Our National Football Team will face Kosovo away in the 2026 World Cup play-off final match on Tuesday, March 31. ‘Our Children’ wants to end their 24-year World Cup drought by winning the match. Before the match, our national team’s coach Vincenzo Montella and one of the players Hakan Çalhanoğlu made statements at the press conference.
HERE ARE MONTELLA’S STATEMENTS
“I FELT THE SUPPORT OF TFF FROM THE FIRST DAY TO TODAY”
“First of all, I would like to summarize the last 2.5 years. Our priority is our football players, they are real men! Before they became great football players, they did their best as great men. I came at a very critical time. We beat Croatia, which had never lost at home in its history. From that day on, the players always gave me everything. Everyone, whether playing or not, became a fighting group. They realized that the name of the great nation was written on the back of their jerseys, not their own names. I also said that this country treated me like one of its own. I carry it in my heart. I have felt the support of TFF from the first day until today. If I have the highest score average in official matches, it is thanks to the support given to me. We have become a respected national team in the world, we have risen in the FIFA rankings. I feel like my players are my own children, I thank Mr. Hacıosmanoğlu.
“NO MATTER WHAT THE RESULT IS…”
“No matter what the result is in the Kosovo match, my thoughts towards my players will never change. I wouldn’t trade them for anything.”
“WE WILL GO TO THE FINAL MATCH”
“Kosovo deservedly came here. Their tactical setup has been seen, there is a very clear game and idea. You can see this in the match. We will go to the final match. We are preparing in the best way possible, I know what we want to do.”
“THESE CHILDREN ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE 24 YEARS”
“Everyone feels the pressure. This is a final. We haven’t gone for 24 years, but most of our players were not born. If we haven’t been able to go for 24 years, it is not their fault. This time we want to go, we will do what is best for our country.”
“IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT MATCH”
“It is necessary to reduce Kosovo’s strengths. We tried to do this. We will also highlight our own characteristics. It will be a different match.”
“IF WE ACT TOGETHER WE CAN ACHIEVE EVERYTHING”
“While our players played with their hearts, they united everyone under our flag. We witnessed what we can achieve. If we act together, we can achieve anything.”
“WE ARE ONLY THINKING ABOUT THE KOSOVO MATCH”
“I didn’t even look at our opponents in the World Cup. I didn’t think about what we would do with Australia, the USA, Paraguay. We are only thinking about the Kosovo match. Paraguay had a match with Greece, but we did not send anyone from our team. Our only goal is this match right now.”
“I FEEL LIKE A TURK”
“I am not speaking forcefully, I really feel very good in Türkiye. Our friendship with our president is very good. We will not have difficulty making different decisions tomorrow. Our cultures are very close, I grew up in a similar way. I feel like a Turk.”
ABOUT ZEKİ ÇELİK
“We did not want to take risks in the first match regarding Zeki Çelik. We will also look at the situation for the Kosovo match.”
Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s statements are as follows:
Kosovo Reporter: “A Czech Latvia title was made, Türkiye underestimated its opponent and was eliminated. TFF President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu said, ‘If we cannot win, let’s not go.’ Does this put pressure on you?”
Hakan Çalhanoğlu: “Everyone has a different perspective. I do not underestimate any opponent. As Inter, we were eliminated by Bodo Glimt. The president’s perspective is different. There is one match left until the World Cup. It is not about quality, whoever puts his heart into the game more will win. We are aware of this and we are ready.”
“THE NEED TO APPRECIATE KOSOVO”
“I remember our first match against Kosovo, I was there too. They are very strong and they have good players. It needs to be appreciated. Their coaches are also good. I know Vedat Muriqi. There is a player who plays in Como. I know Albanian words, but I won’t speak it. I have close friends, I won’t say a word (laughing).”
“Kosovo has many dangerous players. There is Asllani. Vedat is very good in front of the goal and at standing balls. The players who play with Kenan in Juventus are very good. I would not list them all one by one, it would be a shame. They are all good and high quality.”
“WE ARE VERY MOTIVATED”
“The World Cup is something we have dreamed of since we were little… Our older brothers achieved it in 2002, we dreamed big with them. Now I will play in the match and there is one last match left. Our priority is to represent our country in the best way and make our nation proud. We have taken very important steps forward in 2.5 years with our coach. The European Championship went well. The atmosphere in the team is very good. We are very motivated. We also feel the pressure.”
“WE NEED THEIR EXPERIENCE”
“I want to see my brothers who played in 2002 among us. Brother Tugay, brother Yıldıray, brother Alpay, brother İlhan, brother Bülent… I want to go to America with them. I think if we come together, a better picture will emerge. Hopefully, if my voice is heard, I want to see them among us. Because we need their experience. It will be a good picture.”
“There are people trying to provoke us from outside, but we don’t listen.”
“MY CAREER MATCH!”
“I will play my career match. I had these dreams when I chose the National Team. We came here with our nails scraped, no one gave us this as a gift. We want to represent our country in the best way. I hope I can succeed, I hope we can succeed as a country. We deserved this as a country. This team deserved it. I hope we will succeed.”
“LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF YOUR HEART”
“I am born and raised in Germany. I thank my clubs, thanks to them I became Hakan Çalhanoğlu. I respect everyone’s opinion, but listen to your heart. I hope Turkish expats choose Türkiye. After me, Kenan, Orkun, Can came. These are good examples. We have 80 million and talented players. I hope this will develop further and continue like that.”
