Montella's final challenge, Turkey opposes after the defeat

Saturday, October 3, 2026, in the football Nations League, the Turkish national team led by Vincenzo Montella faces Italy in Bologna, with the side already at zero wins from three, having scored only one goal and conceded eight, while Turkish fans are calling for his resignation.

Montella's journey

Montella, former coach of Pomigliano d'Arco, had been dismissed by Adana Demirspor before being appointed head coach of Turkey. His contract expires in June 2028, but his tenure is already under threat within days. His appointment had reignited hopes, but now it risks being withdrawn.

The pressure from fans and the media

Turkish supporters sang “Montella resign” in Liège and repeated the same chants in Bursa five days earlier. The portal Fanatik, via Tunç Kayacı, advised Montella to leave on good terms, while the newspaper Hurriyet, with Guntekin Onay, declared that his mission is over.

The record in the Nations League

In Group A of the Nations League, Turkey has conceded eight goals and scored only one, with a run of consecutive defeats not seen since 1993. The group consists of France, Italy and Belgium, and the side is at zero wins from three matches.

The Bologna match, played at the Dall'Ara stadium, is decisive for staying in League A, with the threat of relegation looming. Montella said: “In these three games we made only one mistake: the football we played in the first half of the match against Italy. We had to react and today we did.” He added that he does not criticize the players, but that “League A is one of those levels.”

The Turkish Federation has not yet issued an official stance on the head coach, despite the contract stipulating an expiry in June 2028. The service includes Highlights Live, Video, Photo, Tennis, Drive, MotoGP, Pressing, Sportmediaset, XXL, News, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana, Formula, Podcast, Lifestyle, Championships, Area, Help, FAQ, Info, Cookie and Policy.

Montella's Anatolian adventure began with a near‑semi‑finalist European Championship and a World Cup qualification after twenty‑four years, but the World Cup trauma remains fresh in the minds of the “sultans”, lacking Yildiz and Calhanoglu. Yesterday’s match against Belgium recalled the fourth matchday of Group D of the World Cup, with Turkey crumbling at the first hurdle.

If the result at the Dall'Ara stadium had not been the hoped‑for one, Montella’s dismissal would become inevitable, leaving little cause for optimism about the national team’s future.