An extraordinary story, long kept in the shadows, now comes to light through a narrative that touches not only sport but also the national cause. It is about Hasan Kadriu, the man who quietly laid the foundations for the internationalisation of Kosovar football and opened doors to the world’s major sporting institutions.
The documentary “Silent Hero”, directed by Kastriot Saqipi, focuses on Kadriu’s life and work, revealing previously unknown dimensions of a figure who left an indelible mark on the history of Albanian football and beyond.
According to Saqipi, Kadriu’s journey was closely linked with major national figures such as Jusuf Gërvalla, Bardhosh Gërvalla, and Kadri Zeka. He turned the advancement of Albanians in sport into a lifelong mission.
Saqipi reveals that Kadriu was among the first Albanian football agents in the world at a time when this required significant financial resources and strong international connections. He also built close friendships with key global football figures such as Sepp Blatter, directly contributing to the promotion of Albanian football on the international stage.
“I was driven by the story of Hasani, who worked in silence without anyone knowing, and I was fascinated by his story. For this reason, I also made the documentary, which I sent to your newsroom. Hasani was a close friend of Jusuf Gërvalla, Bardhosh Gërvalla, and Kadri Zeka. Hasani treated the advancement of Albanians in sport as a national mission. He is the first Albanian manager among 500 managers in the world who existed at that time, because a large sum was required, 2 or 3 million marks, to become a manager, and he was the only Albanian who became a manager and who had a close friendship with Sepp Blatter, who was the president of FIFA, the most influential person in world football, and through this he advanced the football of Albania and Kosovo,” says Saqipi.
Hasani promoted some of the most well-known Albanian footballers, Saqipi says.
“At that time, for the first time they submitted the historical documentation and the process began to bring Kosovo into FIFA. The documentation, which he had connections with Agim Ademi at the time, was brought and handed over to Sepp Blatter for Kosovo’s membership in FIFA, and he had already achieved his goal with Albania. This is a characteristic of Hasani, because he helped a lot, he treated Albanian footballers as a mission, he transferred them without taking a single cent. Hasani promoted some of the most well-known Albanian footballers: Alban Bushi, Rudi Vata, Kushtrim Munishi, Muharrem Sahiti, who also speak in this documentary with passion and even cry after 30 years for Hasani. He is a man who did not take a single cent. Let us not forget that Hasani made the contract at Barcelona for Stoichkov, who won the Ballon d’Or at that time as the strongest footballer in the world,” says Saqipi.
Kadriu also had an important role in promoting many Albanian footballers such as Alban Bushi, Rudi Vata, Kushtrim Munishi, and Muharrem Sahiti, who, according to Saqipi, still remember him emotionally even decades later.
One of the key moments, according to Saqipi, was the start of the process for Kosovo’s membership in FIFA, in cooperation with Agim Ademi, where the relevant documentation was handed over to Blatter himself.
Kadriu’s death, according to the documentary’s author, remains suspicious and enigmatic.
Hasan Kadriu’s contribution is still valued today, while his work was followed by other important figures such as Fadil Vokrri, advancing Kosovo’s football journey toward international success.
Saqipi recalls an interesting detail from Hasan Kadriu’s activity when footballers did not want to return and sought asylum, but he convinced them to return to their homeland.
