A picture from the dressing room of the Serbian national soccer team, allegedly taken before the World Cup preliminary round match against Brazil, caused outrage, especially in Kosovo. A photo went viral on the social network Twitter, showing a flag depicting the outline of Kosovo in Serbian colors and the message “Never give up”. Kosovo’s football association filed a complaint with FIFA.
The Football Association of Kosovo (FFK) reacted to the picture on Friday (November 25, 2022) with clear words. “It is shameful that the leaders of the Football Union of Serbia allowed such xenophobic and genocidal messages of hate against an equal member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA and UEFA”wrote the FFK on Twitter.
Kosovo files complaint with FIFA
The association also stated that it had lodged a complaint with FIFA. The flag shown in the tweet was also held up by a few Serbian fans during the game against Brazil.
Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a state
The political background of the action: Serbia does not recognize Kosovo as a state and wants its former province back. That is why the flag in Kosovo is perceived as xenophobic and a call to genocide. This means that there is already a lot of explosives almost a week before the third World Cup preliminary round matchday, when Serbia meets Switzerland in Group G (December 2nd, 2022, 8 p.m.).
There are many players with Kosovar roots in the Confederates squad, because after the war in 1998 and 1999 many Kosovar Albanians fled to Switzerland.
Excitement in the game Serbia – Switzerland already at the 2018 World Cup
The game between Serbia and Switzerland was already politically charged at the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Aleksandar Mitrovic gave the Serbs the lead back then, while Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri turned the game around with their goals for Switzerland.
Xhaka and Shaqiri with the double-headed eagle
After their goals, the two Swiss players had formed the Albanian double-headed eagle with their hands. A reference to her family roots in Kosovo – but also a provocation towards Serbia. Xhaka and Shaqiri were fined by FIFA four years ago.