In the opening match of the European Cup against Georgia, Turkish international Semih Akınin made an unintentionally comical jersey mix-up.
Turkey won the game 3-1, with Akınin playing his part, but his attire became the subject of post-match conversations.
It turned out that the central defender wore the national team’s number 4 jersey, yet paired it with teammate Abdulkerim Bardaç’s number 14 shorts. This mismatch went unnoticed until the closing stages of the match when Akınin prevented Georgia from equalizing, securing Turkey’s victory.
According to FIFA and UEFA regulations, a player’s shirt and shorts numbers must be identical to maintain the integrity and clarity of the game for player identification. These rules ensure fairness and order, preventing any possible confusion or manipulation.
Fans had mixed reactions, with some joking, “Akın’s ‘mismatched’ luck seemed to have helped him pull off that brilliant defense, didn’t it?” While others questioned the referee team, “Didn’t the fourth official, responsible for supervising the match, notice this obvious mistake?”
Akınin playfully addressed the curiosity on social media after the match: “For those wondering, don’t worry, I’ve returned the shorts to their rightful owner.”
Although the incident was lighthearted, it technically constitutes a breach of rules. Now, it remains to be seen whether UEFA will impose any additional sanctions.
Was it a Violation? Turkish Player’s Jersey and Shorts Numbers Don’t Match, Humorous Post-Match Response. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/8486.html
