FIFA President Gianni Infantino, during the official decoration ceremony by the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, expressed his deep emotion and gratitude for the honor he received and for his special bond with Kosovar football.
Infantino described Kosovo and Prishtina as “the world’s football capital”, emphasizing that football is a universal language that unites people across the globe.
“What an honor, what a joy, what an emotion, what happiness it is for me to be here today — at home, in Kosovo. To receive this extraordinary honor, this medal, from you, from the President, my dear friends, on behalf of this wonderful country that is Kosovo.
Today, Kosovo and Prishtina are the capitals of the world — the world of football, because, as we all know, football is the most important thing in the world. It’s a great emotion for me to stand here before you. I’m sorry I’m speaking in English — my Albanian is not yet where it should be. I’ll take some lessons before next year’s 10th anniversary of Kosovo’s FIFA membership — and next time, I’ll speak Albanian.
After watching the video, I would like to dedicate this medal, this recognition, this honor — to Fadil Vokrri,” said Infantino.
He also recalled his early experiences with the Football Federation of Kosovo and the crucial role of Fadil Vokrri in the country’s long journey toward international football recognition.
“Kosovo, and again Kosovo. I knew Fadil very well. I remember when Kosovo was still a very young country, and it was difficult. The Football Federation of Kosovo wanted to become a member of UEFA. Back then, it wasn’t easy to meet people from Kosovo. I was told, ‘Gianni, go meet this person,’ and that’s how I met Fadil. I was working with UEFA’s legal department at that time, and we discussed statutes and regulations for years.
After some misunderstandings, I got to know Fadil personally — and I understood the resilience and strength of the people of Kosovo, who believed in their country and in what they wanted. That persistence guided UEFA and FIFA toward Kosovo,” he said.
Infantino highlighted the historic moment of May 2, 2016, just three months after he became FIFA President, when he had the privilege of welcoming Kosovo into the global football family.
