Shkëlzen Gashi

On October 14, 2014, the two Eastern European countries of Albania and Serbia faced off on the soccer field in the Serbian capital of Belgrade. With Albanian fans not permitted to attend the game due to purported safety concerns, the stadium full of Serbian fans echoed racist chants and death threats. Tensions rose to a boil when a drone carrying an Albanian flag flew above the players and onto the field. Angered fans rushed the field, attacking the Albanian players, forcing the match to end. A history of political tensions, war, and sport is explored as we follow the journey of the Albanian national team on their first appearance in a major tournament.