Alban Meha facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Alban Meha

Meha with SC Paderborn in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Alban Sylë Meha
Date of birth	(1986-04-26) 26 April 1986 (age 39)
Place of birth	Mitrovica, SFR Yugoslavia
Height	1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Hessen Kassel
Number	17
Youth career
0000	TV Kemnat 1890
0000–1995	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 SC Paderborn Runner-up 2. Bundesliga 2013–14 Konyaspor Winner Turkish Cup 2016–17
*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.

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

International

Scores and results list Albania's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Meha goal.

List of international goals scored by Alban Meha

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	26 March 2013 (2013-03-26)	Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania	Lithuania	1–0	4–1	Friendly
2	5 March 2014 (2014-03-05)	Niko Dovana Stadium, Durrës, Albania	Malta	2–0	2–0

Honours

Konyaspor

• Turkish Cup: 2016–17