Armend Dallku


Armend Sabit Dallku is an Albanian professional football coach and former player who is a current manager of Prishtina, he represented Albania at under-21 and full international level collecting 64 international senior caps between years 2005–2013 and 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.

Club career

Early career

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. In 2004, he moved to Elbasani, playing 25 games in all competitions.

Vorskla Poltava

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. 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.

Prishtina

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. He was presented on the same day along with players such as Ahmed Januzi and Debatik Curri, his former international teammates. Two weeks later, he was prompted new captain after the position was left vacant. Speaking of that, Dallku stated: "It doesn't matter who's the captain. The important thing is the team to work properly."
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. 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. He scored his first goal of the later on 22 October in the matchday 10 against Trepça.
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. He played 31 matches and scored one goal as Prishtina finished runner-up in the championship.

International career

Under-21

Senior

Dallku was given a call up by Hans-Peter Briegel for the game against Ukraine on 9 February 2005. Briegel decided to give the 20-year-old defender a start 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 scored his first goals 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. Dallku announced that he will play one last game against Kosovo, which was played on 13 November in Pristina. However, Dallku didn't play but was mentioned.

Personal life

Dallku's younger brother, Ardin, is also a footballer who plays also as a defender and from 2012–2016 both brothers played each other at Vorskla Poltava.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
110 September 2008Qemal Stafa Stadium, Tirana, Albania262–03–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

;Prishtina
;Vorskla Poltava