GiveMeSport
·3 December 2022
GiveMeSport
·3 December 2022
A fan was escorted out of Serbia’s match against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup after doing the controversial Albanian double-eagle celebration.
Serbia vs Switzerland has become one of the biggest geopolitical grudge matches in international football and there is a history of animosity between the two sides.
The double-eagle sign is a nationalist symbol meant to represent the eagle that can be seen on the Albanian flag and involves crossing one’s hands with spread fingers.
While the gesture may look fairly standard on paper, it has often been used as a political message to condemn Serbia’s crackdown on the Albanian population in Kosovo, which only ended in 1999.
A number of Swiss players were born in Kosovo and have family there, hence the reason why there is so much tension between Serbia and Switzerland.
In this case, a video of the fan making the double-eagle gesture went viral during the game, with the crowd member in question standing alongside a number of Serbian supporters.
The fan is then seen being escorted out of Stadium 974 by members of security.
Four years ago, Serbia and Switzerland faced off at the 2018 World Cup in the group stages.
Tempers boiled over after Swiss star Xherdan Shaqiri scored a last-minute winner that eliminated Serbia from the competition and sent Switzerland through.
Shaqiri celebrated his goal by doing the double-eagle gesture, as did Granit Xhaka, who had equalised for Switzerland earlier in the game.
Xhaka’s father spent three and a half years as a political prisoner in Yugoslavia for supporting Kosovan independence, while Shaqiri was born in Kosovo and was forced to flee to Switzerland as a refugee.
In the end, it was Switzerland who emerged victorious once again — stopping Serbia’s chance of progressing for the second World Cup in a row.
Shaqiri proved to be Serbia’s nemesis once more as he put the Swiss in front with a deflected effort.
Goals from Aleksandar Mitrovic and Dusan Vlahovic then gave Serbia the lead, before Breel Embolo equalised before half-time.
Serbia needed to win to have a chance of reaching the last 16 but a fine team goal from Switzerland, finished off by Remo Freuler, proved to be the decisive blow.
Switzerland will now face Portugal in the next round on December, 6th.
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