New Arsenal FC signing Granit Xhaka has made football history, and he hasn’t even played a game for the Gunners yet. Granit Xhaka, a midfielder for Switzerland, took on his brother, Albania midfielder Taulant Xhaka in each team’s first match in the 2016 European Championships. This is the first time two brothers have ever faced each other in the Euros.
Think about how rare that is, two brothers having different nationalities, and thus able to compete against one another on the international level. FOX Soccer has a detailed feature story on the Xhaka family’s fascinating history, and the series of events that led to the two siblings having different national identities.
It’s really an amazing read, and interesting backstory.
After the match, Granit talked about going up against his brother: “It was a very special moment for my family, it was rather bizarre. I think we played very well, we gave everything for our country and we’re very happy. Maybe me a little bit more.”
Switzerland beat Albania 1-0. Granit Xhaka had high praise for Albania after a tough, evenly-matched game.
“We knew it would be a difficult game, Albania are a great side, very compact and solid. We wanted to score as early as possible,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure on our shoulders but it was great that me and my brother pushed back our limits. I don’t think anyone can hold anything against us. We fought against one another, and it was a football match, nothing more.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication.
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