Besfort Zeneli on Sweden choice: 'Instagram exploded with threats'
Besfort Zeneli chose to represent Sweden instead of Kosovo. This led to a wave of hate and threats on social media. 'My Instagram exploded', Zeneli says in the Lundh podcast. Sweden last lost to France 3-0 (2026-06-30) and has a poor recent form with 0 wins in the last five matches.
Why did Zeneli choose Sweden?
Zeneli played for Kosovo at youth level but declined the senior team. 'I've always had a strong feeling for Sweden. It was open between Kosovo and Sweden, but my heart beat faster for Sweden', he says. Zeneli was born and raised in Sweden and loves the country with all his heart. He also has strong ties to Kosovo, where his parents are from.
How did Kosovo fans react?
After Zeneli declined Kosovo, he received many threats on social media. 'My Instagram exploded for a while. Kosovo wanted to call me up and I had said no to the team manager. He went public with it. After that, I got a lot of threats and other things', Zeneli explains. He mostly laughed off the threats and showed them to his family and friends.
What's next for Zeneli and Sweden?
Zeneli still hopes for a place in Sweden's World Cup squad. Sweden will host Romania on September 25, 2026. Zeneli also talks about his time at Belgian club Union Saint-Gilloise and how his performances at Elfsborg impressed the club's data scouts.
