Sokol Kushta, the Albanian who scored against Serbia in Belgrade, now a former Albanian National Team player and football expert, analyzes the June 7 match in Tirana.
For ABC News, Kushta emphasizes that right now, the focus should be solely on the sporting side and not other factors, to avoid putting pressure on the team.
After 90 minutes, political factors can be addressed, but until the match ends, only the sporting aspect matters.
“This is not about nostalgia; it’s about reality. A win today erases any history that has lasted for years. Today, we should be satisfied if the national team plays and wins against Serbia. I can’t speak to dignity outside of sport, but it shows we are dignified for the World Cup qualifiers. Let’s leave the political sides aside—they are different matters. We will focus only on the sporting aspect at this moment; after the match, we can assess everything politically and economically. We shouldn’t deal with politics, let’s move to sports. We must motivate ourselves. The coach has made the team selection, so what else is left? We are specialists but also fans right now, and we stop giving opinions once the coach has announced the lineup. We are supporters now. The best outcome for us is at least a draw, and the maximum is to win.”
Albania plays Serbia in Tirana on June 7 and three days later faces Latvia away, both matches valid for the World Cup qualifiers.
