Memorie.al / Searching through the “Feltrinelli” bookstore for a sports book on the eve of the Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, I came across a book about football titled “I Pionieri Del Pallone” (The Pioneers of the Ball). The title drew me in, and as I glanced at the table of contents, my eyes caught the name “Vllaznia – Scutari.” Among endless names of world football clubs, Shkodra’s Sports Club “Vllaznia” was featured as one of the 100 “Pioneers of the Ball.” Its inclusion among these 100 clubs relates to the history of their formation, providing a biography of successes throughout their century-long journey.
The authors of the book – Maurizio Siviero, Stefano Balzaretti, and Alfredo D’Alessandro – wrote in their 2018 forward: “Images of Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, Inter, Juventus, and Milan… have fans all over the world, and it seems impossible not to be a follower of one of them. We want to give a voice to those who rocked football in its cradle, who enabled its spread, and contributed to its regulation and global expansion. We refer to the oldest football clubs in the world…! The genesis of football was driven by the desire for fun and creating unity. This is not old; it is the essence of football.”
The starting point of these 200 pages begins with the time signal: “From the dawn of time, to the present day.”
It begins with the oldest club in the world, Sheffield F.C., and continues on page 134 with the “Vllaznia” Football Club, which is included in the group of “Peninsular Europe and Mediterranean” teams. The authors begin their description of Vllaznia’s history with these lines:
Vllaznia Football Club 1919
Shkodër (Scutari) is an Albanian city that plays a vital role in the country’s history. Known since antiquity as the capital of the Illyrians, it has continued through the centuries to maintain an important position in the Balkan Peninsula. Even today, it is considered the cradle of Albanian culture.
Not just culture, but also sport: it was precisely here that the oldest club in Albania was born. We are in the year 1919; over the years, the name would change several times – from Sports Club “Bashkimi” Shkodër until it took its current name, “Vllaznia” Football Club, on February 19, 1919.
Further on, the authors provide statistics regarding the trophies won by Vllaznia:
“In its century-long history, the ‘Red and Blues’ have won 10 national championships and 6 Albanian Cups. However, we must highlight the controversy regarding the first title win in 1940, during World War II, which remains officially unrecognized to this day. Testimonies from many protagonists claim that regular championships were held in 1939, 1940, and 1942, despite the obvious difficulties caused by the war.”
This occurred due to the lack of detailed documentation, leading the Albanian Football Federation to hesitate in recognizing them. The authors also selected an important episode from the year 2000 during the final weeks of the national championship:
“The ‘Blues’ of that time, in open protest against an arbitrary decision, withdrew the team from the field. This sensational gesture cost coach Mirel Josa a six-month suspension.”
Vllaznia’s victory over Austria Wien is also noted:
“The club plays its home matches at the ‘Loro Boriçi’ stadium, built in 1946. In 1978, in their absolute debut in a European competition – the European Cup of that time – Vllaznia won 2-0 against Austria Wien. Unfortunately, in the return leg in Austria, a heavy 4-1 loss sealed their elimination.”
The authors write these details about the two matches against Austria Wien in 1978 – matches that remain indelible in the memories of Shkodra’s sports fans.
In closing, the author’s state: “Name changes, a global conflict, and many other difficulties have failed to stop the Albanian pioneers, who continue to write their history with pride.”
To concrete this evaluation by the Italian authors, the realization of winning this edition’s title after 25 years would be the ultimate goal – a title seriously pursued by Edi Martini’s boys and the unstinting support of President Xhaferi. / Memorie.al
