Turkish support for national team in Germany highlighted in American Press

The New York Times (NYT) recently reported on the enthusiastic support shown by Turks in Germany for the Turkish National Football Team during Euro 2024.

Following Turkey’s 3-1 victory over Georgia, jubilant celebrations erupted across Germany for the match, which took place on June 18 at BVB Dortmund Stadium.

The NYT stated there was great support for the national team in Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg, the cities where Turks live the most in Germany. It was noted that approximately 7 million Turks live in the country, and the following expressions were used:

One thing that connects the different generations of Turkish immigrants is Turkish soccer: club soccer, but of course also the national team,” he said. “It is part of your identity, your social bond. Most people of Turkish origin tend to support Turkiye, but that does not mean they are against Germany.

Aladin El-Mafaalani, an academic from Dortmund Technical University

He also emphasized the importance of Turkish football in connecting different generations of Turkish immigrants.

NYT also mentioned that collective pride, evident in the abundance of Turkish flags and jerseys seen throughout Germany’s streets and stadiums this month, highlights the vast size of the Turkish or Turkish-origin population in Germany. With over seven million individuals, this community represents the largest minority group in Europe’s most populous country.

Germany’s Turkish community traces its roots back to when the country welcomed guest workers, or Gastarbeiter, says NYT, to aid in the reconstruction following World War II. Many of these workers remained, establishing families that have reached their second, third, or even fourth generations. Nearly every major German city, as well as many smaller ones, boasts at least one neighborhood with a distinctly Turkish atmosphere.

They say it’s no wonder that Turkiye’s first match in this summer’s European Championship felt like a home game. Borussia Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion was filled with a sea of Turkish red and white except for one section reserved for Georgian fans.