Turkey Euro 2024: A Home Advantage and Young Stars Shine
Dortmund’s iconic “Yellow Wall,” a single-tier stand holding 25,000 fervent fans, was awash in a sea of red during Turkey’s Euro 2024 opener against Georgia. Germany, with its significant Turkish population, especially in the Ruhr area surrounding Dortmund, provided a near-home advantage for the Turkish team. Five Turkish national team members, including midfielder Kaan Ayhan, were born in Germany, further solidifying the connection.
The atmosphere was electric, with Turkish fans dominating the stadium and creating a deafening roar. Even before kickoff, the energy was palpable, with boos directed at the Georgian starting lineup. This fervent support, however, also led to some negative incidents, including fights in the crowd and bottles thrown at Georgia’s corner takers.
Turkey entered the tournament with high expectations, considered a dark horse contender. Their previous Euro performances had been disappointing, including opening match losses in the past five tournaments. This year, facing Georgia, the lowest-ranked team, hopes were high for a strong start. Turkey’s youthful squad, the second youngest at the Euros, boasts promising talents like Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz.
Mert Muldur’s stunning volley into the top corner, a potential goal of the tournament contender, ignited the Turkish supporters. While a subsequent goal by Yildiz was disallowed by VAR, the momentum remained with Turkey.
Georgia, however, answered back with a well-worked goal by Georges Mikautadze, assisted by Giorgi Kochorashvili. Despite their underdog status, Georgia’s defensive resilience and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s star power posed a challenge for Turkey.
Guler’s brilliance ultimately broke the deadlock, curling a shot into the top corner, showcasing his exceptional talent. A late breakaway goal by Kerem Akturkoglu sealed the victory for Turkey, sending the Westfalenstadion into a frenzy. Georgia had their chances, even hitting the post in injury time, but Turkey’s young stars and passionate support proved decisive.
Arda Guler, despite limited minutes at Real Madrid, has already demonstrated his scoring prowess, averaging a goal almost every hour in La Liga. Kenan Yildiz, born in Germany, chose to represent Turkey and even scored against Germany in a previous match. These young talents, coupled with the passionate support of Turkish fans in Germany, could propel Turkey to a successful Euro 2024 campaign.
Turkey’s opening match against Georgia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, was seen as a crucial opportunity to break their pattern of poor starts in European Championships. Georgia’s qualification came through a penalty shootout victory against Greece in the UEFA Nations League playoffs, highlighting their underdog status. The performance of young stars like Yildiz and Guler will be crucial for Turkey’s success.