DORTMUND/MUNICH: Tens of thousands of Turkiye fans draped in the country’s red flag celebrated ahead of the country’s first match of Euro 2024 against neighbor Georgia in Dortmund on Tuesday, creating a festival atmosphere akin to a host nation to welcome the team.
Almost 3 million people with Turkish roots live in Germany, following a wave of official migration that began in the 1960s. The close ties are reflected in both the German and Turkish football teams. Germany captain Ilkay Gundogan has Turkish roots, while Turkiye’s midfielder Salih Ozcan, was born in Cologne and plays for Borussia Dortmund.
Ozcan has said the team needs to capitalize on the large Turkish population and passionate support in Germany.
Heavy rain and forecasts of thunderstorms closed Dortmund’s 25,000 capacity fan zone and other giant viewing spots in the cities of North Rhine Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, but fans en route to the stadium made good on their promise to make some noise. Berlin’s two fan zones were also closed due to bad weather.
“Our hearts beat for Turkiye, for home. Of course, Germany is also home for us, but we are Turks,” said fan Cengiz Catalpinar.
Mehmet Guelcicek had driven for two days from Zurich in Switzerland to reach Dortmund and watch the match.
“We are Turks and always there with the team.”
Many Turks were also celebrating the Muslim festival of Eid Al-Adha, when typically, animals such as sheep are sacrificed.
Ugur Aydin walked with an inflatable sheep.
“We saved him from the Eid sacrifice festival and are celebrating our own festival today with a 3 point win over Georgia. And hopefully the same again for the next two games, against Portugal and the Czech Republic,” he said.
Turkiye begin their Euro 2024 campaign against newcomers Georgia knowing a winning start in one of the tournament’s weaker groups would give them a great chance of making the knockout stages after disappointing last time around.
In hot sunshine in Munich in southern Germany fans began to stream into the city’s fan zone.
“This is a big deal for us and it is great to be in Germany for the tournament, to join with the Turkish community here. We are the second hosts,” said Erdem Sakinc, a 21-year-old student from Ankara studying in Germany.
Georgia, meanwhile, are playing in their first ever major tournament and are the clear underdogs
Georgia fan Veronika Gogokhia said, “This is a historical moment for our country and our team. This is a debut and the whole of Georgia, all Georgians all over the world are really excited,” she said.
Later on Tuesday at the stadium around 40 fans from each set of supporters were involved in brief scuffles and police moved in between them, a Reuters reporter inside the stadium said.
Germany’s Turks give ‘host nation’ welcome to Turkiye
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Germany’s Turks give ‘host nation’ welcome to Turkiye
- Ozcan has said the team needs to capitalize on the large Turkish population and passionate support in Germany
- “Our hearts beat for Turkiye, for home. Of course, Germany is also home for us, but we are Turks,” said fan Cengiz Catalpinar
Romania and Slovakia reach last 16 at Euro 2024 after tense draw
- Ondrej Duda put Slovakia ahead in the first half but Romania’s Razvan Marin equalized with a penalty before the interval
- It was a memorable moment for Romania, who are into the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time in 24 years
FRANKFURT, Germany: Romania and Slovakia both qualified for the last 16 at Euro 2024 after a tense 1-1 draw in their last Group E game on Wednesday.
Ondrej Duda put Slovakia ahead in the first half but Romania’s Razvan Marin equalized with a penalty before the interval.
With all four teams in the group earning four points from their three games, Romania finished top having scored more goals than second-placed Belgium.
Slovakia went through in third place thanks to a superior goal difference to fourth-placed Ukraine.
It was a memorable moment for Romania, who are into the knockout stages of the Euros for the first time in 24 years.
Romania had only qualified once for the last 16 in their five Euro appearances, but Edward Iordanescu’s tenacious side have ended that long drought
“It’s incredible. I want to congratulate my players, we found a spirit. We came back once again, we never give up,” Iordanescu said.
“These are things you experience once in a lifetime. We have written history.”
Slovakia are into the knockout stages of a major tournament for the third time.
They reached the last 16 in the 2010 World Cup and made it to the same stage at Euro 2016.
“It was a great performance,” Slovakia boss Francesco Calzona said. “It means a lot. We were 55th in the FIFA rankings when I started, so to get here makes me very proud.
“We have world-class opponents ahead but it will be a celebration for us.”
Knowing a draw would send both teams through, cynics had suggested they would play out a mutually beneficial stalemate.
But there was no sign of Romania settling for a point as they made a fast start.
They threatened an early goal when Andrei Ratiu’s stinging strike was pushed away by Martin Dubravka, with the rebound lashed wildly over by Ianis Hagi.
Slovakia were inches away from snatching the lead as Lukas Haraslin’s free-kick went through a crowd of players and almost crept in at the far post.
It was a warning Romania failed to heed and Slovakia went in front in the 24th minute.
Juraj Kucka whipped in a deep cross that caught the Romania defense standing statuesque, leaving the unmarked Duda free to power his header past Florin Nita from eight yards.
Romania’s response was emphatic as they drew level in the 37th minute thanks to an incisive raid from the son of former Barcelona and Real Madrid star Gheorghe Hagi.
David Hancko’s foul on Hagi was adjudged a penalty by VAR after referee Daniel Siebert initially ruled the offense had taken place just outside the area.
Marin stepped up to drill the spot-kick high into the roof of the net to the deafening delight of the hordes of Romania fans who turned the arena into a frenzied mosh-pit.
The searing Frankfurt heat gave way to a heavy storm in the second half as thunder, lightning and rain swirled around the stadium.
It was a suitably dramatic backdrop to a tense clash that was close to swinging Romania’s way when Marin forced a good save from Dubravka before Denis Dragus skimmed the roof of the net.
Haraslin’s curler flashed past the far post as the storm abated, but, while there was no winner, both sides ended up celebrating their progress to the knockout stage.
Phil Foden leaves England’s Euro 2024 camp for ‘pressing family matter’
- English soccer’s governing body did not elaborate further on the reason for Foden’s departure
DUESSELDORF, Germany: Phil Foden has temporarily left England’s Euro 2024 base and returned to Britain for a “pressing family matter,” the Football Association said Wednesday.
English soccer’s governing body did not elaborate further on the reason for Foden’s departure.
The Manchester City forward played in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Slovenia.
England have advanced to the round of 16 and play their next match on Sunday. It is not known how long Foden will be away from the team’s base in Blankenhain, or if he will be available to play in that match.
The English Footballer of the Year started all three of the games in the group stage of the Euros and was expected to be in the starting lineup for the round of 16.
Varga back in Hungary 2 days after surgery on facial fractures following collision at Euro 2024
- His club Ferencváros posted a picture of Varga on X, formerly Twitter, with the caption: “Barnabás is back at home”
- The injury occurred midway through the second half of Sunday’s match against Scotland when Varga collided with goalkeeper Angus Gunn
WEILER-SIMMERBERG, Germany: Hungary forward Barnabás Varga has been released from hospital and is already back in his home country, two days after undergoing surgery on facial fractures he sustained in a collision at the European Championship.
Varga returned to Hungary on Wednesday as his teammates waited in Germany to find out if they have reached the round of 16 as one of the four best third-place teams.
His club Ferencváros posted a picture of Varga on X, formerly Twitter, with the caption: “Barnabás is back at home!”
The injury occurred midway through the second half of Sunday’s match against Scotland when Varga collided with goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Hungary went on to win 1-0 thanks to a stoppage-time goal from substitute Kevin Csoboth.
In concerning scenes, the match was halted for nearly 10 minutes so that Varga could get treatment. Several teammates appeared to be in tears and they held up blankets to shield the stricken forward as medical staff tended to him.
The 29-year-old Varga was taken straight to hospital in Stuttgart and had surgery on Monday after breaking several bones in his face.
Hungary coach Marco Rossi and some of his staff, as well as Ferencváros teammate Endre Botka — representing the national side — visited Varga in hospital on Tuesday.
Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein signs new contract
- Hein joined Arsenal from Estonian side Nomme United in 2018 and has progressed through the club’s academy
- “I’m delighted to extend my contract and continue my journey in this amazing club after six years,” Hein said on his new contract
Arsenal goalkeeper Karl Hein has signed a new contract with the club.
The 22-year-old’s previous deal was set to expire at the end of this month. However, as reported in DealSheet, Arsenal was able to convince the Estonia international to stay at the Emirates beyond this summer.
Hein is relatively inexperienced at club level, with a loan move seen as the next step in his development.
“I’m delighted to extend my contract and continue my journey in this amazing club after six years,” Hein said on his new contract. Hopefully, there will be even more good memories and successes for the club.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta added: “Karl has continued to impress us with his attitude and commitment to getting better every day.”
“We value being part of his continued development and I want to congratulate him on earning a new deal with the club.”
Hein joined Arsenal from Estonian side Nomme United in 2018 and has progressed through the club’s academy. He had a short loan spell at Reading in 2022, where he made five appearances.
Hein was an unused substitute in the Premier League five times last season and has made just one senior appearance for Arsenal against Brighton Hove Albion in the Carabao Cup in 2022.
Hein has, though, made 30 appearances for Estonia after making his senior debut in 2020.
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Why are so many of the coaches at Copa America from Argentina?
- Lionel Scaloni heads the list as the head coach of the Argentina national team
- The late Cesar Luis Menotti is considered to be Argentina’s greatest football mind
At this summer’s Copa America, seven of the 16 participating nations will be led by Argentine coaches. Lionel Scaloni heads the list as the head coach of the Argentina national team. Marcelo Bielsa leads Uruguay, while Colombia and Venezuela are coached by Nestor Lorenzo and Fernando Batista, respectively.
Chile made a big hire with the appointment of Ricardo Gareca, and Paraguay, who had fired Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto in 2023, replaced the former Boca Juniors forward with his compatriot Daniel Garnero. Gustavo Alfaro manages the CONCACAF side Costa Rica, who coached Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
This isn’t a new phenomenon in South America and certainly not for the continent’s most prestigious international competition. At the 2015 Copa America, all four semifinalists (Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Paraguay) were coached by Argentine managers. The 2019 edition of the tournament featured three Argentine managers at the semifinal stage.
Managers from Argentina have always been highly sought after at both the domestic and international levels. But why? In South America, it’s a debate that delves into everything from football heritage to inferiority complexes and fanatical patriotism.
Argentina is the land of Alfredo Di Stefano, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi. Greatness in football is a virtue that Argentines have come to expect. Their most successful managers at both club and international levels are often revered for their philosophical approaches to football.
The late Cesar Luis Menotti is considered to be Argentina’s greatest football mind. Menotti, who passed away in May at the age of 85, coached Argentina to the World Cup title in 1978. His career highlights included coaching Argentina from 1974 to 1983 and stints with Barcelona, Boca Juniors, and River Plate. Up until his death, Menotti was the Argentina Football Association’s (AFA) director of football.
The chain-smoking tactical guru spoke as eloquently as an award-winning novelist. Menotti’s wisdom helped to position Argentine football, specifically the national team, as a conceptual idea rather than a magnet for passionate fandom.
The national team is a very serious place to be, Menotti said in 2019 after he accepted the AFA’s appointment. Every ball that’s kicked by a player awakens a cultural manifestation. Were going to support that cultural growth because it’s something that clubs cannot do. Only the Argentina national team can.
Menotti also once claimed that a double midfield pivot was a lie.
The ball can be recovered not by the accumulation of troops, but rather through the recovery of space. That’s how (Johan) Cruyffs Holland did it, Menotti said.
The ability to express football ideas as if one were a professor of an advanced university course is synonymous with many past and present coaches from Argentina. Managers from Argentina are often viewed as both tacticians and capable leaders. That assumption can lead to nationalistic debates across South America.
When Colombia hired current manager Lorenzo, a former Argentina national team defender, Colombians joked on social media that an Argentine passport was a requirement for the job. Lorenzo replaced Colombian Reinaldo Rueda, a highly esteemed coach in South America.
To make matters more contentious, Lorenzo is the second Argentine manager to lead Colombia in recent years after Jose Pekerman, who coached Colombia from 2014 to 2018.
I was surprised by Lorenzo’s hire, said former Colombia and Costa Rica national team coach Jorge Luis Pinto in 2022. He doesn’t have the status to manage the Colombian national team.
Efran Pachn is the former president of Bogota-based club Independiente Santa Fe. When Lorenzo was hired, Pachn labeled the decision as ridiculous and embarrassing.
We have (Colombian) coaches who have managed at World Cup tournaments and have enriched other national teams, Pachn said. The smart decision would have been to hire every (Colombian) coach who has been at a World Cup and assemble a staff that way.
Clearly, Pachn let his pride get the best of him. Lorenzo, it turns out, is a capable national team manager. Colombia arrives at the 2024 Copa America on a 19-game unbeaten streak under the Argentine.
Coupled with their perceived tactical acumen, Argentine coaches are also known and respected for their ability to adapt to the different cultural idiosyncrasies of South American football. Domestic leagues throughout the region are littered with Argentine managers. The same can be said for players of Argentine descent. They often leave their country’s first division to join some of South America’s top club sides.
Only arch-rivals and five-time world champions Brazil can confidently look down upon the Albiceleste in a battle of egos. Brazilian clubs are dominating in South America, but the 2022 World Cup title has strengthened Argentina’s hold as the continent’s best national team. But even in Brazil, where the language can be an initial obstacle, some Argentine coaches have had success.
The pay is much better in Brazil, but it’s a trend that has cemented the notion that Argentina produces the best managers in South America. Coaches Gabriel Milito (Clube Atletico Mineiro), Ramon Daz (Vasco da Gama), Eduardo Coudet (Internacional, Nicolas Larcamon (Cruzeiro), and Juan Pablo Vojvoda (Fortaleza) joined more than 40 Argentine players who featured in Brazis top flight in 2024. On the other hand, it’s rare to see Brazilian players in the Argentine league, let alone coaches. Take for instance Boca Juniors. The Buenos Aires-based super club has only hired two Brazilian coaches since its inception in 1905 and a total of nine foreign-born managers.
There’s also the Scaloni effect. The former interim manager proved to the world that inexperience is not always a determining factor for success. Scaloni, 46, lifted the 2022 World Cup trophy despite never having been a head coach at senior level. Now considered one of the sport’s premier man managers, Scaloni is chasing his fourth title with Argentina this summer (after the 2021 Copa America, the 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions, and the 2022 World Cup).
The 2024 Copa America will be another showcase for Argentine managers on the international stage, which will prove that their influence in South America isn’t a trend but rather a ubiquitous reality. Barring a complete collapse by the CONMEBOL sides, it’s more than likely that an Argentine will coach at least one team in the final.
