and it rang Mora Fjale in Albania.
In 2000, with the idea of uniting Albanians scattered around the world, the musician Naim Gjoshi composed a song in honor of Adem Jashari, historical leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), the Kosovo Albanian independence militia. The song is titled Mora Fjale and it spread throughout Tirana until it became a hymn. And one day the Albanians also felt proud of their football team, having qualified for the European Championship for the second time in their history. “The song became a badge of the team. They started singing it after each game. It gives you goosebumps,” explains Pablo Zabaleta, former Manchester City player, assistant coach of Albania, this Monday Spain’s rival in Germany 2024.
Retired in 2020, Zabaleta, world runner-up in 2014 and Premier League champion with City (2012 and 2014), was reunited with the grass in the least expected place: Albania. “Stain on the resume?” says the Argentine; “not at all, on the contrary. Do you know the offers we have?”
While working as a commentator for English television at the World Cup in Qatar, Zabaleta’s phone rang. It was his friend Sylvinho. “I met him at City. A crack. The first to arrive for training, he had breakfast in peace. We connected immediately. As he was already at the end of his career, Mark Hughes offered him to be part of his coaching staff, as did Mancini. He is the ideal profile, serious and loves football. He works and has enthusiasm. Noble and generates trust,” says Zabaleta. He considers Sylvinho one of the friends that football gave him, the call, however, surprised him. “Do me a favor, they just offered me the Albanian national team. Look at the last four or five games and you have to give me an analysis.”
Sylvinho was assured by the Albanian federation that there was a generation of interesting footballers and that they needed a different coaching profile. Zabaleta accepted the challenge of his friend and, when he arrived at the hotel after commentating on the Argentine national team’s matches, he studied the Albanian matches. “There are good players. And they are in a group with Poland and the Czech Republic, Faroe Islands and Moldova. “He can reach the Eurocup,” Zabaleta replied. “Come with me to Tirana. Let’s get to know the facilities,” said Sylvinho.
They were surprised. A modern stadium and sports city. The problem, the work culture. “Sylvinho moved to Tirana and I travel every 10 days from Barcelona. We learned Albanian phrases and connected with people. Being South American helped us. We believe in human contact,” recalls Zabaleta. You had to start from scratch. They wanted to leave a legacy and professionalize. “We explained to the gardener that he did not have to mow the grass 10 minutes before training and to the kit man that he could not leave a bag with all the clothes inside but rather he had to put each tracksuit in each player’s position. “We ordered the photos and names of the footballers to be posted in the locker room.”
Once the work was professionalized, the most difficult thing came: the players. “When they saw that we were committed, they committed. We made a selection of 50 players. We convinced many who were all over the world that their place was in the Albanian team,” reveals Zabaleta. Of the 26 players in the Euros, only seven were born in Albania. “For the first time, football created a sense of belonging. And they made it the land of their grandparents and their parents. Is there a better pride?” Zabaleta closes.
Now they want it to sound Mora Fjale in Germany.
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