Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Zhaka’s Fifa World Cup goal celebrations for Switzerland cause political row
The Switzerland pair, who trace their roots back to Kosovo, celebrate scoring in 2-1 win over Serbia with ‘double eagle’ gesture
Xherdan Shaqiri’s last-minute winner capped an impressive comeback for the Swiss in an eventful group E encounter in Kaliningrad after Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka levelled following Aleksandar Mitrovic’s opener.
Both Shaqiri and Xhaka trace their roots back to Kosovo, a former province of Serbia, which stoked tensions before and during Friday’s clash.
Both Shaqiri and Xhaka pointedly celebrated scoring by making a ‘double eagle’ gesture with their hands representing the Kosovo flag, viewed as a symbol of defiance.
Although the win puts Switzerland in pole position to make it out of a tough group containing five-times winners Brazil, Petkovic was unimpressed with his players’ celebrations.
“You should never mix politics and football, it’s good to be a fan and important to show respect,” he told reporters after the game.