By Uvil Zajmi
Memorie.al / It is the first and only one – never before in the past, nor later, has such a challenge been recorded in the archive of confrontations between them. It was June 20, 2011, a friendly match, at 8:00 PM, at the “River Plate” Stadium in Buenos Aires, where the red-and-blacks awaited an epochal match – that against Leo Messi’s Argentina, who was also a protagonist in those 90 minutes, not forgetting to score against the Albanians in that historic encounter.
Argentina – Albania 4-0 (2-0)
Argentina: Sergio Romero, Marcos Rojo (’46 Pablo Zabaleta), Nicolás Burdisso, Gabriel Milito, Javier Zanetti, Lucas Biglia (’46 Carlos Tevez), Javier Mascherano, Ángel Di María (’46 Fernando Gago), Éver Banega, Ezequiel Lavezzi (’61 Sergio Agüero), Lionel Messi. Coach, Sergio Batista.
Albania: Arjan Beqaj (’73 Isli Hidi), Kristi Vangjeli, Endri Vrapi (’80 Renato Arapi), Franc Veliu, Andi Lila, Sokol Bulku (’66 Agonit Sallaj), Emiljano Vila (’46 Jahmir Hyka), Igli Allmuça (’57 Gilman Lika), Elis Bakaj (’66 Armando Vajushi), Gjergji Muzaka, Edmond Kapllani. Coach, Josip Kuže. (Ditmar Bicaj).
Referee: Jorge Larrionda (Argentina – FIFA).
Spectators: 20,000.
Goals: 5′ Lavezzi, 42′ Messi, 74′ Agüero, 90′ Tevez.
What was that challenge, that encounter played in June 15 years ago – a month that coincides with the World Cup that has just lowered its curtain, its 23rd edition? It was late May, when the news suddenly broke that Albania would play a friendly match in Buenos Aires against Argentina. For the footballing environment, it was truly a surprise.
Who would be the footballers lucky enough to travel for the first time to the Latin continent, to faraway Argentina, to face an opponent of colossal proportions, multiple world champions, with players of the highest caliber in its ranks, such as the Inter captain Zanetti, 37 years old, making his 139th appearance for the national team; Burdisso of Roma; Di María of Real Madrid; Lavezzi of Napoli; Tevez of Manchester City; and Lionel Messi of Barcelona, just 23 years old, in his 56th match for the representative side.
In the Albanian team, led by Josip Kuže, the standout names were goalkeeper Beqaj, 35 years old, Igli Allmuça, Ervin Bulku, 30, Endri Vrapi, 29. The youngest was Franc Veliu, 22, along with Elis Bakaj and Emiljano Vila, both 23. The match: it would be won 4-0 by the “Albiceleste” or “La Selección,” with two goals scored in the first half by Lavezzi and Messi, and in the second by Agüero and Tevez.
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The match, played on Monday, saw Argentina field the majority of its stars, although the coach left three of his best attackers on the bench: Tevez (Manchester City), Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid), and Agüero (Atlético Madrid). Lavezzi put Argentina ahead in the 6th minute, capitalizing on an opportunity created by Messi, who drew several opposing defenders and served a precise assist for Lavezzi, who converted from close range.
Messi had three chances in the first half, but goalkeeper Arjan Beqaj stopped him from scoring. The “star” of Barcelona managed to score in the 43rd minute, after receiving a ball in the area from Lavezzi, and with his left foot from 12 meters, he sent the ball into the back of the net. At the start of the second half, Agüero was brought on, and he scored in the 75th minute with a lob from close range, after receiving a pass from 15 meters from Messi. Tevez, who had not played for the national team since the previous year, came on and scored in the 90th minute, following a decisive assist from Messi.
Albania, not on the level of Argentina, fielded quite a few players called up by coach Kuže, as many were unavailable. Albania played with absences in the lineup, as they were missing several key players, including Galatasaray midfielder Lorik Cana and striker Erion Bogdani of Cesena, while Hamdi Salihi had not been released by his Austrian club Rapid, and central defender Lorik Cana was in negotiations with several clubs, with the possibility of leaving Galatasaray.
After the match, Batista, the Argentine coach, would declare: “I like how Messi plays. He played a great match, controlling the ball as only he knows how. I am happy for him. He provided three decisive assists for his teammates.” For more details about this match, two of the red-and-black protagonists, defender Franc Veliu and goalkeeper Isli Hidi, share their interviews with us.
Franc Veliu: “I played against Leo Messi”
“90 minutes, facing a legend” – that is how defender Franc Veliu puts it today, regarding that very special match for his career. “The journey, the hotel, the curiosity, the stadium, the atmosphere, the match, the emotions. I count it among the most beautiful, unforgettable memories” – says the distinguished red-and-black defender and Flamurtari player today, referring to that match, and especially to the Argentine ace.
Mr. Veliu, a unique match for a footballer?
It doesn’t happen often; indeed it’s almost impossible in a footballer’s career. First, to play against Argentina, and against that group of such great players. I remember Zanetti, Lavezzi, Di María, and without a doubt, Leo Messi too. All of them at the peaks of their careers and protagonists with famous clubs in Europe.
For a footballer, it’s an ideal opportunity, a historic match, a dream, but one that few have the chance to realize. Like a dream, but a reality, not only for me, but for all those players present in that encounter.
A long journey, also a first for the red-and-black?
From Tirana to Rome, then directly to Buenos Aires. Endless hours, another continent, a first for all of us. We were accommodated in a luxurious hotel, the same place where, a few days after us, Brazil would come to stay. The night before the match, we were hosted at our embassy there, where its staff laid out a dinner. We stayed in Buenos Aires for four days, training on a pitch near the hotel.
What do you remember on the eve of the match?
In those days, coach Kuže was in difficulty, as he understood that everyone wanted to play, but it wasn’t simple to decide on the lineup against an opponent with classy, quality players, high individual qualities, in front of that spectator and atmosphere. Alongside the fear of an unpredictable result. The choice of players wasn’t easy, also considering the characteristics of those Argentines, especially in the technical and then tactical aspect.
Did you expect to play against Messi?
In a way, yes, since even at Flamurtari and in the national team, I had to mark the opposing striker, the main one. Although Argentina had several, like Lavezzi, Di María. Coach Kuže valued me. In the second half, like the Argentine coach, Kuže also brought on several other players. But Messi and I finished the game on the pitch, not on the bench.
How did you feel when the Albanian anthem was played at the “River Plate” Stadium?
Very emotional. Unbelievable for all of us. I remember the players lined up in the middle of the pitch and those facing them, from the bench. An irreplaceable opportunity for a player as well.
Messi was the author of a goal?
The second one, but he also provided an assist for Lavezzi for the first goal. Unpredictable, I often lost track of him. For a moment I’d see him far away, and then suddenly he’d be in the area. Never in one place, in one position, but everywhere, running and moving. I tried to be careful in my interventions.
What was that match, how did it become possible for Albania to play against Argentina?
That match was part of the preparation program that the Argentine team was doing on the eve of the start of the Copa América. A tournament that would start a few days later, on July 1st, and would be held in Argentina, which was in a group with Colombia, Bolivia, and Costa Rica.
Was Argentina expected to win the Copa América?
Great interest, a full stadium with spectators, specialists, journalists, television. Argentina had one of the most famous lineups of the time. I recall that in the semi-final, after a 1-1 draw with Uruguay, Argentina was eliminated on penalties, missed by Tevez. Uruguay won the Cup.
Who among you got Messi’s shirt?
I couldn’t get it. For a simple fact, because Messi had promised it to Kapllani, who had asked for it at the start of the game. He told me this during the match. I communicated in Italian with Messi. As great as he was on the field, he was just as simple and correct in communication. I tried to be careful in my interventions.
Isli Hidi: “Messi scored a goal with his hand, like Maradona”!
Another detail referring to that challenge, brought back by former goalkeeper Isli Hidi, who was brought on in the second half. “In the hotel, during the pre-match analysis, when they informed us of Argentina’s lineup, we looked at Kuzhe, and then looked at each other. How could we play against that team, those players”*?! – Hidi recalls.
Mr. Hidi, returning to that encounter, where will you start?
From the journey, as long as it was tiring. Eight hours of transit in Rome, wandering its streets. All night on the plane, when we arrived at the hotel, we just slept; for three days we could barely recover. I remember the players, the unforgettable physiotherapist Ylli Mihali – a first and last adventure for all of us.
Were you for the first time in such a “fiery” environment?
Yes, very true. The stadium, the atmosphere – I can’t describe it. Typical Latin. We had never seen such a thing. In the second half, I replaced Beqaj, for whom it was his last match with the national team, because after that game, he retired from football.
Messi, without any difference, then and now?
Even today when I see him, it brings back what I cannot forget. 90 minutes, with systematic interventions from our players – the way he hid the ball, always keeping it at his feet. Just as he does now, with it in his possession, regardless of attempts to take it from him, often in an irregular manner. At every moment, he was accompanied by the enthusiasm of the fans.
As we recall, the legend scored, but it was said he did so after a “trick” from him?
It was a cross; I came out to catch the ball, in a duel with Messi, confident in the air also due to my height, when suddenly I saw the ball deflected and ending up in the net. I was stunned, but quickly realized that Messi had deflected it with his hand, in the style and manner of Maradona in the 1986 World Cup against England. I protested for a moment, but the referee intervened and disallowed it. I have and still keep a photo of that moment.
You conceded two goals, from two famous strikers?
The third one, scored by Agüero, from a millimeter passes with the outside of the foot from Messi. I remember this detail very well. The last one was scored by Tevez. What names, frightening, right?
Before the match, was there any reception for the red-and-black team from the Albanian embassy in Buenos Aires?
A reception was organized by the Albanian community in Buenos Aires, in cooperation with our embassy, in the evening, one night before the match. We didn’t know that in the capital, and also in Argentina, there were so many Albanians. / Memorie.al
