On the field, XS remains pale: Shaqiri only shines before and after the match

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Normally, Xherdan Shaqiri (31) is the man for the special moments in the big matches. As a reminder: his enormous box against Honduras at the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 or the side kick against Poland at the European Championships in 2016.

The game in Pristina is a big game, especially for him. It couldn’t be more emotional. It is the serious fight against Kosovo, against the country of his birth, the homeland of his parents. But Shaq remains pale. A failed shot after nine minutes made it 2-1, but there was not much more to it on Saturday evening. At least not during the game.

“I did that out of respect for Kosovo”

His pre-match action is much more special. During the Kosovo national anthem, Shaqiri takes the same position as his opponents. He places his right hand over his heart and looks straight ahead in awe. «Everyone knows that I was born here, that I have my roots here. I made this gesture out of respect for Kosovo,” he told Blick after the match.

He received applause from the stands for his gesture. Even bigger applause followed when he was substituted in the 84th minute. Probably a little bit of gratitude from the Kosovo side that he didn’t shine in the sport.

His action after the final whistle was heartbreaking. Shaqiri hands his national team uniform to a teenager in a wheelchair on the sidelines and hugs him for a selfie. Then of course he makes every ball boy happy. Although the national team conceded the 2-2 score just seconds before the final whistle, he patiently posed for photos.

Joy or frustration: which dominates?

What ultimately dominates? The joy of this historic moment? Or the frustration over the lost points? Shaqiri: «I am proud that I was able to play here. I’ve always dreamed of this. But in the end I’m disappointed that we didn’t win. With our routine we should take home a 2-1 lead in games like this.”

And something about the Kosovars? “They did well: waited at the back and played on the counter-attack. They also have players in the team who can make a difference. And they showed that today.”

For his part, Shaqiri is no different player tonight in Pristina. Still, or perhaps because of that, he makes many people happy in the Fadil Vokrri Stadium.

Source : Blick