'I respect Xhaka and Shaqiri as footballers, but if you like Albania so much, then why don’t you play for Albania?' Nemanja Matic on Serbia rivalry and political tension

<enter caption here> during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group E match between Serbia and Switzerland at Kaliningrad Stadium on June 22, 2018 in Kaliningrad, Russia.

The history of the Balkan territories in Eastern Europe is stippled with violence, independence movements and conflicting views on statehood.

Whilst Serbia believe the autonomous nation of Kosovo belongs to them, Albania support Kosovo's right to self-determination due to the country's large Kosovar Albanian demographic.