Crossed hands

File:Albanianeaglemen.jpg

{{Short description|Hand signal that denotes Albania in International Sign}}

The crossed hands gesture is a hand signal that denotes Albania in International Sign. Known as shenja e flamurit (flag sign) in Albanian, it is sometimes referred to as the "eagle gesture" and is a symbol used by ethnic Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and other regions of the world where Albanians live. It is meant to visually demonstrate the double-headed eagle, the main image on the Albanian flag.{{Cite web|url=https://sot.com.al/lifestyle/shqiponja-simboli-i-flamurit-ton%C3%AB-me-fam%C3%AB-bot%C3%ABrore-interpretohet-dhe-n%C3%AB-duart-e-afrikan%C3%ABve|title=Shqiponja, simboli i flamurit tonë, me famë botërore, interpretohet dhe në duart e afrikanëve, shoqëruar me "grimca" lumturie në fytyrë|date=25 May 2015|website=SOT News|language=sq}} The symbolism of the double-headed eagle among Albanians encapsulates their ethnicity and flag, viewing it as a symbol that represents ethnic-Albanian people across the globe. Albanians call themselves as "Shqiptar" (son of eagle) and their country "Shqipëri" (land of eagles).{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2018/07/02/for-albanians-its-not-just-an-eagle-heres-the-deeper-story-those-world-cup-fines/|title=For Albanians, it's not just an eagle. Here's the deeper story on those World Cup fines.|author=Kokobobo|first=Ani|date=July 2, 2018|newspaper=The Washington Post}} It is also sometimes viewed as alluding to the Greater Albania irredentist concept.{{cite news|url=http://www.tiranatimes.com/?p=131474|title=Izmir Smajlaj claims Albania's first ever European indoor gold medal|last=|first=|date=6 March 2017|work=Tirana Times|access-date=}}

This gesture is often performed by players of the Albania national football team to celebrate a goal or at the end of a victorious game.{{cite web|url=http://www.gjuhashqipe.com/mobile/sporti/sporti.aspx?id=5169|title=Festimi me gjestin e "Shqiponjës" kthehet në modë|date=28 October 2014|website=Gjuha Shqipe|language=sq|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927082927/http://www.gjuhashqipe.com/mobile/sporti/sporti.aspx?id=5169|archive-date=27 September 2016|url-status=dead}} It has also been used by some ethnic Albanians playing for other teams.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44586681|title=World Cup 2018: Fifa investigates Switzerland duo over goal celebrations|date=23 June 2018|newspaper=BBC News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180624010844/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44586681|archive-date=24 June 2018|url-status=live}}

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Swiss players of Kosovan descent Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka and Swiss player Stephan Lichtsteiner, performed the gesture in a match against Serbia and were subsequently fined by FIFA "for unsporting behaviour contrary to the principles of fair-play".{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-cup/2018/06/25/switzerland-trio-escape-bans-albanian-eagle-salutes/|title=Switzerland trio escape bans for Albanian eagle salutes|last=Rumsby|first=Ben|date=28 June 2018|newspaper=The Telegraph}}{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/world-cup-2018-granit-xhaka-xherdan-shaqiri-goal-celebrations-albania-kosovo-serbia-fine-a8416466.html|title=World Cup 2018: Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri avoid bans after political goal celebrations|last=Lovett|first=Samuel|date=25 June 2018|work=The Independent|accessdate=25 June 2018}}{{Cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/world-cup-mystery-solved-hand-symbol-made-swiss-goal-scorers-203305453.html|title=World Cup Mystery Solved: What was the hand gesture made by the Swiss goal scorers?|website=sports.yahoo.com|date=22 June 2018 |language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-10}}{{Cite web |title=Albanian Prime Minister opens account to pay Switzerland players' FIFA fines |url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13958/11417738/albanian-prime-minister-opens-account-to-pay-switzerland-players-fifa-fines |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}} In a similar incident during the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship's Serbia–England match, Kosovar journalist Arlind Sadiku directed the gesture at Serbian fans while on a live broadcast; UEFA revoked Sadiku's Euro 2024 media accreditation pass several days later.{{Cite web|url=https://www.euronews.com/2024/06/23/uefa-fines-serbia-albania-and-investigates-croatia-as-euro-2024-reignites-balkan-feuds|title=Euro 2024: Albania most fined nation as matches reignite Balkan feuds|date=23 June 2024|website=euronews}}

During the Eurovision Song Contest 2018, Greek singer of Albanian descent Eleni Foureira made the Albanian patriotic eagle gesture in a photo with Albanian singer Eugent Bushpepa. The image went viral in Albania and Greece, being well-received in the former but causing controversy in the latter.{{Cite news|url=http://www.gazetatema.net/2018/05/04/shqiponja-ne-eurovision-terbon-median-greke/|title=Shqiponja në "Eurovision" tërbon median greke|date=2018-05-04|work=Gazeta Tema|access-date=2018-05-04|language=sq-AL}}