17.06.2026 08:50
The move that lifted spirits in the Turkish National Team, which started the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 2-0 defeat against Australia, came from President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Addressing the team through Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, Erdoğan boosted morale by saying, "Don't hang your heads; we will continue our path by winning the upcoming matches, God willing."
The morale of the Turkish National Football Team, which began its 2026 FIFA World Cup journey with an unexpected 2-0 defeat against Australia, was quite low. The message that dispelled the somber atmosphere, affecting everyone from players to the technical staff, from management to the press following the camp, came directly from Turkey, from the top.
MORAL MESSAGE FROM ERDOĞAN VIA MINISTER BAK
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who called Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkın Bak, who is following the World Cup organization on site, sent a special message of support to the national team. Erdoğan's critical message was personally conveyed to head coach Vincenzo Montella and the players by Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu.
"THEY SHOULD NOT HANG THEIR HEADS, THEIR MORALE SHOULD NOT BE BROKEN"
According to a report in Sabah; TFF President Hacıosmanoğlu, who met with the team after the Australia defeat, began the meeting with President Erdoğan's message. Those words, which Hacıosmanoğlu relayed to the players, immediately dispersed the gloomy atmosphere in the camp:
"Our Minister Osman Aşkın Bak conveyed it. Our President sends his regards to you all. He kisses your eyes. He said, 'They should not hang their heads, their morale should not be broken. They fought well. Hopefully, we will continue on our way by winning the upcoming matches.'"
STRONG REACTION FROM UĞURCAN AND SAMET TO 'CRISIS' CLAIMS
While moral and motivational work in the team continues, our National Team's successful goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır and experienced center-back Samet Akaydin evaluated the current situation in the camp at a press conference held last night. Both players firmly denied the rumors circulating in the public about a "broken friendship atmosphere within the team."
Stating that the allegations about him were saddening, Samet Akaydin emphasized that the team has been together since the European Championship and used the following statements:
"Some things are written and drawn. It is really sad that such things are written. We are a team that knows and loves each other very well. The Australia match did not discourage us; on the contrary, it strengthened us even more."
"WE WILL SHOW OUR DIFFERENCE IN THE PARAGUAY MATCH"
Uğurcan Çakır, highlighting the importance of the remaining matches, stated that the team's morale is good and summarized their goals with these words:
"We really wanted to win the Australia match, maybe it didn't reflect on the field. But we have forgotten the first match. We have two matches left that we can call 'finals'. We want to win them and make our country proud. We have a chance to compensate for this mistake in the Paraguay match. There is no situation as written inside or outside; everyone gets along very well with each other."