'Bring on the noise': Why Turkey are Euro 2024's second hosts - ESPN

COLOGNE, Germany — There is only one host nation at Euro 2024, but two nations can say they have home advantage. Just as Germany can count on the backing of thousands of passionate, expectant supporters, so can Turkey. The success of Vincenzo Montella's team is creating as much noise in Cologne, Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich as anything Julian Nagelsmann's side has achieved.

Turkey are the unofficial second home nation of this tournament thanks to the huge Turkish diaspora in Germany — 2.9 million claim to have Turkish heritage — mirroring Mexico's status in this summer's Copa América in the United States prior to their group-stage elimination. But while Mexico flopped in the Copa despite their incredible support, Turkey are now preparing for a Euro 2024 quarterfinal against Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday. Win that and Bizim Cocuklar (Our Kids) would potentially be one game away from the final, possibly even facing Germany should both sides continue to advance.

Turkey's relationship with Germany is a complex one. Five of Montella's team — Cenk Tosun, Salih Özcan, Kenan Yildiz, Kaan Ayhan and captain Hakan Çalhanoglu — were born in Germany, but chose to play for the country of their ancestors, while Germany's captain, Ilkay Gündogan, and midfielder Emre Can opted to play for Die Mannschaft having been born in Gelsenkirchen and Frankfurt, respectively.

«I was born and raised in Germany but I feel Turkish, it's a matter of identity,» Özcan, the Cologne-born Borussia Dortmund midfielder, said ahead of Turkey's opening Euro 2024 game against Georgia. «It's really a big advantage for us to play here in Germany, so I urge all the Turkish fans to come and bring on the noise. I promise we will honour the flag until the end.»

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