Granit Xhaka’s goal for Switzerland against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup extended a unique record for footballers of Albanian heritage.
The 2026 tournament marks the fourth consecutive World Cup in which a player with Albanian roots has scored.
The streak began at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when Xherdan Shaqiri scored all three goals in Switzerland’s 3-0 win over Honduras in the final group-stage match.
At the 2018 World Cup in Russia, both Shaqiri and Xhaka found the net in Switzerland’s 2-1 victory over Serbia. Xhaka equalized in the 52nd minute before Shaqiri scored the winner in stoppage time.
The trend continued at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where Switzerland again faced Serbia in the group stage. Shaqiri opened the scoring in the 20th minute, while Xhaka added Switzerland’s third goal in a 3-2 victory.
Now, at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, Xhaka has once again added his name to the scoresheet, converting a penalty in Switzerland’s 4-1 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
World Cup goals by players of Albanian heritage:
- Brazil 2014: Xherdan Shaqiri (3) vs Honduras
- Russia 2018: Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri vs Serbia
- Qatar 2022: Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka vs Serbia
- United States, Canada and Mexico 2026: Granit Xhaka vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
In total, Shaqiri and Xhaka have combined for eight World Cup goals across four tournaments.
Both players were born in Switzerland to families from Kosovo and have been among the country’s most influential footballers over the past decade.
