It is a year of resonant anniversaries for Kosovo: a century since the formation of pre-war Yugoslavia, 20 years since the war crimes of Serbian nationalists posed an existential threat and a decade since independence was declared.

The significance of 2018? Kosovo's football team will end the year unbeaten, with the chance of European Championship qualification having top-scored in the Nations League and won their group.

Fans will flock to Prishtina's bars for this Sunday's qualification draw and whatever that campaign yields, Europe's youngest nation are two wins away from a major tournament. Macedonia, then Georgia or Belarus stand in their way.

"Football is like a religion," says Arnolld Korenica, editor of the biggest online Albanian-speaking news website, Telegrafi.com. "The source of happiness, pride and joy. The only method to relax after a hard-working and low-paying day, and after daily political disappointments."

In 2016, Kosovo were yet to play a competitive game, selected squads from 12 players and their national stadium was not fit for purpose. Now their free-flowing play has supporters calling them the 'Brazil of the Balkans'.