I’m a non-league star and I’m hoping FA Cup magic will persuade Premier League cult hero to give me shock Euro 2024 call
ALBANIAN star Armando Dobra is hoping the magic of the FA Cup can conjure up a shock Euro 2024 call-up.
And it will help if the two ex-Manchester City players in charge of his country’s national team tune in to third-round weekend.
Former left-back Sylvinho scored his only City goal with a spectacular long-range strike at Scunthorpe in January 2010.
And his No 2 Pablo Zabaleta won the 2011 FA Cup after beating Stoke in the final.
As midfielder Dobra, 22, prepares to face Championship Watford with National League leaders Chesterfield on Saturday, the London-born ace is keeping his fingers crossed.
Dobra, who has 11 Under-21 caps, said: “I have never spoken to Sylvinho or Zabaleta but I hope to get the chance to work with them one day.
“Hopefully with their history in the competition they might catch some of our FA Cup tie with Watford.
“The Albanian youth set-up knows all about me and keep in regular contact to see how I’m doing.
“Hopefully, if I keep working hard and do well with Chesterfield then a call-up to the full national team will eventually come.
“That’s my ambition, to play for the full national team one day.
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“I’m not sure how far away I am from the seniors yet.
“They obviously rate me at Under-21 level and kept tabs on me since I was 16 — so I must be doing something right.
“But I accept I probably have to be playing higher level than the National League to get called up — especially for the European Championship.
“The standard of the Albanian senior team is high and the squad is packed with players from Serie A, LaLiga and the Bundesliga, who play in the Champions League and other top European competitions.
“I must keep developing my game and hope we get promoted back to the senior ranks this season.”
I probably have to be playing higher level than the National League to get called up (to Euro 2024)
Armando Dobra
Dobra was first called up by Albania Under-19s in 2019 when starring in Ipswich’s youth ranks.
He said: “They invited me to an Under-17s training camp, liked what they saw and I played seven times for the Under-19s.
“I progressed to the Under-21s and I made my debut and set up a goal in a 5-1 win against an Austria side packed with Bundesliga players.
“I’ve now won 11 caps at Under-21 level and it’s time to push for the senior squad.
“Realistically I will probably be watching the Euros on TV.
“I hope we do well but we’ve got a tough group with Spain, Croatia and Italy.
“But we haven’t qualified for the Euros since 2016 so it’s a great achievement for the country.”