Alban Meha facts for kids
Meha with SC Paderborn in 2013
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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Alban Sylë Meha | |||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 26 April 1986 | |||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia | |||||||||||||||
Height | 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in) | |||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
Team information | ||||||||||||||||
Current team
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Hessen Kassel | |||||||||||||||
Number | 17 | |||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
TV Kemnat 1890 | ||||||||||||||||
–1995 | SV 1845 Esslingen | |||||||||||||||
1995–2005 | Stuttgarter Kickers | |||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
2005 | Stuttgarter Kickers II | |||||||||||||||
2006–2007 | VfL Kirchheim/Teck | 54 | (16) | |||||||||||||
2007–2010 | SSV Reutlingen | 79 | (16) | |||||||||||||
2010–2011 | Eintracht Trier | 33 | (15) | |||||||||||||
2011–2015 | SC Paderborn | 102 | (26) | |||||||||||||
2015–2017 | Konyaspor | 39 | (4) | |||||||||||||
2017–2018 | Al-Faisaly | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2018–2019 | SV Elversberg | 13 | (2) | |||||||||||||
2019-2021 | Hessen Kassel | 56 | (17) | |||||||||||||
2023- | Hessen Kassel | 30 | (10) | |||||||||||||
International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||
2012–2016 | Albania | 7 | (2) | |||||||||||||
2016 | Kosovo | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 April 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 October 2016 |
Alban Sylë Meha (born 26 April 1986) is a professional footballer from Kosovo. He plays as a midfielder for the German club KSV Hessen Kassel.
Contents
- Early Life and Family
- Club Career Highlights
- International Career
- Career Statistics
- Honours
Early Life and Family
Alban Meha was born in Mitrovica, which was then part of SFR Yugoslavia. His parents are from Kosovo. Alban's older brother, Feriz Meha, is also a semi-professional footballer. He plays as a forward for the German club SV Bonlanden.
Club Career Highlights
Starting in Youth Teams
Alban Meha began his football journey in local youth teams. He played for TV Kemnat 1890 and SV 1845 Esslingen.
Joining Stuttgarter Kickers
When Alban was nine years old, he joined the Stuttgarter Kickers. He spent ten years playing in their junior teams. At 19, he officially joined the senior team. However, he mostly played for the reserve squad and did not appear for the main team.
Playing for VfL Kirchheim
In December 2005, Meha moved to VfL Kirchheim. He played for one and a half seasons there. During this time, he appeared in 54 matches and scored 16 goals.
Time at SSV Reutlingen
Meha then played for SSV Reutlingen for three seasons. He played in 82 games and scored 16 goals. After this, he moved to Eintracht Trier.
Success with Eintracht Trier
Alban Meha played one season for Eintracht Trier. He made 33 appearances, scored 15 goals, and set up 16 goals for his teammates. He helped the club win the Rhineland Cup. His team also finished second in the 2010–11 season in the Regionalliga West. After this successful season, he joined SC Paderborn.
Years at SC Paderborn
Alban Meha spent four seasons with SC Paderborn. He became a very important player for the team.
2012–13 Season Performance
In the 2012–13 season, Meha returned from a break and scored a goal in the first game back. He scored from a difficult angle in a 3–1 win against FC Ingolstadt. A week later, he scored a penalty in a 2–0 victory. He finished the season with 26 appearances and six goals. He also made five assists.
Promotion to Bundesliga (2013–14)
The 2013–14 season was a big one for Paderborn and Meha. He scored his first goal of the season in October 2013. In December, he scored two goals in a 4–2 win. He continued to score important goals, including free-kicks. In February 2014, he was named "player of the month" for scoring five goals in four matches.
On 27 April 2014, Meha was the team captain for the first time. On the last day of the season, Paderborn won 2–1 and earned promotion to the Bundesliga. This was the first time in their history they reached Germany's top football league! Meha finished the season with 12 goals and was voted Paderborn's best player.
Bundesliga Debut (2014–15)
Meha started the 2014–15 Bundesliga season late due to an injury. He made his Bundesliga debut on 27 September 2014. On 2 November 2014, he scored his first Bundesliga goal in a 3–1 win against Hertha BSC. He scored another goal from a penalty and a free-kick later in the season.
Moving to Konyaspor
After Paderborn was relegated, Alban Meha moved to Turkey. On 9 June 2015, he joined Konyaspor, a team in the Turkish Süper Lig. This was his first time playing football outside of Germany. He signed a one-year contract.
He made his Süper Lig debut on 16 August 2015. He scored his first goal for Konyaspor on 29 August 2015 against Galatasaray with a free-kick. In the 2016–17 season, he helped Konyaspor win the Turkish Cup.
Short Spell at Al-Faisaly
On 24 December 2017, Meha joined Jordan Premier League side Al-Faisaly. He made his debut on 24 January 2018 in a 2–0 win.
Return to Germany
After his time in Jordan, Meha returned to Germany. He played for SV Elversberg and later rejoined KSV Hessen Kassel.
International Career
Playing for Albania
In 2012, Alban Meha decided he wanted to play for the Albania national team. He received Albanian citizenship to make this possible. On 7 September 2012, he made his debut for Albania in a 3–1 win against Cyprus. He assisted the first goal in that match.
Meha scored his first goal for Albania on 26 March 2013 in a 4–1 win against Lithuania. His second international goal came on 5 March 2014. He scored a fantastic goal from about 40 meters (130 feet) in a 2–0 win over Malta.
Playing for Kosovo
On 30 August 2016, Meha was called up to play for the Kosovo national team. He made his debut for Kosovo in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Finland. He came on as a substitute in the 89th minute.
Career Statistics
Club
Club | Season | League | League Cup | Europe | Total | |||||
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Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
SSV Reutlingen | 2007–08 | Regionalliga Süd | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 | 1 | |
2008–09 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 | 3 | |||
2009–10 | 27 | 12 | 0 | 0 | – | 27 | 12 | |||
Total | 84 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 16 | ||
Eintracht Trier | 2010–11 | Regionalliga West | 33 | 15 | 1 | 0 | – | 34 | 15 | |
SC Paderborn | 2011–12 | 2. Bundesliga | 33 | 5 | 2 | 1 | – | 35 | 6 | |
2012–13 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 1 | – | 27 | 7 | |||
2013–14 | 24 | 12 | 1 | 0 | – | 25 | 12 | |||
2014–15 | Bundesliga | 18 | 3 | 0 | 0 | – | 18 | 3 | ||
Total | 102 | 26 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 28 | ||
Konyaspor | 2015–16 | Süper Lig | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | – | 4 | 2 | |
Career total | 220 | 59 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 61 |
International
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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Albania | 2012 | 3 | 0 |
2013 | 2 | 1 | |
2014 | 1 | 1 | |
2015 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 7 | 2 | |
Kosovo | 2016 | 2 | 0 |
Total | 2 | 0 |
- Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Meha goal.
No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
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1 | 26 March 2013 | Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania | ![]() |
1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
2 | 5 March 2014 | Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania | ![]() |
2–0 | 2–0 |
Honours
Konyaspor
- Turkish Cup: 2016–17