The Turkish amputee football national team, a source of national pride with its recent international triumphs, is gearing up for a shot at securing the European championship cup for the third consecutive time.
The team, having clinched the title in Istanbul in 2017 and later in Krakow, Poland, in 2021, along with their Amputee Football World Cup victory in Istanbul in 2022, is now setting its sights on the upcoming European Amputee Football Championship in Haute-Savoie, France, scheduled between May 31 and June 9.
Thirty skilled footballers, selected by the Turkish Physically Disabled Sports Federation and brought together at the Akköy Facilities in Yalova on Jan. 15, are currently undergoing rigorous training under the guidance of coach İsmail Temiz.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), coach Temiz shared his optimism about the team's performance during the ongoing camp, stressing the challenges of maintaining champion status.
"Being a champion is difficult; staying at the top is even more difficult. Therefore, we need to work harder," he said, underlining the players' determination to secure a third consecutive European championship.
Highlighting that the championship spirit runs in the team's genes, Temiz confidently declared, "From now on, we will always go as champions and return as champions," expressing the team's commitment to combining the dynamism of youth with the experience of seasoned athletes.
Temiz noted the inclusion of 10 promising young athletes into the squad, emphasizing the significance of bringing together these emerging talents with established players.
He emphasized the positive impact of older athletes serving as role models, inspiring younger members to pursue success in amputee football.
"We can clearly see that the newly joined young people can become champions in amputee football in Türkiye and the world for another 10 years without looking back, but this is not enough," Temiz remarked, recognizing the potential for the sport to contribute to social integration and the empowerment of disabled individuals in Türkiye.
Team captain Rahmi Özcan echoed the positive team dynamic resulting from the integration of young talents.
Expressing the team's desire to make it three out of three in the European Championship, Özcan acknowledged the challenges of being the perennial favorites but expressed determination to overcome rivals and clinch the title again.
"Our generation is very good. Our young brothers coming from the bottom are also very good," Özcan stated, emphasizing the strength of Türkiye's amputee football league and the team's commitment to maintaining their favored status globally.
Hamza Yusuf Ersen, an 18-year-old national player from the Turkish Armed Forces amputee football team, expressed pride in representing the national team.
Meanwhile, 16-year-old Tuncay Efe Hankulu, attending the national team camp for the first time, conveyed excitement and eagerness to contribute to bringing the European Cup back to Türkiye.