“Golden Ball 2024”, President Duka reveals details about the Gala Evening & the great work of the Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) for the development of football

The Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) is organizing the “Golden Ball 2024” gala evening this Monday. This spectacular event will be broadcast live at 8:00 PM on Klan Television, hosted by Ardit Gjebrea and Almeda Abazi.

The evening will bring together players from the Albanian national team, coaches, young footballers, and other prominent figures from Albanian football. Inspired by international football events, the “Golden Ball 2024” aims to honor the players and coaches who have stood out during 2024.

This grand event, being held for the first time in Albania, is intended to become a tradition. Discussing this spectacle, the President of FSHF, Armand Duka, was a guest on the mobile studio of “Aldo Morning Show” on Klan TV.

He shared details about the awards to be presented and how the winners will be selected. Duka explained that the event’s purpose is to promote Albanian football, recognize the best players, and encourage young talents at the beginning of their dreams and passion for shining on the green field.

“It is a summary of all the activities of 2024, including Albania’s participation in the European Championship, and recognition of those considered the best by the protagonists themselves. The goal is to wrap up the year because selecting the best is always subjective, and in football, it’s very challenging to decide. Today, for the first time, we are launching this spectacle, this end-of-year celebration called the ‘Golden Ball,’ moderated by the artist Ardit Gjebrea, who has meticulously curated everything. I think it will also be beautiful artistically, a blend of football and art, and undoubtedly a greater push for those who are the best. But it’s also for those who didn’t win this year, to aim for it next year. And even for those who aren’t big football fans, to make them a bit more so. The primary goal is to inspire children to come and play football. We have the ‘Albanian Golden Ball’ and the best in Albanian football, not just within the country but also abroad. This event and spectacle aim to promote football even more,” said Duka.

The FSHF President also revealed some surprises for the evening, alongside the nominees announced a few days ago, and highlighted some of the awards to be presented.

“The Golden Boot is not decided by a commission or voting; the player who scores the most goals wins the ‘Golden Boot.’ We have the ‘Golden Ball’ for both men and women, voted on by the players and coaches themselves. The ‘Team of the Year 2024’ has been selected. There’s also another very important award, the ‘Red and Black Heart,’ voted on by the players and staff of the national team, as well as the ‘Best of the Team,’ voted on by the players themselves. This is an incentive not only for the players but also for those who aspire to win it in the coming years. It’s an added motivation,” concluded Duka.

While sharing details about what is expected to happen at the “Golden Ball 2024” event, President Armand Duka emphasized another very important point. He stated that the primary goal of the Albanian Football Federation (FSHF) is to increase the number of children involved in football. At a time when many young people are emigrating, Duka highlighted a significant increase in the number of children engaging in football.

“Our main objective is to have as many children as possible playing football. In this situation where Albania is affected by emigration, with many Albanians leaving the country, we have instead increased the number of football players. During 2024, we have registered 2,820 more young players, thanks not only to their passion and desire but also to the conditions created by the Federation. A child who plays football in Albania, unlike anywhere else, has everything they need. All they need is passion and desire. This is also due to the preparation of coaches. For 20 years now, we have been a federation that licenses coaches at European levels. Our license is recognized across Europe, and the preparation and improvement of these coaches undoubtedly inspire children to trust in this sport,” said Duka.

Armand Duka described the “Golden Ball 2024” as a summary of all activities conducted in Albanian football. He also mentioned figures and activities that are not widely known. He added that the Football Federation has organized approximately 15,000 matches and 13 international tournaments in Albania.

“This is a summary of all the activities we have carried out in 2024, both nationally and internationally. Although those less interested in football only follow the men’s national team, we actually have many national teams for both boys and girls, starting from the U-17, U-19, and up to U-21 teams. We have many activities. In 2024, 13 international tournaments were organized in Albania. There are truly a lot of activities. Perhaps few people know that around 15,000 football matches are organized annually in Albania by the Football Federation. There are 154 national and regional championships. So, the activity is very extensive,” added Armand Duka.

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