Fatih Terim, one of the former national team managers, told O Jogo from the press box in Lisbon before the match that Turkey will face Portugal on Saturday.
Arda Güler’s statement from Fatih Terim
“In history, important players have played in Turkey. Arda Güler is one of them, an exceptional talent. He is always very close to the goal and can do anything he wants with the ball. He is only 19 years old, but when he has the ball he is as dominant as the most experienced players. Then, when he moved to Real Madrid, we said we were proud of him. I believed in him and wished him success. He always wants to play. It is very important to have a proper plan, and it is correct. In recent years, players like Chouameni, Diaz, Valverde and Camavinga have gradually joined the team. But if his career next season is right, Arda Güler will accelerate this development and, I hope he is healthy, we can also discuss it among the Ballon d’Or one day. Dear candidates, let me say it first!”
Rui Costa’s Confession
“I speak to Rui Costa a lot. We have a very special relationship that has been going on since 2000. Turkey and Portugal have become so many rivals in the last 15-20 years that we would have spoken enough just for that reason.” But the most important thing is that he is a very good friend of mine. It is not surprising to me that he is now the president of Benfica. Moreover, he is a great leader in all respects. Do your best. I have no doubt that he will remain this way at Benfica. When Galatasaray and Benfica played in the Europa League in 2019, I welcomed him in my office at the stadium. It was like a warm feeling. Coming to Fiorentina, not only did we get to work with a great player, but it was really good to meet him because he was an idol. For the club and for the city. He had been at the club for a long time and we needed to take a step forward. He was performing great when we were together at Fiorentina. When I went to Milan, he was the first player I invited to the club. I also wanted him at Galatasaray, but unfortunately it didn’t happen. When I came back to the Turkish team, if I had the chance to add him to my team, I would have added him and I would have gone all the way with him. Rui Costa played 12 seasons in Italy when Serie A was the top league in Europe. “He had the aesthetics of what a number 10 should have, just like we saw in players like Zinedine Zidane, Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero and Roberto Baggio who were in the league at that time.”
Cristiano Ronaldo’s statement
“Cristiano is one of the best footballers of all time. We were opponents many times and there were games where, frankly, he punished us. He has been on the big stage since 2003 and has never come off the top for more than 20 years.” This is one of the key qualities that distinguish a great player from a talented one. Continuity, consistency, never-ending ambition… In addition to his unique talent, let’s not forget that Cristiano’s personality traits make him almost unique. Unlike many professions in the world, a person has to build his future at the age of 10 to 12. The effort and sacrifices made by Cristiano, who turns 39 today, are worthy of respect, not to mention his extraordinary number of goals. Euro 2024 will be his sixth European Championship. It’s easier said than done, but you always have to be prepared and successful enough to be selected for the national team. Cristiano is also an important icon who has influenced several generations. My 10-year-old grandson Yaman lives in the United States and is a big fan of CR7. Of course, his number is 7. One of the reasons Yaman started playing football is because he is his biggest football hero. Right, after me! We are talking about a lot of young people at EURO 2024, some of whom were not even in the world in 2004 when Cristiano played in the EURO for the first time. I heard a lot of players say, “I’m excited to think that I will enter the same tunnel as Cristiano Ronaldo.” It’s not easy to compete with colleagues who look up to you and have their eyes on you, and to respond to them with the same ambition and motivation. “This is one of the important things that Cristiano has achieved at this point in his career.”
“They tried to transfer Pepe.”
“Cristiano is the biggest star, but we must not forget Pepe. Even though he is 41 years old, he is still one of the best players in his position. In 2002, when he was at Maritimo, we tried to move him to Galatasaray. I had a lot of trust in him from the coaching staff, and after watching him play in Portugal, we became rivals in Turkey. I answered before, ‘If you were a fan of Bernardo Silva, you’re talking about a 100 million euro transfer, which player would you like to see in your team?’… I don’t think we need to count them one by one. Our task is not easy, but Turkey always likes a challenge.
