Altin Rraklli was the first ever player from the nation to compete in the Bundesliga.
16 Facts About Altin Rraklli
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Altin Rraklli returned in Albania in the summer of 2004, joining Tirana.
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Altin Rraklli scored 19 league goals in his first season back in Albania, more than any other Tirana player, helping the team to win the championship.
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Altin Rraklli retired for good in 2009 at 39 years of age, after a brief spell with German amateurs SpVgg Bayern Hof.
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Altin Rraklli was a member of Albania national team from 1992 to 2005, amassing 63 appearances and scoring 11 goals.
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Altin Rraklli's debut was a memorable one, as he scored the only goal of a friendly match against Greece on 29 January 1992, to give Albania only their second ever win versus Ethniki.
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Altin Rraklli partnered Sokol Kushta in the UEFA Euro 1996 qualifying campaign, where Albania was placed in Group 7.
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Altin Rraklli missed only one game, the opening against Wales in September 1994, but played the remaining nine, wearing the number 10 shirt, and scored two times.
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Altin Rraklli is especially remembered among Albanian fans for his stupendous goal against Germany, a right-footed volley from the a tight angle that went in the left triangle of Andreas Kopke's goal.
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At 32 years old, Altin Rraklli was snubbed by newly appointed manager Giuseppe Dossena for the opening UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying matches against Switzerland and Russia in October 2002.
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Altin Rraklli played only two matches during the qualifying stage, both of them as substitute, as Albania concluded Group 2 in fifth position with 13 points, leaving behind Georgia and Kazakhstan.
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Altin Rraklli started working as a manager immediately after retiring, creating Tirana AS and going on to win the inaugural Albanian women's championship.
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In November 2016, Altin Rraklli was accused in match fixing in Austria.
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Altin Rraklli was sentenced to ten months in prison, a sentence currently suspended.
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In July 2017, the Prosecution of Tirana requested seven years imprisonment for Altin Rraklli after being accused for fraud.
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The sentence was reduced to five years by the court, and later to three years and four months, due to Altin Rraklli asking for shortened trial.