Football is keeping the country going

By: Andin Lokaj

Historic: Kosovo records the biggest rise of the year of all nations in the FIFA World Ranking.

Not yet a decade has passed since Kosovo was accepted into UEFA and FIFA, and we could not have seen the result achieved so far even in our wildest dreams.

Despite all the organizational difficulties and numerous challenges, the FFK has managed to overcome every obstacle in its path, take on all kinds of challenges, and reach where it is today.

Without a doubt, this is to the credit of the leading figure and leader of our football, Agim Ademi.

Whether someone likes it or not, he is the one who brought Kosovo to this level.

The journey was not easy at all, was it? Kosovo started in League D and moved up to C without many problems. But that was not where it belonged, because we knew we had the capacity to climb even higher.

And that happened, despite the fact that at first various footballers were hesitant to accept the call-up.

But at no point did the Federation and those who truly love the national team with all their hearts give up. Because they knew that good work and positive things come slowly.

And after the appointment of a super-strategist like Franco Foda, it became clear that we can do even more. We can turn the impossible into the possible. With the discipline he instilled and the serious work within the team, and, on the other hand, with the addition of several very high-quality footballers, we reached a level we thought would take us a long time to attain: League B.

These achievements need to be recalled more often, because we quickly forget our successes. And after an excellent qualifying campaign for “World Cup 2026”, here we are. This, too, was something many “experts” had not imagined, as they continue week after week to pontificate pointlessly on television panels.

FIFA issued a statement today: Kosovo, “the national team with the biggest rise in the rankings this year”.

Within a year, Kosovo rose 18 places, ending the year in 80th place out of its 211 member nations.

And this is only the beginning of tireless work that the FFK will continue with outstanding professionalism.

Kosovan football has even greater potential, and we will climb even higher. I say this with complete confidence.

Slovakia, wait for us, we’re coming.

Wishing everyone good health and happy holidays.