With the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, Kosovo midfielder Florent Muslija revealed his nation's dreams of reaching the tournament in North America.
Muslija and his Kosovo teammates are determined to take another step closer to a surprise qualification for the 2026 World Cup as they prepare to face Slovakia in the knockout stage of the European Championship.
Muslija, who is on loan at Fortuna Dusseldorf from SC Freiburg, started every game for the Dardanelles during the UEFA qualifying group stage, as we finished second behind Switzerland in Group B, pushing Sweden and Slovenia down the main standings.
The 27-year-old midfielder and his international teammates now face Slovakia on March 26 as they aim to continue their journey to the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States, with Turkey or Romania as their final opponents if they progress.
Muslija was born in Germany and made five appearances for Germany's U-20 team in 2018, before opting to play for Kosovo in 2019, making his debut with the first team the same year. The attacking midfielder, who usually plays in central midfield or on the left wing and now has 38 international caps and two goals, spoke to FIFA earlier this month.
FIFA: How important is it to be in good shape for your club when playing for the national team?
Florent Muslija: In international football, you are definitely judged by whether you play for your club or not. I have a good position in the team and I have also made some good performances in the last few games. I hope I can carry my good form to the national team and even improve it.
Is your role in the national team different from the one you have in your club?
There is no big difference. I see myself as a leader in Dusseldorf and for the national team, both on and off the field. I am now at an age where I can and should take on more responsibility. Maybe one difference is that, in Dusseldorf, we have a very young team, while the national team has many experienced players.
What does Kosovo coach Franco Foda expect from you?
He wants me to take responsibility and he knows that I can be a match winner. He will see that on the pitch. Of course, he wants me to help in defence too and I try to do my best in that aspect, to give the team more stability and quality, reports Telegraph.
How do you evaluate the qualifying campaign now that you have had some time to reflect?
It was a really positive campaign. We put in some great performances and developed even more as a team. We have had a real collaboration as a group, we are all there for each other and we support each other. The level has been consistently high and I think that is obvious to everyone. We definitely want to continue in the same vein and I believe we can.
Are you upset about the only loss in your first match against Switzerland?
These things happen sometimes in football. Fortunately, it was only that one match, otherwise we probably wouldn't be in the knockout stages now. Unfortunately, we were slow in that match and lost it before we even got to half-time. However, we can still be proud of ourselves. We have achieved so much already and, of course, our work is not over yet. We want to qualify for the World Cup and we will give everything to get there, reports Telegraph.
You scored in the 1-1 draw against Switzerland. How does it feel to score for your country?
Of course, it's really special. The atmosphere in our stadium is always great. To score a goal for your country - and such an important goal for that reason - gives you a boost and also gives you a sense of confidence and freedom to play. It was a great feeling.
What do you see as the team's strengths in general?
We have become a really strong unit and we are very consistent in the way we play. We are good in attack and we have also strengthened in defence. When you see, for example, how as a team we faced Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak [in the matches against Sweden], we didn't notice them at all. We have players with great intelligence in the game, both in defence and attack.
Kosovo has shown that it can withstand opponents that are supposedly stronger. Do you see yourself as weak?
We are a small country. Opponents like Sweden, Switzerland and Slovenia probably don't lose their minds much. But we have a lot of heart, passion and football quality. You can see that in the way we play. We have also shown that we can withstand big teams. That says a lot about us and our country.
Your first challenge is Slovakia, and then either Turkey or Romania. How do you assess your chances?
We have to remember that we only have these games - starting with Slovakia. We will have to give everything we have. Each of us has to give 100%. We have to leave everything on the field and be aware of what a great opportunity this is for us as a nation. If we can do that, then we have every chance of succeeding, reports Telegraph.
What is the atmosphere like among the fans and what would it mean for the country if you could book a seat in North America?
There is great enthusiasm, both among the players, and among all the fans and people living in Kosovo and abroad. We know how important these matches are and, of course, we would make history as such a small country. This is a dream that we all share.
If Kosovo can qualify, your opponents in the World Cup will be Australia, Paraguay and the host USA. How do you feel about that?
I don't think we need any more motivation – we feel it already. It's just an indescribable feeling when you think about the possibility of playing in a World Cup. Just the thought is enough to push you to your limits and play football with the same spirit.
/Telegrafi/
