Compare Prishtina and Drenica Skenderaj. The who, what, why and when – all you need to know.
World champions Germany will face France and the Netherlands, while Italy and Poland await EURO holders Portugal following the inaugural UEFA Nations League draw.
Clearly, they played for Kosovo,” he added.The President of the Football Federation, Agim Ademi, agrees that although most players grew up far from their home country, they take their patriotic duties seriously.“Almost 90 per cent of them were born out of Kosovo, but Kosovo is the motherland of their parents, and they have brought to the team with much patriotism and seriousness,” Ademi – who took over the federation after the death of Fadil Vokrri in June last year – told TV Dukagjini last week.“They consider Kosovo as their homeland and are ready to give everything for it,” he added.More players are expected to joint the team from European clubs.In its last headhunting endeavour, Kosovo snatched a former captain of Serbia’s national youth team, Arton Zekaj, a 19-year old midfielder of Kosovo origin who was born in Belgrade.Currently playing for Lille in France, he will be eligible to wear the Kosovo jersey from September.Dutch club SC Heerenveen defender Ibrahim Dresevic, 22, born in Sweden to ethnic Albanian parents from Montenegro, recently took Kosovo citizenship and is also expected to play for Kosovo.Since the national team was formed, there have been harsh polemics in the media and on social networks about whether Kosovo should have a national team at all, as Albania’s national team previously opened its doors to players of Kosovo origin.But the Kosovo team’s latest results have quashed the debate, with those backing the Kosovo national team emerging as clear winners.Fadil Maloku, a Prishtina University professor and sociologist, says Kosovo’s “sporting magic” is helping to shape its social, political and even economic identity.“Victories are sending a clear political message because sports today has become an industry that shapes national, social and cultural sentiment.
“Kosovo has talent, but needs more professional clubs to be ready for a national team.“They need better infrastructure and well-trained managers to be in line with modern football requirements,” Isufi adds.With only three years in the international arena, however, most experts agree that the national team has long exceeded what once were modest expectations.In Xhavit Kajtazi’s opinion, Kosovo has no time to lose addressing the pressing issue of outdated infrastructure.“If other states drive at 100 km an hour, we have to do so at 300 km an hour – otherwise, we will be left behind,” he warns.Caption: Kosovo football players and fans celebrate the victory against Bulgaria in EURO 2020 qualification round in Sofia, 10 June 2019.
How does it improve national-team football? Eleven Kosovo boys kicking a ball round a football pitch in Sofia eclipsed the events marking the 20As part of UEFA’s Group A in the qualifications for the EURO 2020 football tournament, the Kosovo team has played England, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Montenegro.In the first three of these matches, Kosovo drew Bulgaria at home and Montenegro away while winning a breath-taking match in a second game against Bulgaria in Sofia on June 10.After a disappointing World Cup qualification round two years ago, Kosovo’s chances of qualifying in Europe’s top football competition look better than ever.Along with tiny Gibraltar, the Kosovo team is the youngest in Europe, having been admitted to the world football federation, FIFA, and to Europe’s UEFA, only three years ago.Until then, Kosovo teams were unable to compete internationally.
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