This fake map was all it took to ignite a huge brawl between Serbian and Albanian soccer players

Ah, nationalism…

Fifteen years have passed since the end of the bloody war over the former ethnic Albanian-dominated Serbian province of Kosovo. But for many Serbians and Albanians the conflict is still fresh in their minds. The war claimed the lives of an estimated 10,000 people before NATO air strikes forced the withdrawal of Serbian troops.

Which is why it's not surprising that all it took to ignite violent clashes during a soccer game between Albania and Serbia this week was the above map.

What you're look at there is a drone dragging a banner while buzzing the Partizan Stadium in Belgrade during a qualifying match for the 2016 European Championships. Displaying a map of so-called “Greater Albania" and portraits of two Albanian war heroes, it prompted a brawl that involved players, team officials and spectators. 

To understand why a map of “Greater Albania” is so inflammatory, you have to go back to the London Conference in 1912-13. The international summit was convened following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire in order to draw up borders between the warring powers. Albania got half of the territory its leaders thought it deserved, and right-wing nationalists have never gotten over it.

"Greater Albania" is the imaginary country they consider rightfully theirs, and it includes large chunks of Albania's neighbors, including the now independent state of Kosovo, which is wedged between Serbia and Albania and has long been a site of ethnic conflict and violence between the two groups.

Nobody should have been surprised, then, when a drone carrying a map of "Greater Albania" started a huge fight. Yes, a drone. 

The chaos started in the 41st minute when Serbian defender Stefan Mitrovic grabbed the offending banner, which was quickly rescued by Albanian players.

Players and team officials from both sides began exchanging blows. Then a handful of Serbian hooligans invaded the pitch to join the melee. (Albanian fans had already been banned from attending the away game). Eventually the Albanian team decided to make a run for it under a hail of plastic chairs and other objects thrown by Serbian fans.

The Albanian players refused to return to the pitch — can you blame them? — forcing English referee Martin Atkinson to end the 2016 European Championship Group 1 qualifier at nil-nil. The Albanian players were greeted like heroes in the Albanian capital of Tirana.

“Football is supposed to bring people together and our game should not be mixed with politics of any kind,” said Michel Platini, the president of the European soccer body UEFA. "The scenes in Belgrade last night were inexcusable.”

But not unpredictable.

Ethnic Albanian refugees fleeing the conflict in Kosovo arrive in Macedonia on April 1, 1999. AFP

The latest violence between the historic foes has raised questions about why the two teams were allowed to play each other in the first place. UEFA has the power to separate teams under certain conditions, but it said in this case there was “no clear reason” to keep the two teams apart. And neither side had asked to be put in a different draw.

#SerbiaAlbania We thought we were going to play against humans and we forgot the animals in stadium. pic.twitter.com/uW6nbkOM3a

— Dorjan Yskollari (@DorjanYskollari) October 15, 2014

Both teams have been charged over the incident. There could be political fallout as well between the two countries, which only normalized bilateral relations last year under an EU-brokered deal.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was due to arrive in Belgrade next week, which would mark the first visit by an Albanian leader in 70 years.

That now looks in doubt, particularly after Rama’s brother, Olsi, was reportedly arrested in the stadium’s VIP box, charged with flying the drone after somehow getting around the ban on Albanian supporters. He denied responsibility for the stunt and returned to Tirana with the Albanian team.

Serbia, which wants to join the European Union, is eager to deflect any blame. Serbian minister Aleksandar Vulin said the drone incident was “carefully staged,” suggesting it was politically motivated. 

FIFA President Sepp Blatter condemned the violence and said “football should never be used for political messages.”

That’s wishful thinking when it comes to this part of the world where political and historical grievances run deep.