Pristina, January 21 – Valon Berisha says he is eternally grateful to Norway for giving him the opportunity to play for many years. But Berisha said in a long interview for "sofoot.com" that he dreamed as a child that one day he will play for Kosovo. The 27-year-old midfielder of the French team, Reims, in 2016 decided to leave Norway to join Kosovo. So far, he has scored three goals in 18 appearances for "Dardans".
"I have great respect and will be eternally grateful to Norway. I grew up there, they allowed me to spend these first important moments in a football career and above all, they gave me the opportunity to play for their country... I remember, when I was little, that I dreamed that Kosovo to have a national team so that I could represent my roots, to set an example for the younger generations. I made the decision to represent Kosovo in order to be a point of reference and hope for young people", said Berisha.
Berisha was born in Malmo, Sweden, but grew up in Norway. He played for all age groups of Norway, until he played 20 matches for the "A" team. His younger brother, Vetoni, also had the same opportunity as Valoni. However, Valoni gives an explanation as to why Veton stayed with Norway and he decided to represent Kosovo.
"It might have been the best possible thing, one to continue playing for Norway and the other to play for Kosovo. In a way, it shows that we, as a family, are grateful. This choice allows us to see each other well in both countries, because without Norway, where would we be", said Berisha.
Berisha received the permission to represent Kosovo a few hours before the first qualifying match for the world championship "Russia 2018", the one against Finland, which ended with the result 1:1. Berisha was the goal scorer for "Dardans".
"On the field, we didn't have an anthem, we only had his rhythm. But just listening to it, being close to my teammates who were defending the colors of Kosovo, like me, was something very intense. We dominated the game, but they opened the scoring. When we equalized, we were not far away from winning the game 2:1. There were probably 15 viewers that day in Finland, and at least 10 of them were for Kosovo. It was full of Kosovars or Albanians. It felt like we were playing at home, it was crazy. And then the equalizing goal was definitely an extraordinary moment", he emphasized, insisting that the first appearance with Kosovo was one of the most important moments in his life. "I want to achieve great things, my dream would be to take Kosovo to the Euro or the World Cup. To play in a club that wins the title. This will always be my goal, nothing is impossible."
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Berisha reveals why he left Norway for Kosovo
The midfielder of the Kosovo representative, Valon Berisha, has admitted that he has adapted very well to the Reims team, which is proven by his good performances this season. He has said that he needed some time at Reims until he recovered as he had to get to know his teammates better and understand coach David Guion's philosophy of play.
"I feel at home in Reims, even though at first it took me some time to adapt. The same situation that I am enjoying in Reims, I experienced in Salzburg, and I like it very much", said Berisha. "I like to be a bit of a leader and I had the feeling that the Reims project was right for me. In addition to good performances, I also try to help the young players and this makes me feel that I have an important role in the team".
Berisha said that this season, coach Guion asked him to attack more and take more responsibility, which he is trying to do. The 27-year-old has one goal and two assists for Reims in 18 appearances in all competitions this season. He was transferred to the French team last year and signed a contract until 2024. Berisha has also made a career at Lazio, Fortuna Duesseldorf, Salzburg and Viking.
