Brotherly derby
Brotherly derby (Albanian: Derbi vëllazëror), also known as the Brotherly (Albanian: Vëllazërorja) is the name given in football to any match between the men's national senior football team of Albania and Kosovo.
 Location of Albania (green) and Kosovo (orange) | |
| Native name | Derbi vëllazëror |
|---|---|
| Other names | Vëllazërorja |
| Sport | Football |
| Locale | Europe (UEFA) |
| Teams |  Albania Kosovo |
| First meeting | Tirana[a] 2–0 Kosovo (Tirana, 29 November 1942) |
| Latest meeting | Albania 2–1 Kosovo (Elbasan, 11 November 2020) |
| Broadcasters | Albanian Radio Television Radio Television of Kosovo SuperSport Albania |
| Stadiums | Air Albania Stadium (Albania) Fadil Vokrri Stadium (Kosovo) |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | Competitive matches: 0 Exhibition matches: 7 Total matches: 7 |
| Most wins | Competitive matches: 0 Exhibition matches: Albania (5) Total matches: Albania (5) |
| Most player appearances | 10 players (3) |
| Top scorer | Arbër Zeneli Bekim Balaj (2) |
| All-time series | Albania: 5 Draw: 1 Kosovo: 1 |
| Largest victory | Albania 3–1 Kosovo (Tirana, 14 February 1993) |
| Smallest victory | Kosovo 0–1 Albania (Pristina, 7 September 2002) |
| Largest goal scoring | Kosovo 2–3 Albania (Pristina, 17 February 2010) |
History
First match
The first match between these two teams took place on 29 November 1942 and that was it a friendly match as part of the celebrations for 30th Anniversary of the Independence of Albania and the match ended with a 2–0 win for Tirana,[a] and the starting line-ups of that match was:[1][2][3]
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Second match
50 years after the first match, the newly separated Football Federation of Kosovo from Football Association of Yugoslavia signed a cooperation protocol with the Albanian Football Association and in the framework of this protocol it was decided to play on 14 February a friendly match between these two national teams,[4] and this match ended with a 3–1 win for Albania,[5] for which this match was the first match in 1993 after the mathematically elimination from 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification, but it was also a pre-preparation before the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Northern Ireland.[6] The starting line-ups of that match was:
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2002–2015
During the period 2002–2015, these national teams played a total of three friendly matches (two wins for Albania and a draw), the first match during this period took place on 7 September 2002 and this match ended with a 0–1 minimum win for Albania.[7] Eight years later, respectively on the second anniversary of Kosovo's independence, a match was played again between these two national teams and this match ended with a 2–3 win for Albania. This match had even a charity character as the profits gathered from this meeting went to those affected by floods in Shkodër.[8]
These national teams played again a friendly match after five years, respectively on 13 November 2015. This match was different from other matches that took place between these two national teams as Albania played this friendly after almost a month after beating Armenia in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying which provided Albania with the qualification for the first time in a competition, respectively in UEFA Euro 2016,[9] while for Kosovo this match was among the few matches allowed by FIFA which would then be the last match before Kosovo's membership in UEFA,[10][11] and FIFA.[12] This match ended with a 2–2 draw,[13] which was called a brotherly draw,[14] where after this match officially all matches between the two national teams began to be called brotherly.
First official match
For the first time in the history of these two national teams on 29 May 2018 played the first official match, this match was different from other matches for many reasons as these two national teams in their organic had the best possible players and were in the preparatory phase before the start of the newly created competition in Europe, UEFA Nations League. This match took place on a neutral ground, respectively in Letzigrund of Zürich, where in that match there were 18,700 fans mainly from the Albanian diaspora and this match ended with a 3–0 win for Kosovo, which for him was the first victory in history against Albania.[15]
Overall and matches
Overall
| Competition | Round | Matches | Wins | Draws | Goals | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | Kosovo | Albania | Kosovo | ||||
| FIFA World Cup | competition | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| qualification process | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| UEFA European Championship | competition | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| qualification process | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Friendly | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 9 | |
| Total | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 9 | |
Matches
| 29 November 1942 Friendly | [a]Tirana .svg.png.webp){kind=small} | 2–0 | Kosovo | Tirana, Albanian Kingdom |
| 14:30 | Visha  5'Lisi 89' |
Report | Stadium: Shallvare Attendance: 8,000 Referee: Abdurrahman Toptani (Albania) |
| 14 February 1993 Friendly | Albania .svg.png.webp){kind=small} | 3–1 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Kosovo | Tirana, Albania |
| Abazi 38' Seferi 39' (o.g.)Fortuzi 42' |
Report | Munishi 72' |
Stadium: Selman Stërmasi Stadium Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Bujar Pregja (Albania) |
| 7 September 2002 Friendly | Kosovo  | 0–1 | Albania | Pristina, Kosovo |
| Report Report (RSSSF) |
Abazi 45' (o.g.) |
Stadium: Pristina City Stadium Attendance: 25,000 Referee: Bekim Pakuja (Macedonia) |
| 17 February 2010 Friendly | Kosovo | 2–3 | Albania | Pristina, Kosovo |
| Hasani 31' Gashi 75' |
Report (1st) Report (2nd) |
Bicaj 4' Muzaka 31' (pen.)Balaj 90+2' |
Stadium: Pristina City Stadium Attendance: 10,000 |
| 13 November 2015 Friendly | Kosovo | 2–2 | Albania | Pristina, Kosovo |
| 14:00 (UTC+1) | Celina 58' (pen.) Rashani 69' |
Report | Manaj 54' Rrahmani 73' |
Stadium: Pristina City Stadium Attendance: 38,000 (record) Referee: Lorenc Jemini (Albania) |
| 29 May 2018 Friendly | Kosovo | 3–0 | Albania | Zürich, Switzerland |
| 20:00 (UTC+1) | Zeneli 20', 51' Zhegrova 67' |
Report | Stadium: Letzigrund Attendance: 18,700 Referee: Alain Bieri (Switzerland) |
| 11 November 2020 Friendly | Albania | 2–1 | Kosovo | Elbasan, Albania |
| 16:00 (CET; UTC+01:00) | Balaj 31' Uzuni 65' |
Report Report (UEFA) |
Muriqi 85' (pen.) |
Stadium: Elbasan Arena Attendance: 0 Referee: Hüseyin Göçek (Turkey) |
Records
- As of 11 November 2020
Below are two lists of the top 11 players with the most appearances and goals in Brotherly derby.
Players in bold are still active at international level.
Most appearances
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Top goalscorers
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Players who played for both senior national teams
During the period before 2016, these two national teams have exchanged players with each other, which influenced these two teams to be called reserve (B) teams of each other, Kosovo national team was called Albania B due to many players coming to play for Kosovo as they had no space to play for Albania, while Albania national team was called Kosovo B due to of the large number of players of Kosovo Albanian descent in its composition.[16] These exchanges began to be called acts of treason after Kosovo's membership in UEFA and FIFA, where some Albania players of Kosovo Albanian descent such as Amir Rrahmani, Herolind Shala and Milot Rashica who were part of the plans for the future of the Albania, moved to Kosovo.[17]
- Players in bold are still active at international level with respective national teams.
Albania then Kosovo
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Kosovo then Albania
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See also
Notes
- ^ The alternative name of the Albania national team that was used during this match.[3]
- ^ Dobrica Barbaroga was the Albanianized full name of Dobrica Barbarogić by the media of that time, which seems to be expression of peaceful coexistence with national minorities even in Kosovo at that time.[1]
References
- Besnik Dizdari (12 December 2007). "Besnik Dizdari: Kur në Tiranë lindte Përfaqësuesja e Kosovës...(II)" [Besnik Dizdari: When in Tirana the Kosovo national team was born...(II)]. Zemra Shqiptare (in Albanian).
- Besnik Dizdari (15 September 2019). ""Armiqtë" e vërtetë dhe "miqtë" e rremë të Kosovës" [The real "enemies" and false "friends" of Kosovo] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport.
- Mendrit Shehu (18 November 2019). "Kosova, kalvari sportiv e miqësorja e harruar me Jugosllavinë" [Kosovo, the sports ordeal and the forgotten friendly with Yugoslavia]. Gazetasi (in Albanian).
- "Futbolli 1991–2011, 20 vjet mëvetësim" [Football 1991–2019, 20 years independence] (PDF) (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 2011. pp. Respectively on pages 64 and 65, contain information about cooperation protocol and the match.
- "International Matches 1993 – Europe, January–March". RSSSF.
14/02/1993, Tiranë, Dinamo, 14000, Friendly International, ALBANIA–KOSOVA
- "Albania vs Northern Ireland, 17 February 1993, World Cup qualification". eu-football.info.
- "Kosova 0:1 Albania". RSSSF. 7 September 2002.
- "Miqesore/Kosove - Shqipëri 2-3" [Friendly/Kosovo - Albania 2-3]. AlbaniaSoccer (in Albanian). 17 February 2010.
- "Fiton Shqipëria, shkojmë në Francë" [Albania wins, we go to France] (in Albanian). Albanian Football Association. 11 October 2015.
- "Football Federation of Kosovo joins UEFA". UEFA. 3 May 2016.
- "Kosovo accepted as member of Uefa after Congress vote". The Guardian. 3 May 2016.
- "Zyrtare: Kosova pranohet në FIFA, jemi të barabartë me të gjitha vendet e botës" [Official: Kosovo is admitted to FIFA, we are equal to all countries in the world] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 13 May 2016.
- "Festë, emocion dhe spektakël futbolli" [Holiday, emotion and football spectacle] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 13 November 2015.
- "Miqësorja vëllazërore në barazim 2-2, Prishtina e tëra në festë" [Brotherly friendly in 2-2 draw, Pristina wholly holiday]. TeleSport (in Albanian). 13 November 2015.
- "Kosova e fiton me spektakël miqësoren kundër Shqipërisë" [Kosovo wins the friendly against Albania with spectacle] (in Albanian). Football Federation of Kosovo. 29 May 2018.
- Besnik Dizdari (18 November 2015). "Kosova A – "Kosova B" 2–2 ose Kosova – Shqipëria 30–6!" [Kosovo A – "Kosovo B" 2–2 or Kosovo – Albania 30–6!] (in Albanian). Panorama Sport.
- Andi Bushati. "Milot Rashica, një tradhtar i mërzitur" [Milot Rashica, an upset traitor]. Ekonomia Online (in Albanian). Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- "Edhe Alban Meha po Kosovës" [Even Alban Meha said yes Kosovo]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 15 August 2016.
- "Amir Rrahmani lë Shqipërinë, i bashkohet Kosovës" [Amir Rrahmani leaves Albania, joins Kosovo]. Albinfo (in Albanian). 22 August 2016.
- "Besart Berisha do t'i bashkohet Kombëtares së Kosovës" [Besart Berisha will join the Kosovo national team] (in Albanian). Radio Television of Kosovo. 16 August 2016. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017.
- "Rrëfimi i Besnik Hasit: Debutimi me Shqipërinë, Kosova, klubet e drejtuara dhe ëndrra për stolin kuqezi" [Besnik Hasi's story: Debut with Albania, Kosovo, run clubs and dream of red and black bench]. Insajderi (in Albanian). 15 August 2016.
Gjashtë muaj pasi lashë Kombëtaren e Shqipërisë, në atë kohë Kombëtarja e Kosovës nuk ishte ende e pranuar, u zhvillua një turne në Turqi dhe Kosova luajti me Arabinë Saudite. Nuk ishte ndeshje zyrtare dhe duhej të luhej në një fushë që nuk e dinte askush, sepse kishin frikë se reagonte Serbia në UEFA. Isha dhe unë në atë ndeshje, ‘Duhet të kemi kapiten për këtë ndeshje’, më thanë. Fituam 0-1. Ishte eufori e madhe, sepse s’kishte njerëz. Vetëm ata që e organizuan ndeshjen dhe pjesëtarët e stafit të Federates së Kosovës. Ndjenjë shumë pozitive, sidomos për ata çuna, sepse e morën si arritje që luajtën për Kombëtaren dhe fituan
- "Ekskluzive: Futbollisti nga Lugina e Preshevës i bashkohet Përfaqësueses së Kosovës" [Exclusive: The footballer from the Presevo Valley joins Kosovo national team] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 4 November 2016.
- "Edhe Herolind Shala vendos të luaj për Kosovën" [Herolind Shala also decides to play for Kosovo]. Albinfo (in Albanian). 22 August 2016.
- "Rashica zgjedh Kosovën" [Rashica chooses Kosovo]. TopSporti (in Albanian). 15 August 2016.
- "Ardian Ismajli lë Kosovën për Shqipërinë!" [Ardian Ismajli leaves Kosovo for Albania!] (in Albanian). SuperSport Albania. 30 October 2018.
- "Largimi i "çuditshëm dhe tinëzar" i Kastriot Dërmakut nga Kosova" [Kastriot Dërmaku's "strange and insidious" departure from Kosovo] (in Albanian). Gazeta Express. 3 October 2018.
- "Loret Sadiku përfundimisht mund të luajë vetëm te Shqipëria, FIFA refuzon edhe Suedinë" [Loret Sadiku can finally play only with Albania, FIFA also rejects Sweden] (in Albanian). Telegrafi. 13 September 2018.