FIFA opens disciplinary probe against Xhaka, Shaqiri, Serbia

FIFA launched an investigation into Swiss internationals Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri and Serbia's football association after Friday's politically fraught World Cup match.

Xhaka and Shaqiri caused controversy with their "double eagle" goal celebrations in Switzerland's 2-1 win over Serbia. The salute was a nod to the Albanian flag, and as players with Kosovar Albanian backgrounds, they drew boos from Serbian supporters.

Kosovo's 2008 independence has caused unrest between the two countries - Serbia continues to deny Kosovo's existence - and that carried over into Friday's tense encounter.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has opened disciplinary proceedings against the Swiss players Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri for their goal celebration during the match Switzerland vs. Serbia," read FIFA's statement. "In relation to the same match, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Serbian FA for crowd disturbance and the display of political and offensive messages by Serbian fans."

The head coach of Serbia's national team, Mladen Krstajic, is also at the centre of a separate probe for his complaints about a missed penalty. Krstajic said he would like match official Felix Brych to be sentenced in the Hague, home of the United Nations' International Court of Justice.

The Hague is where officials were tried and convicted for crimes during the war in the former Yugoslavia. It took more than two decades of court proceedings to reach decisions.

"We were robbed," said Krstajic, who insisted striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was hauled down in the box. "I wouldn't give (Brych) either a yellow or red card, I would send him to the Hague. Then they could put him on trial, like they did to us."