In Turkey, football and national pride have merged at one point. After Istanbul's Galatasaray reached the Champions League round of 16, the country's president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, personally congratulated the team. The Turkish club advanced to the next stage in the playoffs, beating Juventus by two matches: winning 5-2 in the first match, but losing 2-3 in the second leg, maintaining a 7-5 aggregate score. This dramatic contradiction was also confirmed in Reuters and ESPN reports.
Turkish sources reported that after the match, Turkish Minister of Youth and Sports Osman Aşkin Bak entered the team's locker room and congratulated the players and coaching staff. It was also reported that Erdoğan had a telephone conversation with head coach Okan Buruk. According to some reports, he assessed the team's success as an important result for the whole country.
According to Erdoğan, Galatasaray's advancement to the next stage is a truly significant achievement for Turkey. Galatasaray advanced to the next stage. This is a truly great achievement for our country," the Turkish president said. This assessment is not just a simple congratulation, but rather indicates that the club's success on the European stage is also important for the prestige of the country's football.
It was reported that Okan Buruk responded that this victory could be considered a birthday gift for the president. "We are also very happy. "Let this be a birthday present for you, Mr. President," Buruk replied.
This sentence also has a special symbolic meaning. Because on February 26, 2026, Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated his 72nd birthday. It is noted in several sources that he was born on February 26, 1954.
In short, Galatasaray's victory wasn't just a sporting achievement. He further elevated the football atmosphere in Turkey, brought great joy to the club's fans, and even received special recognition at the level of the head of state. Now the Istanbul team faces even more difficult trials, but tonight will be a memorable night for both them and the fans.
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