| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1963-06-01)1 June 1963 (age 62) | ||
| Place of birth | Tirana,Albania | ||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1980–1991 | 17 Nëntori | 253 | (40) |
| 1991–1992 | Aris Saloniki | 22 | (0) |
| 1992–1995 | Kavala | 126 | (10) |
| 1996–1997 | ILTEX Lykoi | 8 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | Alexandroupoli | 20 | (2) |
| 1998–1999 | Neapoli | ||
| 1999–2000 | Poseidon Nea Michaniona | 32 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 1984–1992 | Albania | 27 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2003–2004 | Tirana | ||
| 2005 | Lushnja | ||
| 2005–2006 | Skënderbeu | ||
| 2006 | Tirana | ||
| 2006–2008 | Vllaznia | ||
| 2008–2009 | Elbasani | ||
| 2009–2010 | Teuta | ||
| 2010 | Skënderbeu | ||
| 2010 | Shkumbini | ||
| 2010–2011 | Vllaznia | ||
| 2012–2016 | Skënderbeu | ||
| 2016–2017 | Tirana | ||
| 2017–2019 | Prishtina | ||
| 2021 | Kukësi | ||
| 2021–2022 | Laçi | ||
| 2022–2023 | Vllaznia | ||
| 2023–2024 | Laçi | ||
| 2024 | Besa Kavajë | ||
| 2025 | Vëllaznimi | ||
| 2025 | Suhareka | ||
| 2025– | Bylis | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Mirel Josa (born 1 June 1963[1]) is an Albanianfootball coach and a former player. As a player, he played in the GreekAlpha Ethniki forNea Kavala andAris,[2] as well as making 27 international appearances for theAlbania national football team between 1984 and 1992.[3]
Josa started his club career with his boyhood club17 Nëntori where he would play for ten years, winning three league titles alongside fellow internationals and Albanian legendsArbën Minga,Shkëlqim Muça andAgustin Kola. He will be long remembered by the fans for his last-minute goal against the Romanian sideDinamo București in the1986–87 edition ofEuropean Cup Winners' Cup, which brought his team in the best 16 of the competition, where they got eliminated byMalmö.[4]
Later, Josa left the country for the first time and moved abroad, signing a one-year contract with Greek sideAris. He played only one season with the club, then moved toAO Kavala. He ended his playing career with Greek lower league sideILTEX Lykoi,Alexandroupoli andNeapoli.[5]
In his youth years Josa distinguished himself both as a defensive and attacking midfielder. During the1982 UEFA European Under-18 Championship, played inFinland, Josa managed to score a goal against Netherlands, in a 1–3 loss, which disqualified Netherlands, whereMarco van Basten was present.[4]
During the1984 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship his goal made Albania draw against West Germany inTrier, and was a determining factor in qualifying Albania in the quarter-finals of the championship, eliminating West Germany, Turkey, and Austria.[4] After that game Josa was awarded theMaster of Sports title.[6]
He made his senior debut forAlbania in an October 1984FIFA World Cup qualification match away atBelgium and earned a total of 27 caps, scoring 1 goal.[7] In the national team during the qualifiers ofMexico 1986 campaign he scored the first goal in the famous December 1984 home win overBelgium.[4] His final international was an April 1992 FIFA World Cup qualification match againstSpain.[8]
On 26 October 2010, Josa become the new coach ofVllaznia,[9] replacing the Montenegrin coach Mojas Radonjić who was sacked following a run of negative results.[10] He returned for the first time in the club since 2008.[11] He was presented to the media in the very same day.[9]
On 4 August 2012, Josa was unveiled as the new coach ofSkënderbeu ahead of2012–13 season.[12]
On 18 May 2016, after winning the club's six consecutive league title and his fourth personal, Josa become the most successful coach in the history of Albanian football.[13]
Josa was appointed the new coach ofTirana on 2 November 2016 only a day following the sacking ofIlir Daja.[14] It was his second return to Tirana, the first since 2006.[14] During the presentation, club presidentRefik Halili stated that he sacrificed Daja for the returning of Josa.[14] On 27 May 2017, Tirana suffered relegation for the first time in history after not going more than a goalless in the last matchday againstVllaznia inShkodër, which saw the club finish the season in 9th place which relegated them.[15] Four days later, Tirana won theAlbanian Cup for the 16th in history, beating Skënderbeu 3–1 in the final.[16] On 15 June, Josa left the club after terminating the contract by mutual consent.[17]
Josa is the son-in-law ofShyqyri Rreli, formerAlbania coach.[5]