Turkey head coach Vincenzo Montella praised his squad, calling them “real men”, before a monumental World Cup qualifying playoff final away in Kosovo on Tuesday.
Following a hard-fought 1-0 semi-final victory over Romania, Turkey are just 90 minutes away from ending a gruelling 24-year drought to reach the sports’ grandest stage.
“As I speak these words, which are very important to me and come from my heart, my first thought is: our footballers are real men,” Montella said.
“I took over as head coach during a very difficult period. My players have supported me. They have always been a fighting group,” he added.
“They know that it’s not just their own names written on their backs. It’s the names of millions of Turkish people and children.”
‘They weren’t even born then’
The former AS Roma forward took over the reins of the national team in 2023. He instantly revived their fortunes, successfully helping them flourish at Euro 2024 where they reached the quarter-finals. Now, the 51-year-old is on the cusp of guiding the nation to its first World Cup since finishing third in 2002.
“Everyone feels the pressure. This is a final. We haven’t been there for 24 years, but most of our players weren’t even born then,” Montella said.
“If we couldn’t go for 24 years, it’s not their fault. This time we want to go, we will do our best for our country.
“The culture that raised me and the culture I encountered in Turkey are incredibly similar. I can think like a Turk. I eat like a Turk. I act like a Turk. That’s why I feel like a Turk.”
Kosovo are aiming to qualify for their first-ever tournament after shockingly dumping out Slovakia in a wild 4-3 semi-final thriller last week.
Inter Milan midfielder and Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu, who has shaken off a minor muscle knock to feature, echoed his manager’s sentiments regarding the immense gravity of the match.
“There’s one match left to reach the World Cup. It’s not about quality; whoever plays with more heart will win. We’re aware of that and we’re ready,” Calhanoglu stated.
“I remember our first match against Kosovo, I was there. They are very strong and have good players.”
