Riola Xhemaili contradicted: Kosovo had made her an official offer when she was 17

Statements by Switzerland international Riola Xhemaili that she had never received an offer to play for the Kosovo national team are untrue.

According to sources familiar with the process of bringing in footballers of Kosovar origin, Kosovo made Riola Xhemaili an official offer when she was just 17. This has also been confirmed by Gani Musliu, who at the time was directly involved in bringing the player to the Kosovo national team.

There is even a written reply from the player herself, which leaves no room for doubt. In her message, published by Musliu, Xhemaili clearly states that she has no interest in playing for any country other than Switzerland, thanking them for their interest and noting that communication with her is handled through her personal manager.

This makes her recent statement to the Swiss media outlet “NZZ Sonntag” untrue, in which she said that “she had not received any offer from Kosovo, and that women’s football in Kosovo is not advanced.”

In fact, her refusal did not result from the level of Kosovar football, but was a clear personal decision to pursue the path toward Switzerland, a decision she made early and without hesitation.

Riola Xhemaili’s choice to represent Switzerland is the legitimate right of every athlete. But what is untrue is her attempt to deny that an invitation from Kosovo existed, especially when there is concrete evidence in this case.

The facts are clear: Kosovo sought Riola Xhemaili, but she rejected the offer.