Harsh prepartations for Kosovo's historic World Cup journey

Tonight is one of those nights of footballing history. It is the first match of World Cup qualifying for the Kosovo national team after they officially became members of FIFA last May.

The road to the affiliation has been very hard due to the geopolitical implications. After the independence of Kosovo was declared in 2008, 82 states in the world refused to recognize their new status, considering their declaration a violation of international laws. In particular, Serbia continued to consider Kosovo as one of their own provinces. Moreover: they consider Kosovo as the cradle of the Serbian nation, taking their origins to the battle of Kosovo Polje of 1389 against the Ottoman Empire.

For the first match of their qualifying campaign, Kosovo will play in Turku against Finland. In their group they will also face Croatia, Turkey, Iceland and Ukraine; the former Soviet nation is among those that failed to recognise the independence of Kosovo, so there are sure to be problems when come to blows. In fact, it's likely the match Ukraine-Kosovo will be played on a neutral ground.

Six Kosovo players had problems in the hours leading up to Monday's game: having played for other national teams, they were waiting for FIFA to allow them to play for the new national team on the day of the match. An absurd situation.

The calibre of players that could be called up by Kosovo are quite alarming; names like Xhaka, Shaqiri, Januzaj or Behrami, though it's very unlikely they will switch allegiances, for different reasons. Those that played at Euro 2016, Xhaka and Shaqiri, have been informed that they are not allowed to play for Kosovo, and though FIFA haven’t ever stated this officially, without those players Switzerland could lose a lot of their potential on the pitch; and they hold a lot of power in the governing body.

Shaqiri in particular would have loved to wear Kosovo jersey, but he hasn’t been allowed to do so. Januzaj, meanwhile, was rudely refused to even meet with Albert Bunjaki, the Kosovo national team head coach, to listen to his invitation.

Goalkeeper and captain Samir Ujkani told WhoScored.com, “I don’t think those players will come back to Kosovo. We wish them good luck but we don’t cry over this”.

All six players that have been allowed to play were confirmed as late as 3pm on the day of the opener in Finland, with the match starting at 7:45pm. It's a match they may need a result from given the fixtures they will face, and it's a group they will be expected to prop up, but this is no Gibraltar or San Marino. There is potential in this squad.

The likely Kosovo national starting eleven will now line up in a 4-3-2-1 formation, full of fantasy and talent. Ujkani, between the posts, is the leader of the team, playing for Pisa in Italy's Serie B, with a defence of Fanol Perdedaj, Alban Pnishi, Amir Rrahmani and Leart Paqarada. The three midfielders will be Valon Berisha - capped 19 times for Norway, Alban Meha - switching from Albania, and Anis Alushi - a former German youth international. Bernard Berisha and Milot Rashica - who shone in Holland with Vitesse to earn a rating of 7.21 last season - will play behind the centre forward Bersant Celina, a promising Manchester City graduate loaned to Twente in Eredivisie.

Ujkani told us, “There is really a lot of enthusiasm all around us. All the Kosovan people are waiting for this match!” Even if there are lot of Kosovan nationals playing in the Albania shirt, like captain Lorik Cana, the captain stated: “Our relationship with Albania is perfect. We are brothers!", tempering the possible polemics.

Now we have to leave FIFA's newest member to do their talking on the pitch. For too long there have been quarrels in this part of the world, right in the heart of Europe, solved with guns, bombs and rivers of blood.

Football is a unifying game. Here's hoping that much continues.

Do Kosovo have a chance of upsetting the odds in their qualifying group? Let us know in the comments below