When Patriot Sejdiu plays international matches for Kosovo under 21, he gets goosebumps when he hears the national anthem. He compares how football is experienced in the country where he was born with his new club NAC Breda. “The supporters in both Kosovo and Breda are crazy about football.”
Patriot wears Kosovo’s blue shirt, but previously put on Sweden’s yellow. The attacker was called up for both countries in 2020. He eventually chose to continue as a youth international of Kosovo, the country where he lived until the age of four.
“I can’t explain the feeling, but I think it’s super special to be able to play for Kosovo. The country where my parents come from and where I was born. We have been going back every year for 17 years to visit our country. Kosovo is in my heart.”
Patriot’s roots lie in Pristina, a town with about 200,000 inhabitants. The capital of Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008. For years there was unrest in the Balkan country, so the Sejdiu family emigrated to quiet Sweden. There the young Patriot went to school and learned to play football.
“There were more options, and I chose NAC Breda.”
In Sweden, the attacker was known as a talent. “There were more options, and I chose NAC Breda.” In 2015, Patriot was included in the youth academy of Malmö FF, a large club with 22 national titles to its name. Malmö’s most famous former player is Zlatan Ibrahimovic, also a player with a Balkan background.
In recent years, Patriot has played about 30 league matches and a number of European duels with the superpower. He was out of the starting eleven this season. “The new trainer opted for a system in which he had no place for me. There were more options, and I chose NAC Breda.”
According to him, moving from Sweden to the Netherlands was not a big step. “I expected it would be more difficult to get used to here. That actually went without any problems. I have been well received. As far as games go, I fit in here. An attacker is given space in the Netherlands. I am not a pure winger, I can also play as a striker.”
“To play football for Kosovo, I have to prove myself at NAC.”
With NAC Breda he has a clear goal: to compete for promotion to the Eredivisie. Many playing minutes at De Parel van het Zuid should also help him to a place in the national team of Kosovo. “The team is in full development with players who play in major competitions. I hope to play for Kosovo in the future, but then I have to prove myself at my club first.”
From Breda to Pristina is a distance of about 2250 kilometers. Different cultures, but he also sees similarities. “The fans in Kosovo live for football, so do the NAC supporters. They provide great support. The fact that we lost 2-0 at FC Eindhoven last Friday touched them. I can understand that very well. Willem II awaits next Sunday, an important derby. You can count on us going for it.”