A Kosovo native's opinion on the Serbia-Albania brawl in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifier

Serbia and Albania players fighting over the Greater Albania flag that was flown down by the drone

There are few things that can transcend geopolitical tensions, and football is one of them. That’s why I was disappointed to watch the brawl unfold in the first half during the Serbia vs Albania UEFA 2016 Championship qualifying match. While saddened, I can’t say that I was entirely surprised.

For those who don’t know, Serbia and Albania have a history of political violence lasting centuries. The current tension involves the contested state of Kosovo, where I am from. Kosovo gained independence in 2008 and is recognized as a sovereign nation by much of the EU and the countries in the Baltic region, including Albania. However, Serbia disputes Kosovo’s independence to this day.

Instead, it maintains that Kosovo belongs to them. This black cloud of regional politics loomed over the lead up to the match between the two.

Despite the tension precipitating the game, both teams showed true courage and sportsmanship for the first 41 minutes, during which both teams contested firmly but fairly. This was a feat in itself in some ways, considering the incidents that plagued much of the first half – from the crowd chanting ‘Death to the Albanians’ to flares being hurled onto the field. However, it wasn’t until the now-infamous drone carrying a flag with three political images flew over the pitch that the match erupted into a full-on brawl.

Politics aside, this demonstrates a failure for the entire world of football. Football has been a beacon of peace all over the world. The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is one of the examples of football bringing people together. It was the first time the host of the tournament was an African nation and this proved to be a great success. It provided exposure for the countries impoverished population, which led to an increase in charitable donations and improvement of life style for those suffering.

While it’s upsetting that the Serbian and Albanian federations squandered this opportunity to lead by example, Captains Lorik Cana (Albania) and Branislav Ivanovic (Serbia) deserve tremendous accolade for demonstrating great leadership at the start of the game. When they shook hands and exchanged smiles, it was a rare symbolic gesture of the two countries coming together. It’s a shame the others involved – both on and off the field – couldn’t follow suit.

Now that UEFA’s outcome is out, I hope the Serbian and Albanian federations, as well as the coaches, managers and players on both sides can put this incident behind them and come together again on the football pitch. With any hope, we’ll see a full 90-minute match between the two teams soon.