The Duke gives the big news: We have contacted Rocco Vata, we also met the Bayern Munich talent

2025-01-28 14:54:00, Sport CNA

The Duke gives the big news: We have contacted Rocco Vata, we also met the

The President of the Albanian Football Federation, Armand Duka, has revealed that he and the national team coach Silvinjo have contacted Rocco Vata, Brajan Gruda, Luis Hasa and Arijon Ibrahimovic to represent the Rossoneri.

In the interview with A2 CNN, the number 1 football player in the country also revealed that he had a meeting with Bayern Munich talent, Ylli Gashi.

"Our policy is to bring every type of footballer closer, even though sometimes this conflicts with the Kosovo Federation. We have the doors open for every Albanian who plays football, regardless of where he lives or has lived. There are many footballers who offer themselves at different ages to play with the National Team, but there are also a few of those we seek to convince to be part of the National Team. One of them is Gruda, who has played with the German youth teams, we have asked him to join Albania, but there is no positive response at this moment, but we remain open to him being a footballer of the Albanian National Team. The same applies to other footballers, Vata, Hasa, Ibrahimovic, who have the quality to be part of the National Team. We have not been successful with these names that I mentioned. We have contacted them, starting with me personally, along with the administrative and technical staff, Silvinjo etc., but without success. There are other names, younger, some have joined our teams. A very big talent for me, who plays for Bayern's youth teams, Ylli Gashi, is a potential for Albania. Ivan Balliu is very happy that he has decided to play for the Albanian National Team and I think it is the right decision he has made in his career. In all the meetings I have had with parents or footballers, I have told them the same thing: If you decide to play for Albania, you will do the right thing, and I am not saying this from the position of the president of the federation, but even if I were a parent myself.

I remember a conversation between Silvinho's assistant, Pablo Zabaleta, and a footballer in England, where he said: I have played football at high levels, I have played football for Manchester City, I have also made money with football, but the real football is the one I played with Argentina. There is no greater feeling than playing for your national team. In addition, without selling patriotism, even from a pragmatic point of view, the opportunities and spaces to play in a team with less competition like Albania, than for Germany, Italy or France, are greater. In the end, a sportsman's career is not affected if he plays for Albania or Germany, on the contrary, they can be helped more, because they have more space.

I do not believe that Lorik Cana's activation with Albania has affected his career, on the contrary, he has had a very good career and has left his mark in the history of Albanian and European national football. Even other footballers, like our current captain, Berat Gjimshiti, who started his career in Switzerland and is very happy to play with Albania. There are different opinions, there are some who say that while a player has the opportunity to play for Italy or Germany, what will he play for Albania? For me it is wrong, the first choice should be Albania for every footballer. I will also reveal a conversation I had with footballer Ylli Gashi and his father in Munich a month ago, I told him that if you do not decide that Ylli should play for Albania, at least that he should play for Kosovo, so that, truly, when he rejoices, he should rejoice in Albanian and when he curses, he should curse in Albanian", declared Duka.