Turkish media call for Montella's dismissal after four defeats

The Turkish press has unleashed a real media earthquake against the Italian coach Vincenzo Montella, after four consecutive defeats in the Nations League, the latest a heavy 3‑1 loss to Italy last night. The newspapers published the headline “Trial for the coach, his time is over!”.

The main sports dailies opened today’s editions with headlines that target the coach directly. The newspaper Fanatik wrote: “I think it’s better for you to leave… Take a severance and stay in Italy”. Hurriyet, on the other hand, criticized the heavy salary and the costs of a possible dismissal, stating: “His mission ended a long time ago”. Other outlets accused Montella of making the players’ mothers cry.

Loss statistics

The four consecutive defeats – against Belgium, France, Italy (4‑1 in Bursa) and Italy (3‑1 last night) – erased the credit earned with the historic World Cup qualification after twenty‑four years of drought. The press notes that since 1983 the national team had not suffered two consecutive official defeats by at least three goals.

At the end of the latest home match, the fans raised a single chant: “İstifa” (Resign). The pressure also extended to the federation president, İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu. Recently, Turkish football has been shaken by a serious betting and refereeing corruption scandal, dubbed the “Turkish Calciopoli”, which led to the arrest of the head referee and other officials.

Pressure on the federation

Montella responded by calling the local press’s accusations “illogical” and defended his two‑year spell, recalling that he had taken Turkey into the Nations League’s Serie A. He emphasized that he had built a solid team, despite the criticism, and reiterated his desire to continue.

The Italian coach led Turkey to qualification for the 2026 World Cup, the first foreign manager to do so for both a European Championship and a World Cup. He integrated the so‑called “golden generation” with players such as Arda Güler (Real Madrid) and Kenan Yıldız (Juventus), giving them central roles. The Turkish nation now looks to the future with mixed hopes.

In the toughest matches against Italy, France and Belgium, Montella was forced to play without Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Kenan Yıldız and, at times, Arda Güler, compromising the team’s offensive quality and leadership. The absence of these talents affected the negative results.

The coming hours will be decisive: the federation will have to decide whether to keep Montella in charge or give in to media and public pressure. The answer will shape the national team’s future in the final stage of the Nations League.