In Kosovo, a lacklustre 1:0 victory was enough for Turkey to qualify for the World Cup again after a 24-year wait. Naturally, the joy afterwards knew no bounds. But the captain put the brakes on.
Turkey’s second 1-0 win in the World Cup play-offs in Kosovo was not a brilliant result, even if it was deserved due to a higher number of compelling chances compared to the hosts. The question of “how?” was no longer of interest after the game, however, as the bottom line was that the Turkish national team is going to a World Cup for the first time in 24 years.
“We are experiencing a flood of emotions. It’s very difficult to describe all our feelings,” said coach Vincenzo Montella at the post-match press conference at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina. After a scare in the 29th minute, when Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani almost gave Kosovo the lead but his shot hit the crossbar, it was Kerem Aktürkoglu whose golden goal a few minutes after the break made the Turkish dream come true.
Pure euphoria in Turkey
“I’ve often told our players that I wouldn’t trade them for anything, regardless of the result,” enthused Montella, who had already ruled out retiring before the game in the event of a defeat in Kosovo. “Since the day I arrived, they have played with an incredible sense of togetherness and fought to the end.”
The president of the national association, Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, also paid tribute to the team’s solidarity: “If you look at the national team, they all love each other. They are all friends. They know that their only goal is to bring joy to this beloved nation,“ Haciosmanoglu emphasized and added: ”We’re going to the USA and will bring the trophy back to Turkey.”
Captain Hakan Calhanoglu, on the other hand, slowed things down a little: “Our goal is to get through the group stage. I think our group is good. We can do that. Once we’ve done that, we’ll look ahead. I’m not someone who likes to talk big.” In North America, Turkey will face Australia, Paraguay and co-hosts USA in Group D. It is clear that they also have “good players” from big clubs in the form of him, Real’s Arda Güler and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus Turin): “Ultimately, we have a very talented team. We are aware of that. I don’t think there’s anything we can’t do at the moment.”
The last time Turkey took part in the World Cup 24 years ago, they sensationally finished third in Japan and South Korea. The current generation had already shown their potential at the last European Championships. Back then, Montella’s team only lost 2-1 to the Netherlands in the quarter-finals in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium after leading for a long time. “We were the first foreign coach in our history to take part in both the European Championships and the World Cup,” emphasized the Italian, for whom his nationality is “just a formality” and who feels “like a Turk”.
The now obligatory water shower for his players at the press conference was also a must: “Tonight I will hardly be able to sleep for sheer joy, and when I sleep I promise that I will sleep in this jersey,” said Montella, who succeeded Stefan Kuntz as national team coach in September 2023, and added: “The players here deserve the applause of our entire country. We are proud of them.”
