Swiss national football team player Granit Xhaka has said that he does not want to play against Kosovo, where he is from.
Switzerland will host Kosovo on September 5 this year in the first match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The return match will be played on November 18 at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina.
The draw for the qualifying groups of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada in 2026, was held in Zurich in December. The group “B” will thus feature favourites Switzerland, as well as Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo.
“I really did not like this draw, but I am professional enough to give my best for 90 minutes,” Xhaka said in an interview with the Swiss newspaper “Blick”, reported by Kosovo’s Koha.
He points out that, in addition to Kosovo, he also wanted to avoid playing against Serbia and Albania in the World Cup qualifiers.
“I chose Switzerland and I have no regrets. I wear this jersey with great pride. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have played 135 games for the national team,” said Xhaka, the record holder for the most appearances for Switzerland.
Kosovo and Switzerland have played three games in the past period, two qualifiers for EURO 2024 and one friendly. Xhaka played in all three matches, and the media in Switzerland criticized him for not giving his maximum in the game against his compatriots.
Photo: Skynews
