Turkish national coach Vincenzo Montella and his team lost against Portugal.Bild: AP / Themba Hadebe
EM 2024
A poll was held in downtown Dortmund before the Turkey vs. Portugal match. Who do Turkish fans like better, youngster Arda Güler, the “Turkish Messi,” or superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the best players in history? The result was clear. Arda Güler won with 10:2 votes.
The reactions were all the more astonished when Arda Güler had to sit on the bench in the second group match. A “big mistake”, as BVB coach Nuri Şahin said on Turkish broadcaster TRT Spor. The 19-year-old was only substituted on in the 70th minute and was unable to change the result. Turkey lost 3-0 to Portugal in Dortmund’s Signal-Iduna-Park.
Watson is now on Whatsapp
Now on Whatsapp and Instagram: your watson update! We’ll provide you with the watson highlights of the day here on Whatsapp. Only once a day – no spam, no blabla, just seven links. Promise! Would you rather be informed on Instagram? You can find our broadcast channel here.
Even before the game, national coach Vincenzo Montella justified the decision not to field one of his key players by saying that he was “a little tired” after the opening victory against Georgia, but because the fans loudly demanded that Güler be substituted several times during the game, he felt compelled to justify himself again after the game.
EM 2024: Vincenzo Montella announces waiver of Arda Güler
“Arda was not fit enough, he could not play more than 30 minutes without increased risk,” explained Montella. “At the end of the day, I gave in and let him play.”
Montella asked for understanding in view of the impending criticism from Turkey. He wanted to avoid speculation about a bad relationship with Güler. “We have a very good relationship. I don’t want to upset anyone.”
The defeat and the drama surrounding the Real Madrid player were not the only stress Montella had to deal with that day. Complications arose as soon as he arrived at the stadium.
Euro 2024: Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella must show ID
The Turkish team bus, including the coaching staff, had arrived in the catacombs of the Dortmund stadium, and the team wanted to make their way inside. Then an unpleasant situation arose:
One of the stewards was apparently unaware of who Vincenzo Montella was. He did not let the national coach into the stadium, but wanted to see his ID first.
As proof of his prominence, Montella pointed to the team bus he had just got off, but that didn’t seem to convince the steward either. The Turkish national coach started laughing, finally pulled out his accreditation and practically shoved it in the steward’s face.
Listen to the trailer and the first episodes of the new watson podcast “Toni Kroos – The Underrated One” here:
The Turkish players, on the other hand, were better prepared and wore their accreditation cards around their necks from the start.
Four straight steps backwards, a lunge to the side, one last deep breath. The process has been the same for decades, including on this rainy evening in Leipzig. Pistolero Cristiano Ronaldo stands ready in his famous pose, runs his hand through his gelled hair one last time. Then he runs up, pulls through with his instep… and sends the ball straight into the arms of Czech goalkeeper Jindřich Staněk.
