Chelsea forward Armando Broja, who is currently on loan at Everton, has admitted that his decision to snub England in favour of Albania at international level was straightforward due to his Albanian heritage. Hailing from Slough and born to parents from the Albanian town of Koplik, Broja always felt a deep connection to his roots.
Broja faced the decision to represent his birth nation but ultimately chose in 2019 to commit his international future exclusively to Albania, rejecting a call-up to the England Under-21 squad. Since making his senior debut for Albania in 2020, he has netted five times in 23 appearances and even took to the pitch during Euro 2024.
Now, Broja poses a potential threat to England, with the Three Lions set to host Albania in their opening World Cup qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Friday evening. However, given his limited game time with Everton this season, totalling just 261 minutes, he may find himself among the substitutes.
Broja previously explained the reasons behind his decision when he told Goal: "It is a big decision, of course, when you choose your country to play for. I went for it because I have got Albanian blood in me.
"I am Albanian, my parents are Albanian so it was an easy decision. I thought I would love to make the people there proud and make my parents proud. I wanted to lift Albania up as a country to get us to the World Cup or Euros. That’s the biggest thing for them."
Broja cherished that moment last year when Albania graced the European Championship stage for the second time in their history.They were placed in the so-called 'Group of Death' alongside Spain, Italy, and Croatia.
"If we got to the World Cup, it would be crazy and we would make history," he added. "We have never got there before so it would be something crazy as a country, you know. My parents are Albanian, I am Albanian and I have a lot of family in Albania. I visited there every year so it is really a big part of my life."
Despite coming last in their Euros group, Albania competed well; they were narrowly defeated 2-1 by Italy, lost just 1-0 to Spain, who went on to win the tournament, and secured a 2-2 draw against Croatia. The focus now shifts to securing their first-ever participation in the World Cup finals, which will take place across Canada, Mexico, and the United States next summer.
Their qualification battle includes matches against Latvia, Andorra, and Serbia. On the club front, Chelsea loanee Broja, now at Everton, has experienced a season marred by injury setbacks. He's made just eight appearances this term, with his latest goal occurring in January 2024 during Chelsea's 4-0 victory over Preston in the FA Cup.
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Chelsea flag prior the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Leg One match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge. (Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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