Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, 2 native Albanians, combine to defeat Serbia, the same nation that enacted genocide on their home country, and that made their own families into refugees.
No matter what, politics & cultural pride will always play an integral role in football.
No matter what, politics & cultural pride will always play an integral role in football.
Shaqiri’s family fled to Switzerland when he was young; Xhaka’s before he was born. Both found solace in Switzerland, where they began their careers, but it didn’t change the fact that “Xhaka” and “Shaqiri,” unlike “Zuber” or “Lichsteiner,” are not Swiss, but Albanian names.
Every time their teacher called out attendance, Xhaka and Shaqiri were reminded that, despite living in Switzerland, they were still Albanian. Every time they go “home,” they speak Albanian.
You can change your passport, but you can never change your blood.
You can change your passport, but you can never change your blood.
Stop for a second, and imagine the exhilaration of scoring a goal for your country in the World Cup.
Now, imagine if that goal was against a country that imprisoned your father for protesting, a country that murdered thousands of your own people.
The exhilaration goes up 200%.
Now, imagine if that goal was against a country that imprisoned your father for protesting, a country that murdered thousands of your own people.
The exhilaration goes up 200%.
You cannot absolve a country of guilt simply by saying “the players didn’t carry out the genocide.” Football isn’t played in a vaccum. You cannot wipe out the stains of ethnic cleansing & violent crackdowns. You cannot ignore the overbearing role that politics plays in football.
It’s a tension that still continues to this day.
In 2014, during a Euro 2016 qualifying match, Serbian fans chanted, “Ubij, ubij, Šiptara,” or “Kill the Albanians.” They threw flares onto the pitch, and attacked Albanian players, as the flames of nationalism burned bright.
In 2014, during a Euro 2016 qualifying match, Serbian fans chanted, “Ubij, ubij, Šiptara,” or “Kill the Albanians.” They threw flares onto the pitch, and attacked Albanian players, as the flames of nationalism burned bright.
Unfollow if you want, mute if you want, block if you want. Denial of the facts does not wipe away history. It doesn’t resurrect thousands of Albanians from their graves, it doesn’t recreate burned buildings, and it doesn’t heal the wounds lacerated by generations of conflict.
Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri grew up in Switzerland because of Serbian genocide, but they still bleed Albanian blood. They still speak Albanian, they still carry the desire for revenge and Albanian triumph in their hearts.
Los ángeles esperarán. Es el fuego que yo—conozco.
Los ángeles esperarán. Es el fuego que yo—conozco.
Seems certain people cannot accept the facts that Serbia waged genocide & mass repression against Albania. You can report us and try to deny the facts, but you cannot change history, you cannot erase the tragedies, and you cannot resurrect thousands of Albanians from the grave.
