'A country like Türkiye should always have big goals ... We will do everything in our power to achieve it,' said Vincenzo Montella ahead of key matches on road to World Cup
Türkiye’s national football team head coach Vincenzo Montella said his side will put all its energy into qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, underlining that the national team should always aim high.
Montella, 51, stressed the importance of the journey ahead. “There is a tournament we haven’t been part of for 24 years. Of course, we will use all our energy to qualify,” he told Anadolu.
On the games ahead, he explained: “Our first game will be (Sept. 4) against Georgia, a very important opponent. We can see how much they have developed recently and how they have progressed as a team. Compared to the European Championship, they now have a more settled squad. From the first match on, we will focus all our concentration and energy.”
Asked whether Türkiye’s long absence from the World Cup is creating pressure, the Italian coach said such expectations are natural: “This is very normal. A country like Türkiye should always have big goals. We must prepare the players in the best possible way. We want this very much, and we will do everything in our power to achieve it.”
On the group stage, Montella spoke on the strength of Türkiye’s rivals: “From the first pot, we drew Spain, the European champions. From the third pot, Georgia, a strong opponent. From the fourth, Bulgaria, who collected the most points. Objectively, it is one of the toughest groups, but that doesn’t matter to us. We need to move forward step by step.”
Asked about the threat posed by Spain’s young stars, he said balance will be the key: “We place great importance on team balance. Since I arrived, I’ve always underlined this. Against opponents of such quality, you can’t only focus on Yamal, Nico Williams, or Pedri. You must consider the whole team. Our preparation will be as usual, focusing on what we can do while also studying the opponent’s weaknesses. Like every match, we must prepare in the best possible way.”
-Young internationals
On Brighton & Hove Albion’s Ferdi Kadioglu, who has been out with a long-term injury, Montella said he is close to returning. “We’re closely following his situation and will talk to him to get a sense of how he feels. But I feel his return is very close. Ferdi wants to be here. He’s been away from his teammates and the team for a long time. I want him here as well. This week I will see him and our performance coach will assess him. Then we will have clearer information and can give a more precise answer.”
On Istanbul team Galatasaray’s Nicolo Zaniolo, Montella underlined the midfielder’s potential: “He’s a very talented player with high physical and technical capacity. He can play at the international level. He has had some small injuries, but if he can gain continuity in terms of playing time, I believe he can reach his potential.”
Montella also praised the progress of Türkiye’s young internationals Arda Guler and Kenan Yildız: “Arda plays for such a team where the only thing that matters is winning. He’s starting to embrace this mentality, and his technical skills are improving. Similarly, Kenan plays for one of the clubs with the most trophies. The will and desire to win is very high there. Their physical and mental development is very important. The higher their level, the higher the national team’s level will rise. That’s why I follow them with great happiness.”
On whether new Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso can affect Arda Guler’s progress or not, he said: “Even with (former Coach Carlo) Ancelotti, he was getting more playing time. I believe when you go to such a successful team, there’s always a process of adaptation. You must adapt to that mentality, and you must win in every competition. Arda’s technical skills are unquestionable, but his adaptation has been both mental and physical. If Ancelotti had stayed, I also knew Arda would play more this season.”
Turning to Yildız, Montella described him as disciplined and ambitious: “Kenan Yildız is very hardworking, eager to improve, and ambitious. He’s also a nice player.” Smiling, he added: “As for fashion, I need to do some research because at the moment, I don’t think he’s very fashionable. But when I was his age, I dressed even worse.”
The Italian coach welcomed recent high-profile transfers to the Turkish Super League, including Victor Osimhen, Jhon Duran, Orkun Kokcu and Tammy Abraham, highlighting their positive impact on the league’s reputation and competitiveness.
“These are very important names. They shine a spotlight on the league. I also think this boosts the league’s appeal in the eyes of other players. Osimhen showed that he really wanted to play at Galatasaray and fought incredibly hard with Napoli to return. He’s young, important, and at an international level. Players like him can pave the way for others to come. It is of course pleasing to see such players here.”
