The National Football Team achieved its goals in 2023, which was a successful year. The crescent-star team suffered only 1 defeat in the official matches they played and gained the right to participate in EURO 2024, which will be hosted by Germany, as the group leader.
While Turkey played a total of 10 matches in 2023, 8 of which were official (EURO 2024 qualifying group matches) and 2 of which were private, it had 6 wins, 2 draws and 2 defeats in these matches.
The national football players, who sent 19 goals to the opponent’s net in 10 matches, could not prevent 13 goals at home. Turkey, whose only defeat in official matches was 2-0 against Croatia in Bursa, lost 4-2 to Japan in a special match played in Belgium.
2023, THE YEAR OF FIRSTS
Turkey, which won the right to participate in a major tournament as the group leader for the first time in its history, broke many other firsts in 2023.
The National Team managed to defeat its opponent at home for the first time by beating Croatia 1-0 away with the goal of Barış Alper Yılmaz.
Turkey beat Germany 3-2 in the special match played in Berlin, which will host the final of EURO 2024, and managed to defeat its strong opponent away after 72 years.
The crescent-star team achieved its first victory in the matches played between Latvia and Turkey in 2023. The national team, which had drawn all 3 matches against its opponent in Turkey, ended the streak of draws by winning the match 4-0 in Konya in the EURO 2024 qualifiers.
16 DIFFERENT NAMES SCORED THE NATIONAL TEAM’S 19 GOALS
19 goals scored by the National Team in 2023 came from 16 different players.
In the crescent-star team, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Bertuğ Yıldırım, Cenk Tosun scored 2 goals each, while Orkun Kökçü, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Cengiz Ünder, İrfan Can Kahveci, Umut Nayir, Arda Güler, Ozan Kabak, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Kenan Yıldız, Yusuf Sarı and Yusuf Yazıcı scored once each.
The national team kept a clean sheet in 3 matches. The crescent-star team did not concede a goal in the away matches against Wales and Latvia played in Turkey and against Croatia.
6 MATCHES WITH KUNTZ 4 MATCHES WITH MONTELLA
Turkey played 6 of the 10 matches it played this year under the management of Stefan Kuntz and 4 under the management of Vincenzo Montella.
The National Football Team entered 2023 under the management of German coach Stefan Kuntz. Turkey, which played its first match away against Armenia on March 25, won 2-1. Turkey had 3 wins, 2 defeats and 1 draw in 6 matches played under the management of Kuntz in 2023.
After the special match in which the National Team lost 4-2 to Japan, Stefan Kuntz parted ways and Italian coach Vincenzo Montella was appointed.
The crescent-star team did not lose in the 4 matches they played under the management of Montella, and had 3 wins and 1 draw.
Turkey, which defeated Croatia in its first match under Montella’s management, with a goal from Barış Alper Yılmaz, increased its points to 13 and became the leader in the group again.
Defeating Latvia 4-0 in Konya in the second match played under the management of the Italian coach, the national team became the first team in Group D to qualify for EURO 2024.
The national team finished the group as leader, drawing 1-1 away with Wales in their last match.
Turkey managed to defeat Germany 3-2 in Berlin in the special match it played under the management of Montella.
The Italian coach became the first foreign coach to lead the National Football Team to the European Championship.
The national team had the right to participate in the tournament under the management of Fatih Terim in EURO 1996, 2008 and 2016, Mustafa Denizli in EURO 2000 and Şenol Güneş in EURO 2020.
COMPETITORS IN EURO 2024 HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED
The national football team’s opponents in EURO 2024 were determined by the draw held in Hamburg on December 2.
Türkiye entered the draw in the 2nd pot; In Group F, Portugal were paired with the path C play-off winner (Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg) and the Czech Republic.
EURO 2024 will be hosted by Germany between 14 June and 14 July 2024.
Türkiye WINS EURO 2032 HOSTING
Turkey won the right to host the 2032 European Football Championship this year.
Following the meeting held on October 10 at the UEFA Center in Nyon, Switzerland, it was announced that Turkey had obtained the right to co-host EURO 2032 together with Italy.