Football in Kosovo

However, Kosovo was also not a member of the NF Board, which represents non-FIFA territories, including unrepresented cultural groups and unrecognized states.

During the Second World War, Yugoslavia was invaded by Axis powers, and most of Kosovo became part of German- Italian-dominated Albanian Kingdom.

Two Kosovar Albanian players made headlines in Italian Serie A, Riza Lushta and Naim Kryeziu.

Football Federation of Kosovo was founded in 1946 and in 1948 was co-founder of ex-FF of Yugoslavia with equal rights and duties until 1991.

Examples are Gorani Fahrudin Jusufi (European vice-champion in 1966 with Partizan), Albanians Xhevat Prekazi, Fadil Vokrri, Isa Sadriu, Agim Cana, Ardian Kozniku and Kujtim Shala.

Three football players that were born in Kosovo (Milutin Šoškić, Fahrudin Jusufi, Vladimir Durković) were part of the Yugoslavia national football team, who won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics and the silver medal at the 1960 European Championship After the Kosovo War in 1999, most Kosovar Albanian players opted for emigration and represented either the countries they emigrated in, or Albania.

Some of them are Arjan Beqaj, Etrit Berisha, Lorik Cana, Debatik Curri, Armend Dallku, Besnik Hasi for Albania, Mehmet and Perparim Hetemaj, Njazi and Shefki Kuqi for Finland, Fatos Beqiraj, Jovan Tanasijević for Montenegro, Ardian Gashi for Norway, Emir Bajrami and Erton Fejzullahu for Sweden, Valon Behrami, Albert Bunjaku, Milaim Rama, Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka for Switzerland The Kosovo national football team was formed in the early 1990s and has played a number of friendly games.

Lorik Cana, who last played for French side Nantes, and represented the Albanian national football team.

Shefki Kuqi, who last played for Premier League side Newcastle United, is a naturalized citizen of Finland.

Naim Kryeziu born in Mitrovica in Kosovo started his long footballing career in SK Tirana where he played for six seasons winning four Kategoria Superiore between 1934 and 1939 as well as one Albanian Cup title in 1938-39.

He started his football career in KF Tirana where he won the Kategoria Superiore four times in six seasons, he played with.