Agim Ademi meets Arbër Zeneli, the footballer who was once a star for Kosovo

The president of the Football Federation of Kosovo, Agim Ademi, met on Thursday evening with Arbër Zeneli, the striker who was once a star for Kosovo. 

Zeneli, now 30, is a player for Elfsborg in Sweden’s top football league. 

Also present at the meeting were Arbër’s father, Avni Zeneli, and the manager of Kosovo’s national team, Bajram Shala. Arbër Zeneli injured his right knee in June 2019 during a Euro 2020 qualifying match against Montenegro. Before his injury, Zeneli won the hearts of many Kosovo fans with his goals. He was one of the best, but later suffered a decline in his career. He has made 33 appearances for Kosovo, contributing nine goals and four assists.

“Today I had the pleasure of meeting an exceptional footballer and a fantastic young man, a member of our national team, Arbër Zeneli. Arbër and I talked about his career, his recovery after injury, his return to the elite level, and also reminisced about his unforgettable matches and performances with the national team, in the hope that he will soon be part of our national team again. Arbër remains a valuable asset for Kosovo,” Ademi wrote on Thursday evening.

In the current season with Elfsborg, Zeneli has made seven appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist. 

Arbër’s younger brother, Besfort Zeneli, has also played for Kosovo. However, he has decided to continue at senior level with Sweden’s national team. 

On October 10, Kosovo will play two 2026 World Cup qualifying matches, against Slovenia at “Fadil Vokrri” in Pristina, and against Sweden in Gothenburg on October 13. 

In the past, Arbër Zeneli played for Sweden’s youth teams.