Edon Zhegrova (foto: Uradni FB/TW/IG profil igralca)
Kosovo’s national team has been shaken by a scandal involving three players caught drinking late at night. The coach expelled them from the team, and rumors suggest the federation president made threats against their careers.
Kosovo’s football scene is embroiled in a major scandal. During their Nations League camp, in which they lost 3-0 to Romania and then secured a 4-0 victory against Cyprus, three players were expelled from the national team. The players involved are Edon Zhegrova from Lille, Arijanet Murić from Ipswich, and Florent Muslija from Freiburg.
Kosovar media reports claim that the three players were out late at a nightclub, consuming alcohol, and it wasn’t the first time. Now that the story has become public, Kosovo’s coach, Franco Foda, has decided to remove them from the squad.
All three players featured in the match against Romania but were not considered for the trip to Cyprus. Some Kosovar media outlets have reported that Agim Ademi, the president of the Kosovar Football Federation, allegedly threatened the players, saying he would “ruin their careers” and “break their legs.”
Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku claims that one of the suspended players told him this directly. Ademi did not comment on these allegations but did speak about the suspension: “The rules must be respected. It’s crucial to respect the national team. The decision to expel the players was made by the coach. The reason is that they went out without permission late at night. The federation supports the coach’s decision. He was simply enforcing the rules.”
Goalkeeper Arijanet Murić spoke to Klan Kosova, stating: “The decision made against us is not fair, and all the rumors circulating have nothing to do with the truth.” Meanwhile, Zhegrova briefly remarked that he would “speak on the field.”