Turkey moves to dismiss manager Vincenzo Montella after four straight Nations League defeats

Federation moves toward dismissal

The Turkish Football Federation leadership under president İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu has moved to dismiss national team head coach Vincenzo Montella following four straight defeats in the Nations League. The decision by the 60-year-old federation president and his executive committee follows an away loss of 3-1 against Italy in Bologna. Across four group fixtures in the Nations League, Turkey failed to secure a single point while conceding 11 goals and scoring only two. The losing streak marks the first time since 1988 that the Turkish national team has suffered four consecutive defeats in international competition. While the federation has yet to issue an official statement, reports from Turkish and Italian outlets indicate that the dismissal of the 52-year-old Italian manager is finalized internally.

Tournament struggles and Nations League collapse

Pressure on Montella intensified following Turkey's early exit from the 2026 World Cup group stage in Mexico, Canada, and the United States. During the tournament, Turkey suffered a 2-0 defeat against Australia and a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay, with their sole 3-2 victory over the United States failing to secure advancement to the knockout rounds. The poor form carried directly into the autumn Nations League campaign with comprehensive setbacks. Turkey opened the group with a 1-0 defeat to France, suffered a 4-1 loss to Italy, dropped an away fixture 3-0 in Belgium, and completed the cycle with the 3-1 loss in Bologna. The four matches left Turkey at the bottom of their group standings without a point.

Fan discontent and media criticism

The string of poor performances prompted visible dissatisfaction among Turkish supporters and the domestic sports press. Traveling supporters repeatedly whistled Montella and chanted for his immediate resignation inside the stadium in Bologna, while online campaigns urged him to remain in Italy rather than return. Domestic media outlets published sharp assessments of the squad's tactical shape, with Hürriyet stating that the team appeared disorganized and lacked a clear playing style. Following the Bologna defeat, Montella publicly insisted that the squad retained positive prospects despite the adverse run of results.

Even though the result does not meet our expectations, we will use these experiences to develop further.

Three-year tenure and managerial succession

Montella originally took charge of the national team in September 2023, replacing German manager Stefan Kuntz. During his three-year tenure, Montella achieved significant milestones, guiding Turkey to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 before a 2-1 defeat against the Netherlands. He also secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup, ending a 24-year absence from the global tournament dating back to 2002. However, the subsequent tournament collapse and Nations League results eroded board confidence. The current situation echoes the departure of Kuntz, who coached Turkey from September 2021 to September 2023, when federation denials preceded his eventual release following media leaks.