Ambulance on the sidelines
Shock at U21 game: Turkey coach suddenly unconscious
March 31, 2026 – 8:38 p.mReading time: 1 min.
The game between Croatia and Turkey was overshadowed by an accident before half-time. In the spotlight: Egemen Korkmaz. The game is paused for a long time.
A slip with consequences: The coach of the Turkish U21 national team, Egemen Korkmaz, lost consciousness after a fall during the European Championship qualifier in Croatia. The game was then interrupted. The Turkish Football Association TFF said Korkmaz was conscious again and was on his way to hospital.
The 43-year-old complained to the referee in the 34th minute about the yellow-red card against his player Demir Ege Tıknaz and then fell while taking off his jacket, according to Turkish media reports. The association said Korkmaz slipped and hit his head on the ground.
“Korkmaz, who suffered swelling on his head as a result of the fall, was given first aid by our medical team on the sidelines,” said the TFF. The game in Osijek resumed after a break of almost two hours.
The game certainly has a groundbreaking character. Before kick-off, Turkey led the group, but Croatia was just one point behind. Only the winner qualifies directly for the 2027 European Championship finals in Albania and Serbia. Korkmaz has been the U21 coach since May 2025.
