Hidayet Türkoğlu: “Bu takımla ne kadar gurur duysak az”
Türkiye Basketball Federation President Hidayet Türkoğlu praised the national team after Türkiye secured its place at the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Following an outstanding 110-73 victory over Iceland away from home, Türkoğlu said the players and coaching staff deserved enormous recognition for their achievements.
The Turkish men’s national team faced Iceland in its second game of the second round of the European qualifiers, in Group J. The decisive win extended Türkiye’s perfect run to eight victories in eight matches. With this result, Türkiye became the first country to officially qualify for the 2027 World Cup.
After the final whistle, federation president Hidayet Türkoğlu and head coach Ergin Ataman addressed the media and evaluated the team’s performance.
“We could not be prouder of our players”
Türkoğlu explained that the team learned about its World Cup qualification in the locker room after the game. He emphasized that an unbeaten record of eight wins was a significant achievement and congratulated everyone involved.
“Winning eight out of eight matches and remaining unbeaten is a tremendous accomplishment. We completed a very good victory and secured our World Cup qualification at the same time. I also found out about the qualification in the locker room. We simply cannot be proud enough of these players,” Türkoğlu said.
He particularly praised head coach Ergin Ataman and the entire squad, noting that their discipline, commitment and consistency had created an atmosphere of confidence around Turkish basketball.
The federation president underlined that the players’ performances were the main reason for the pride felt by supporters across the country. According to Türkoğlu, the team’s progress since finishing second in Europe has been clear and impressive.
“After our European runner-up finish, we began to see an upward trend. The team has maintained that momentum through eight matches in an extraordinary way. These achievements are not easy. The players understand the importance of the position they have reached, and their unity and effort on the court show that they deserve to be considered among the leading teams in European basketball,” he stated.
Qualification is only the beginning
Although Türkiye has already booked its place at the World Cup, Türkoğlu stressed that the remaining qualifying matches would still be valuable. He said the national team must use the upcoming fixtures to improve its game, strengthen its confidence and rise further in the international rankings.
The team is scheduled to play additional matches in November and February. Türkoğlu believes these games will provide an important opportunity to test the squad, maintain its competitive rhythm and continue developing its playing identity.
“Qualifying early is a major achievement, but our goal must be to play better basketball, keep improving and build even greater confidence. The November and February games will be important for us, both in terms of development and our position in the European and world rankings,” he explained.
“We represent 85 million people”
Türkoğlu also highlighted the symbolic importance of the national jersey. Every victory, he said, brings happiness and pride to millions of Turkish citizens.
“We represent the country. These players wear the crescent-and-star jersey, and every victory they earn makes millions of people proud. I would like to thank everyone who supports us, whether they are in the stands or watching from home. This pride belongs to the entire Turkish nation,” he said.
He added that Türkiye would aim to perform at the same level at next year’s tournament in Qatar, where the team expects to compete with a full-strength roster.
Türkiye controlled the game from start to finish
Türkoğlu stated that the national team had demonstrated complete control not only against Iceland but also in its previous match against Lithuania. Despite the cold weather and uncomfortable conditions inside the arena, Türkiye dictated the tempo throughout the game.
“Just as in the Lithuania match two days earlier, we controlled the game from beginning to end. The weather was cold and the arena was also cold, but our players showed an incredible level of effort and maintained control until the final minute,” he said.
He was particularly pleased that every player who entered the court contributed to the team’s performance. The depth of the roster allowed Türkiye to preserve its intensity and maintain a substantial advantage throughout the contest.
Türkoğlu also credited Ergin Ataman’s coaching staff for creating a strong team structure. He said the squad’s confidence was directly connected to the quality of basketball being produced on the court.
Team unity has become Türkiye’s biggest strength
One of the most noticeable aspects of Türkiye’s recent success has been its collective approach. The national team has not relied solely on one star player; instead, contributions have come from multiple positions and different players have stepped forward at crucial moments.
This balance makes the team more difficult to defend and allows the coaching staff to adapt to different opponents. Against Iceland, Türkiye combined aggressive defense, efficient shooting and fast transitions to establish a commanding lead early in the game.
The 110-73 scoreline also reflected the squad’s concentration. Even after gaining a comfortable advantage, the players continued to compete seriously and did not allow their intensity to drop.
Support from fans and sponsors
Türkoğlu expressed gratitude to the supporters who followed the national team and to the sponsors who contributed to its activities. He also thanked the media for helping bring the team’s performances to millions of people.
He said that the positive atmosphere surrounding Turkish basketball was the result of cooperation between the federation, the coaching staff, the players, sponsors and fans. In his view, the national team’s success has strengthened public confidence in the future of the sport.
The federation president also acknowledged the continued support of Türkiye’s political leadership, saying that institutional backing and organizational stability were important factors in the team’s progress.
An early qualification with significant meaning
Türkiye secured its World Cup place with four qualifying games still remaining and nearly a full year before the tournament. Türkoğlu described this as a highly valuable accomplishment and suggested that its full significance would become even clearer over time.
“Being among the first teams to qualify, despite having four matches left and a year still ahead of us, is extremely valuable. We are enjoying this moment now, but in the future we will understand even better how meaningful it was,” he said.
Following the Iceland match, the players will return to their clubs. Türkoğlu hopes they can avoid injuries and continue their strong form before rejoining the national team.
He concluded by expressing confidence that Türkiye would once again make the country proud when the players put on the national jersey in the next international window. The immediate objective may have been achieved, but the team’s broader ambition is to arrive at the World Cup as a stronger, more experienced and more confident contender.