Calhanoglu: The Team Gave Its All, Grateful for Fans’ Support; Representing the Country Is Unparalleled

Turkey’s European Championship campaign ended with a 1-2 loss to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Following the match, Turkish captain Hakan Calhanoglu expressed his gratitude to fans and emphasized the joy of representing his nation.

At Berlin’s Olympic Stadium after the game, Calhanoglu told the media, “I want to thank everyone who worked hard, especially my teammates, who gave their all. A special thanks to the coach and the entire team. We’ve been away from home for a month, unable to be with our children, but we know that playing for the country is something unique. We tried our best in every match to represent our nation. I also want to thank the fans who supported us and made us feel happy.”

Looking ahead, Calhanoglu said, “We have a long journey still. Losing hurts, but we accept it – that’s football. Going up 1-0, any team would naturally defend more, but conceding two goals in five minutes was disappointing. Despite being 1-2 down, we created chances but couldn’t convert them. Now, we must look forward, show the pride of Turkish football, because few expected us to reach this stage.”

Calhanoglu highlighted that the experience gained at the Euros will aid the team’s development, stating, “This tournament will help us grow. Reaching here is a source of pride for us. Many young players are in the squad, most experiencing their first Euros. They’ll learn from these matches. United, we can achieve anything, and we’ve proven that. The fans’ applause at the end meant a lot to us; it was an emotional outpour. That’s part of football too.”