Brotherly derby (Albanian: Derbi vëllazëror), also known as the Brotherly (Albanian: Vëllazërorja) is the name given in football to any match between the men's national senior football teams of Albania and Kosovo.
History
First match
The first match between these two teams took place on 29 November 1942. It was a friendly match as part of the celebrations for the thirtieth anniversary of the independence of Albania. The match ended with a 2–0 win for Tirana,[a] and the starting line-ups of that match was:[2][3][1]
During the period 2002–2015, these national teams played a total of three friendly matches (two wins for Albania and a draw), the first match during this period took place on 7 September 2002 and this match ended with a 0–1 win for Albania.[6] Eight years later, respectively on the second anniversary of Kosovo's independence, a match was played again between these two national teams and this match ended with a 2–3 win for Albania. The profits gathered from the match went to those affected by floods in Shkodër.[7]
These national teams played a friendly match on 13 November 2015. Albania played this friendly after almost a month after beating Armenia in UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying which provided Albania with qualification for the first time to a major competition, UEFA Euro 2016.[8] For Kosovo this match was among the few matches allowed by FIFA which would then be the last match before Kosovo's membership in UEFA,[9][10] and FIFA.[11] This match ended with a 2–2 draw,[12] which was called a brotherly draw,[13] where after this match officially all matches between the two national teams began to be called brotherly.
First official match
On 29 May 2018 the first official match was played between the two countries. This match took place on a neutral ground, in Letzigrund of Zürich. 18,700 fans mainly from the Albanian diaspora watched a 3–0 win for Kosovo, which was their first victory in history against Albania.[14]
'Unnecessary friendly'
On 28 October 2020, the Football Federation of Kosovo confirmed that a friendly match against Albania on 11 November would be played before the last two UEFA Nations League matches as a substitute for Albania's canceled match against Gibraltar.[15] However, this match was criticized as an "unnecessary friendly" by both managers Edoardo Reja[16] and Bernard Challandes,[17] as the match would be taking place at a crucial moment for both teams, with Albania needing to be prepared for their next two Nations League matches in order to secure the promotion from League B, while Kosovo was faced with a player shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a poor Nations League performance which threatened to relegate the team from League D. Regardless, the friendly went ahead and ended with a 2–1 win for Albania.[18]
Below are two lists of the top 11 players with the most appearances and goals in Brotherly derby. Players in bold are still active at international level.
During the period before 2016, these two national teams have exchanged players with each other, which influenced these two teams to be called reserve (B) teams of each other, Kosovo national team was called Albania B due to many players coming to play for Kosovo as they had no space to play for Albania, while Albania national team was called Kosovo B due to of the large number of players of Kosovo Albanian descent in its composition.[20] These exchanges began to be called acts of treason after Kosovo's membership in UEFA and FIFA, where some Albania players of Kosovo Albanian descent such as Amir Rrahmani, Herolind Shala and Milot Rashica who were part of the plans for the future of the Albania, moved to Kosovo.[21]
Players in bold are still active at international level with respective national teams.
Career years when the players were gathered but did not debut with respective national teams.
Albania then Kosovo
Besnik Hasi is the first player to switch from Albania to Kosovo
^Dobrica Barbaroga was the Albanianized full name of Dobrica Barbarogić by the media of that time, which seems to be expression of peaceful coexistence with national minorities even in Kosovo at that time.[2]
^The match was canceled due to lack of logistics as no suitable stadium was found to play the match.[19]
^ abKastriot Dermaku is the second player after Debatik Curri to briefly change the national team from Albania to Kosovo and from Kosovo to Albania.[29]
^Gledi Mici is the first player born and raised in Albania to accept to play for Kosovo,[30] but could not make his debut as the club asked to release him from the squad in order to be as fresh as possible for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League preliminary round matches.[31]
^"Rrëfimi i Besnik Hasit: Debutimi me Shqipërinë, Kosova, klubet e drejtuara dhe ëndrra për stolin kuqezi" [Besnik Hasi's story: Debut with Albania, Kosovo, run clubs and dream of red and black bench]. Insajderi (in Albanian). 15 August 2016. Gjashtë muaj pasi lashë Kombëtaren e Shqipërisë, në atë kohë Kombëtarja e Kosovës nuk ishte ende e pranuar, u zhvillua një turne në Turqi dhe Kosova luajti me Arabinë Saudite. Nuk ishte ndeshje zyrtare dhe duhej të luhej në një fushë që nuk e dinte askush, sepse kishin frikë se reagonte Serbia në UEFA. Isha dhe unë në atë ndeshje, 'Duhet të kemi kapiten për këtë ndeshje', më thanë. Fituam 0-1. Ishte eufori e madhe, sepse s'kishte njerëz. Vetëm ata që e organizuan ndeshjen dhe pjesëtarët e stafit të Federates së Kosovës. Ndjenjë shumë pozitive, sidomos për ata çuna, sepse e morën si arritje që luajtën për Kombëtaren dhe fituan
.jpg)
