Kosovo’s participation in the World Cup qualifiers concluded with a strong showing, despite ultimately failing to secure qualification. The team emerged as a notable surprise, finishing second in Group B. They surpassed Sweden and only lost to Switzerland by a single point.
This result earned them a spot in the play-off round, requiring them to win twice to advance. In the initial play-off match, Kosovo delivered a stunning victory against Slovakia, winning 3-4 in Bratislava. The team then faced Turkey in the subsequent game, creating numerous scoring opportunities.
However, Kerem Akturkoglu’s goal proved decisive, sending Turkey to the World Cup. During a match against Real Madrid, Kosovo forward Vedat Muriqi managed to score a goal. Despite this achievement, the team was unable to secure overall qualification.
Muriqi acknowledged his personal responsibility for the outcome, feeling that he hadn’t performed to the best of his ability throughout the campaign.
