Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri doesn't believe the gestures of his team-mate Granit Xhaka during their last World Cup group stage match against Serbia was some type of provocation.
Xhaka alleged grabbed his crotch while arguing with players on Serbia's bench.
"You always make a big deal out of it. He knows himself what he did. You have to ask the people involved in the situation," Shaqiri told the media ahead of their last 16 clash with Portugal on Tuesday.
"I didn't see what he did. I only saw some pictures. I don't think Granit wanted to send an extra greeting to anyone," Shaqiri said about Xhaka's gesture.
Shaqiri and Xhaka, ethnic Albanians, caused a rumpus against Serbia in Russia 2018 with their eagle celebrations in support of Kosovo.
Albanian-majority Kosovo claimed independence from Serbia in 2008 and is now a FIFA member but Serbia does not recognize its sovereignty.
This time Shaqiri refrained from the gesture after scoring against the Serbians, but put his finger to his mouth in a "shushing" motion - seemingly aimed at the opponents.
He explained that was a response to the several boos towards him during the game.
After the match, Xhaka also wore the jersey of team-mate Ardon Jashari.
That's also the last name of an independence fighter, Adem Jashari, who is considered a co-founder of the Kosovar liberation army KLA and a symbolic figure of the military resistance against the Serbians.
His action had "definitely no political background," Xhaka told the news conference after the game.
