krasniqi Distria Krasniqi (; born 10 December 1995) is a Kosovar judoka. She received a gold medal in the women's 48-kg judo competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. In August 2021, she was awarded the Honor of the Nation Decoration of Alban ...

- Judoka, won three IJF World Masters (

2018 File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the United ...

2019 File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...

2021 File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October 2021 coup in Sudan; Crowd shortly after t ...

), two IJF Grand Slams ( 2020 Paris and

Hungary Hungary ( hu, Magyarország ) is a landlocked country in Central Europe. Spanning of the Carpathian Basin, it is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine to the northeast, Romania to the east and southeast, Serbia to the south, Cr ...

), six IJF Grand Prix ( 2015 Samsun, 2017 Antalya and

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital o ...

, 2018 Antalya and

Tashkent Tashkent (, uz, Toshkent, Тошкент/, ) (from russian: Ташкент), or Toshkent (; ), also historically known as Chach is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is the most populous city in Central Asia, with a population of 2 ...

, 2019 Antalya), one European Championship and a gold medal at the 2020 Summer Olympics * Nora Gjakova - Judoka, won two IJF Grand Slams (

), five IJF Grand Prix ( 2017 Antalya, 2018 Tunis, 2018 Antalya, 2019 Tbilisi), one European Championship, a gold medal at the 2018 Mediterranean Games, and conquered the gold at the 2020 Summer Olympics File:Memli Krasniqi meeting Majlinda Kelmendi (cropped).JPG, Kelmendi

References

{{reflist +

Albanian

Military personnel

Academics

Actors and actresses

Entertainment and media

Visual arts and design

Models

Business and entrepreneurship

Politics

Sports

Football

Basketball

Handball

American Football

Boxing, Kickboxing and Wrestling

Judo

See also

References