Vllaznia ShkodërVllaznia Shkodër is one of the most important clubs in the history of Albanian football, with its story closely connected to Shkodër, a city regarded as the cradle of football in Albania. The club was founded on 16 February 1919 as part of the Vllaznia sporting society and is recognised by UEFA as the oldest football club in Albania. The city's football tradition itself is even older. In 1913, a representative Shkodër side played a team made up of Austro-Hungarian soldiers, while Palok Nika was one of the pioneers of organised football in the city.
The first decades of Vllaznia's existence coincided with the development of organised football competitions in Albania. The club was among the leading teams in the country's early championships and finished as runner-up several times before the Second World War. Its first championship arrived in 1945, followed by another title in 1946. Further successful periods came during the 1970s and early 1980s, when Vllaznia was one of the dominant forces in Albanian football.
Vllaznia have won the Albanian championship nine times. In addition to the titles of 1945 and 1946, the club triumphed in 1971/72, 1973/74, 1977/78, 1982/83, 1991/92, 1997/98 and 2000/01. The 1977/78 season was particularly important because Vllaznia won its fifth championship and qualified for the European Cup for the first time.
The club's domestic honours also include eight Albanian Cups. Vllaznia won the competition in 1964/65, 1971/72, 1978/79, 1980/81, 1986/87, 2007/08, 2020/21 and 2021/22. It has also won the Albanian Super Cup twice, in 1998 and 2001. The 1971/72 season was particularly notable, as Vllaznia combined the league championship with the national cup.
The club's European history began in the 1978/79 European Cup. Vllaznia were drawn against Austria Vienna in the first round and opened the tie with an impressive 2–0 victory in Shkodër. Austria Vienna won the return leg 4–1, however, sending the Albanian champions out with a 4–3 aggregate score. The home victory remains one of the memorable moments in Vllaznia's European history, particularly because of the quality of the opposition.
Vllaznia subsequently reached the second round of European competition on several occasions. In the 1987/88 European Cup Winners' Cup, the club eliminated Malta's Sliema Wanderers, winning both matches, 2–0 at home and 4–0 away. In 2001, during Champions League qualifying, Vllaznia also defeated Icelandic champions KR Reykjavík twice, winning 2–1 away and 1–0 at home. The next round brought a much stronger opponent in Galatasaray, who ended the Albanian club's run.
Another memorable European chapter came in the 2008/09 UEFA Cup, when Vllaznia reached the second qualifying round and faced Napoli. The Italian side won both legs, including a 5–0 victory in Naples. Although Vllaznia did not progress, the tie against one of Italy's historic clubs added another notable opponent to the club's European history.
The club's history is also associated with several outstanding players who played important roles for the Albanian national team. One of the most significant was Loro Boriçi, a Shkodër-born footballer and one of the city's greatest sporting figures, who later played for Lazio in Italy. Riza Lushta, another Albanian international from the early generation, played for Juventus, while Naim Kryeziu represented Roma. UEFA identifies the three among the leading Albanian players of the first half of the 20th century who continued their careers in Italy.
Vllaznia play their home matches at Loro Boriçi Stadium, named after one of Shkodër's greatest footballers. The ground was extensively renovated during the second decade of the 21st century and remains one of the important football venues in Albania. The connection between the stadium, the club and Boriçi reflects the importance of Shkodër in the development of Albanian football.
Vllaznia's traditional colours are red and blue, and the club remains one of the strongest sporting symbols of Shkodër. Its importance is based not only on nine league championships and eight Albanian Cups, but also on an exceptionally long tradition. Founded in 1919, Vllaznia belongs to the oldest football clubs in the region and is directly connected with the city where the organised history of Albanian football began.
Vllaznia Shkodër therefore occupies a distinctive position in Albanian football. Nine league championships, eight national cups and two Super Cups form an impressive record, but the continuity of a tradition dating back to the beginning of the 20th century is equally important. European encounters with Austria Vienna, Sliema Wanderers, KR Reykjavík and Napoli provide further chapters in the history of a club whose identity has remained inseparable from Shkodër for more than a century.
