BBC: Kosovo in euphoria as it dreams of World Cup history

The Balkan state, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and was officially recognised by FIFA and UEFA in 2016, expects Turkey in Tuesday's play-off match.

With a victory, Kosovo, ranked 78th in the world, will arrive at the World Cup with 48 teams to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The match will take place at a Stadium “Fadil Vokri” packed in the Pristina capital, although most people will watch it from television.

“We only have a stadium for 13,000 spectators, but if possible, there would be 100,000”, Kosovo coach Franco Foda said after winning 4-3 on transfer to Slovakia in Thursday's play-off semifinals.

We'll have a historic match Tuesday. We're in euphoria, but we have to play the last fight quietly. In that case, anything is possible.

We have emotional fans, but we need to be careful and not allow ourselves to make mistakes”.

Turkey, which has not qualified for the World Cup since third place in 2002, ranks 23rd in the world, 55 places higher than Kosovo.

But Kosovo has begun to show ability to overturn predictions.

After a 4-0 defeat start over Switzerland, Kosovo remained invincible in the group's other five matches, including victory both in and out of the field over Sweden and a victory and a draw against Slovenia, before it equalled Switzerland to switch to play-off.

When the lots came out and we saw the opponents, we were not very hopeful, especially after we lost our first match 4-0”, said Arben Berisha, commentator for RTK Kosova television.

Then everything changed and we did something that was incredible and unexpected.

The “Festival against Slovakia has been called a historic moment for the national team and for Kosovo as a state. It was the most important victory ever achieved”.

Putting Kosovo on international map

If Kosovo qualify, it will be in Group D and face Australia in Vancouver on Saturday, June 13th, with Paraguay in San Francisco six days later and later with co-organists in Los Angeles on 25 June.

After the 19981999 Kosovo war, Kosovo celebrates Freedom Day on June 12th 1999, following the withdrawal of Serbian forces and the entry of NATO-led peacekeeping troops.

Independence came nine years later, though, by December 2025, out of 193 UN member states, only 110 recognise Kosovo as an independent state.

“Qualification for the World Cup would be historic, given that only 10 years have passed since our recognition by FIFA and UEFA”, Berisha added.

“Some have named Tuesday the biggest day in Kosovo's history since its 2008 declaration of independence.

“Some say it would be the third historic day for Kosovo ʹ Freedom Day in 1999 after the end of the war, Kosovo's declaration of independence, and this would be the third most important day in Kosovo's history.

“would have a major impact if Kosovo manages to qualify, given the political situation. It would be a huge impact worldwide”.

From the first official international match to the World Cup Eve in 12 years

Kosovo was allowed to play its first match by FIFA in March 2014, a 0-0 draw to Haiti. The second international official match was against Tuesday's opponent, Turkey, who won a convincing 6-1.

On September 5, 2016, Kosovo played its first qualifying match for the World Cup and equalled 1-1 in Finland, but this was followed by nine consecutive losses, as Kosovo ended last in the group, marking only three goals in 10 matches.

But Kosovo, having the opportunity to call qualified players born in other European countries such as Germany, Switzerland and Sweden, quickly improved.

In the qualifications for Euro 2020, they advanced in an off-field match against England before they lost 5-3, but ended third and were defeated by northern Macedonia in the play-off semifinals.

The Kosovo star is the record goal scorer Vedat Muriqi, with 32 goals in 67 international matches, as well as 18 other goals for the Spanish team of La League, Mallorca, this season.

He is a player Turkey knows well, as he has scored 17 goals in the championship for Turkish team Kaykur Rizespor in the 2018-19 season, and then 15 goals for Fenerbahce next season.

Meanwhile, noble Aslanian assailant is a key part of the Hoffenheim team, ranked fifth in German Bundesliga, while goalkeeper Arijanet Muriq is a regular title for the team of Serie A, Sassuolo, in borrowing from Ipsich Town, for which he played at Premier League last season.

Midfielder Edon Zegrova is at Juvenus, and defender Amir Candman has won twice the title of Serie A with Naples, though he is currently injured.

Guardian Florent Hadergj street played two seasons in the British elite with Huddersfield Town, while offensive midfielder Milot Rasica had a period in Norwich City.

“Although Turkey is a much better team and has better players than Kosovo, they are not as stable as to qualifications,” Berisha added. “It's a game played at home and it's a big advantage.

The “will be something big and [if they win] it will probably be the biggest holiday ever seen on the streets of Pristina and in every city in Kosovo. ”

A Team That Makes His Nation Proud

In an interview for BBC World Service, Anel Raskaj, Kosovo's captain in that 0-0 draw with Haiti, explained what it was like to play for the country at its beginning.

I was 17 or 18, and my dream was to play for the nationals after coming from a war,” said Raskaj. We had to fight our clubs to play because they said: "It's not a national and it's not a UEFA date. We had no money to organize gatherings and hotels. All these things were organised by Kosovo Albanians living in Europe.

“was stressful, waiting so long. Maybe I was the first to say yes to the nationals, and I managed to be the captain of this first official fight.

Being in this position, seeing all the difficulties we've had, it's incredible to have that feeling now that we're so close to the World Cup. ”

Raskaj will be in Tuesday's match and said it will be an emotional night.

“We've been through very difficult times with the war, and after the war there were economic problems and there are still economic problems now,” he added.

People want to feel that they can come together and feel that we are strong. The nation has given people this feeling that we are strong, that we can make a name in Europe.

“makes us proud that people see that Kosovo Albanians have much to contribute to the world. ”