Kurti in 2016 on the Kosovo National Football Team: We need a national team, I don't believe in Kosovo's great results

Not only towards the political achievements of the state of Kosovo, but also towards its sports, the discourse of Albin Kurti and his party, Vetëvendosje, before they took power, was filled with a constant spirit of distrust and underestimation.

Often, this spirit, encouraged by Kurti, was wrapped in patriotic declarations for national unity, which were forgotten as soon as the leader of Vetëvendosje set foot in the Kosovo Government building.

Instead of encouraging love for our new state and realistically appreciating sporting achievements (such as Kosovo's admission to UEFA and FIFA), Kurti promoted narratives that downplayed every state success and undermined confidence in Kosovo's potential in the international arena, a strategy that resembles a hybrid war, where the objective was to weaken love and pride for the new state.

The devaluation of successes and the distortion of reality were not a coincidence, but part of a continuous political approach by him and the Vetevendosje Movement. This hybrid war, pursued with every statement and action, hindered the strengthening of the feeling for the state of Kosovo, introducing the public into a climate where collective self-confidence weakened and achievements were relativized.

"We can't move forward with that patchwork flag, which these flag merchants who usurped power, who usurped the state, have pulled out of the closet to enrich themselves and help Serbia," Kurti shouted at the demonstration organized by his party on November 28, 2015.

On June 24, 2016, when asked by a RTV 21 journalist, "Who will you be a fan of, Albania or Kosovo?", Kurti gave an answer in which he stated that he did not believe in the great results of the Kosovo National Football Team, being separate from the Albanian National Team.

According to Kurti, in a match between Albania and Switzerland, if the latter had 5 Albanian players on its team, then the Albanian representative would have to score 6 goals, one more than the number of Albanian players on the Swiss team.

This is what should happen in a possible game between Albania and Kosovo, because according to Kurti, he did not believe in great results for Kosovo, Demokracia reports.

"I was also asked who I would cheer for, Switzerland or Albania? This question is no longer legitimate, after these three matches (of Albania in the European Championship). But, before the football championship, there were also those who said that I am for this to be done even with a Swiss victory, or a draw, making it a kind of distancing from the desired victory of the Albanian National Team. I had said that: if there are 5 Albanian footballers in the Swiss national team, then Albania would have to win 6:5 and each of the 5 Albanian players would have to score a goal", Kurti declared to RTV 21.

This also applied to the Kosovo Representative, according to Kurti.

"Even in relation to the Kosovo National Team, I think this way: let the Kosovo National Team score as many goals as possible, but I believe that the Albanian National Team should win. I hope that the Kosovo National Team will be together with the Albanian National Team, because I do not believe in great results if we are divided," Kurti declared.

In fact, Kurti did not even see the need for the independent development of football in the two countries, but rather for this to be done by creating a joint football league.

"What we need to focus on now is the creation of a joint league. I remember that earlier they told us that we should not create a joint league because this could jeopardize Kosovo's membership in UEFA and FIFA. Since these two memberships were achieved, now we should merge the leagues as soon as possible and thus increase both competition and performance," declared Kurti, who has been in power for 6 years, but has not taken any steps to strengthen sports in the two respective countries.

"If there is a will, this is possible. I am convinced that nothing can stop us. Only narrow interests can stop us, which should be realized in the private sphere, but by no means in the public, national sphere," Kurti added.