Kosovo national team coach Franco Foda has made it clear that Kosovo will aim to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, even though he admits they are not favorites in a group that includes Switzerland, Sweden, and Slovenia.
He initially confirmed that Edon Zhegrova will miss the matches against Switzerland, also revealing the reason for his absence.
“Of course, Zhegrova is a very important player for the Kosovo team; he is irreplaceable. But he hasn’t played for eight months, and only in recent months was he active for Lille. So when we saw that he was called up by Lille, we called him as well, but last week we spoke on the phone and I asked about his commitments. Now that he has changed teams and transferred to Juventus, we found it reasonable not to involve him,” Foda said.
Regarding the match against Switzerland, Foda said he already knows their strengths and weaknesses and expects at least a draw on Friday.
“We know the Swiss national team well and are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. What will be decisive is how we perform in the next match. If we play as a united team and implement our priorities on the field, then we expect to win or at least achieve a draw,” Foda emphasized.
The Kosovo coach expressed confidence that Kosovo has built a team capable of aiming for qualification to this World Cup.
“I am very confident that we have built a good team, and I will convey this confidence to the squad. Of course, we are not favorites and could be vulnerable, but we will do everything to qualify. These next two matches will show the direction of our journey, which will not be an easy one,” Foda added.
In short, Foda described Kosovo’s new arrival, midfielder Leon Avdullahu, as a “very flexible midfielder.”
“I have a very good impression of him; he has a great personality. We are very happy with him. He is quite flexible, especially in midfield, and can play wherever we place him, so we are very happy and excited to have him on the team,” Foda said.
Kosovo will face Switzerland on September 5 in Basel.
