Turkey's head coach, Vincenzo Montella, delivered a passionate defense of his team's performance and players during a news conference Tuesday, one day before their World Cup match against the United States. Montella strongly criticized what he described as unfair attacks from parts of the Turkish media and a group of fans who confronted players and federation officials.
"They are our boys, they are our players, they are the future of football and I’ve seen personal attacks I could not accept because this is something you’re doing against your own son," Montella said, speaking through an interpreter. "I cannot accept it. From my side they will have unconditional support because they deserve this support and I will be supporting them all the time."
The coach's lengthy remarks were partly motivated by an incident where Turkish fans reportedly confronted Montella, Turkish federation president Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, and players, including captain Hakan Çalhanoglu, outside their Los Angeles hotel. Montella stated that the players' demeanor indicated the impact of the criticism.
To illustrate his point, Montella presented statistics from Turkey's initial two World Cup games, emphasizing the scoring opportunities the team generated despite being shut out in both matches. "We cannot destroy everyone," he remarked.
Montella, who has coached the Turkish national team since 2023, also addressed his future, making it clear he has no intention of resigning. He stated he has the full support of the federation president and, more importantly, the players. "If there is someone who would like me to resign, well, maybe they need to accept that I will not," he said.
In separate comments regarding the upcoming match against the U.S., U.S. Men's National Team coach Mauricio Pochettino indicated that players carrying yellow cards—Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Chris Richards, and Tyler Adams—are unlikely to play to avoid risking suspensions. Midfielder Cristian Roldan, who has been dealing with a quad injury, is showing positive progress and will be evaluated before the game. Pochettino also suggested that Christian Pulisic might play approximately 45 minutes, with a decision pending on whether he will start or come off the bench.