Türkiye head coach Vincenzo Montella rejected calls to resign after his side fell 4-1 to Italy in the UEFA Nations League, insisting that he still believes in his work and his players despite supporters turning on both him and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) during the match in Bursa.
Italy raced into a 3-0 lead inside 27 minutes at the Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium, with goals from Bastoni, Frattesi and Kayode prompting sections of the home support to call for Montella and TFF Chief Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu to step down.
Osman Askin Bak, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports (L), and Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu, President of the Turkish Football Federation (R) follows the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Chants of meaning “Ibrahim out,” rang out from the stands, while supporters also shouted “Give us a villa,” in reference to Haciosmanoglu’s earlier statement that national team players would be rewarded with villas in Bodrum if Türkiye qualified for the 2026 World Cup.
Italy later added a fourth goal through Esposito, while Türkiye finished the night with a 4-1 defeat, having also lost their opening Nations League match 1-0 to France.
Players of Türkiye react after Italy scores a goal during the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Montella stands firm as resignation calls grow louder
Asked directly after the match whether he was considering stepping down, Montella dismissed the possibility and insisted he still believed in both his work and his players.
“No. I believe in the work I am doing. I did not leave even when I received important offers. I still believe in our players and I stand behind them. Just as we got here together, we know how to move forward from here together. If resignation ever became an issue, I would speak to my players first. But that is not on the agenda.”
Montella nevertheless accepted the reaction from supporters during Türkiye’s poor opening period.
“We deserved to be booed and whistled in the first half,” he said.
The Italian coach said Türkiye had failed to approach the match properly and struggled to cope with another high-level fixture only three days after facing France.
“We did not approach the match in the right way. At national-team level, we are not used to playing games of this intensity every three days, and that disappoints me. We started playing better after it became 3-1, and we also had a goal ruled out.”
Head coach Vincenzo Montella of the Türkiye national football team follows the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
‘We cannot lose our confidence’
Despite the scale of the defeat, Montella urged his players not to allow the result to knock their confidence and said the opening half-hour needed to be carefully examined.
“We need to learn from this match. We have to analyze those first 30 minutes very carefully and we cannot lose our confidence. We got ourselves to this level, and we will carry on fighting and try to show our best football on the pitch.”
Montella also pointed to Türkiye’s rise through the UEFA Nations League system, noting that the national team had moved up from League C to League B before reaching League A.
“This team was in League C three years ago. Then we won League B with me, and today we are in League A. The level here is different. I said playing at this level every three days would not be easy. That is not an excuse, but we are dealing with circumstances we are not accustomed to.”
Arda Guler of Türkiye celebrates after his teammate Baris Alper Yilmaz scored a goal during the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Montella pushes back against expectations before Italy match
The Türkiye coach also brought up the estimated market values of the two squads, saying pre-match expectations had failed to reflect the strength of the opposition.
“Before the match, I saw the squad values: Italy at €840 million ($954.42 million) and Türkiye at €417 million. Yet there was an atmosphere in the newspapers as if an easy match was waiting for us. I told my players it would not be easy.”
Montella stressed that a higher squad value did not automatically decide matches, arguing that every game developed differently.
He also said Türkiye had fallen well below expectations during the opening 30 minutes and deserved criticism, although he suggested some of the reaction afterward had gone too far.
“We fell below expectations in the first 30 minutes and deserved the criticism. What came afterwards was perhaps a little exaggerated. Everyone needs to keep their feet on the ground. I understand the passion and attachment, but I come from Naples, where the passion is also extremely intense. We should not get carried away.”
Arda Guler (10) and Baris Alper Yilmaz of Türkiye react after Italy scores a goal during the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Montella strongly backs Baris Alper, Kerem
Montella also came out strongly in support of Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kerem Akturkoglu, arguing that both players had repeatedly been asked to play outside their natural positions for the national team.
“I will never stop backing Baris Alper Yilmaz and Kerem Akturkoglu. I would build statues of them.”
He said both players continued to give everything for the national team despite being used outside their preferred roles.
Montella added that injuries and missing players had affected his substitutions, while introducing new players at League A level needed to be handled gradually.
Altay Bayindir of Türkiye in action during the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Altay Bayindir reaction ‘deeply upset’ Montella
Montella also expressed disappointment over the reaction directed at goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
“I cannot say anything about the general whistles, but seeing Altay Bayindir targeted like that deeply upset me. Football is a game of mistakes and everyone makes them. When a player needs support, I am not sure how right it is to whistle him.”
The coach said mental recovery was just as important as physical recovery when teams had to play demanding matches in quick succession.
He argued that Türkiye had taken too long to find their rhythm against Italy and needed to learn from that problem before their next match.
Turkish Football Federation (TFF) President Ibrahim Haciosmanoglu (C) follows the players from the sideline before the UEFA Nations League A League Group 1 match between Türkiye and France at Kocaeli Stadium in Kocaeli, Türkiye, on September 25, 2026. (AA Photo)
Montella says TFF relationship remains intact
Despite supporters also directing their anger toward TFF President Haciosmanoglu, Montella said their relationship extended beyond successful results.
“We speak with the president after defeats as well as victories. We got here together because we helped one another. We have to learn from this without losing confidence and carry on playing our own football.”
Montella also made clear that he did not expect the Italy defeat to immediately change his position, repeating that resignation was not being discussed.
Head coach Vincenzo Montella of the Türkiye national football team follows the UEFA Nations League A Group 1 match between Türkiye and Italy at Yuzuncu Yil Ataturk Stadium in Bursa, Türkiye on September 28, 2026. (AA Photo)
Belgium offers another difficult test
Looking ahead, Montella warned that Türkiye’s next match against Belgium would present another demanding challenge.
“Belgium beat Italy away from home, so that will not be easy either. We want to keep working with our players and represent our country in the best possible way on the pitch.”
For now, however, the pressure around the national team has intensified after a night in Bursa when a three-goal deficit inside the opening half-hour quickly turned into open calls from the stands for both the coach and federation leadership to go.
September 29, 2026 09:22 AM GMT+03:00