Former captain of the Albanian national team, Lorik Cana, was decorated today, April 13, with the title “Knight of the Order of Skanderbeg” by the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj. The red-and-black legend received the honor during the Diaspora Summit held in Tirana.

After the ceremony, Cana appeared very happy, stating that he does not accept this title in his own name, but on behalf of his family.

“When we stand before a panel and gather our people—those who have stood out and made an extraordinary contribution—it means a lot. We have played in stadiums filled with hundreds of millions of people watching us. Today, I do not accept this honor only in my name, but in the name of my family—my father Agim, my grandparents Ganiu, my uncle, and all of them. This foundation shaped us.

We Kosovars were forced to emigrate. At this Diaspora Summit, I return as a Kosovar Albanian. We emigrated and tried to do good, not only for our families, but also to elevate the honor and name of Albanians.

This is the greatest pride I have ever experienced, along with my family. Having a platform like football makes you understand the responsibility is great. I have been retired for 10 years now—when I say this, people laugh. It’s a whole lifetime, where love and contribution to the homeland never fade. We have always tried to uplift our community,” Cana said.