Vincenzo Montella said he will not resign after Turkey was eliminated from World Cup contention by two scoreless defeats. He made the statement on Wednesday, keeping his future in place even as Turkey headed into Thursday night against the unbeaten co-host U.S. at SoFi Stadium.
Montella Stays After Two Losses
“Will I resign? The answer is no,” Montella said through an interpreter during a news conference on Wednesday. He added: “Because I still have energy. I still have enthusiasm. I also feel stronger after this experience. Maybe if there is somebody who wants me to resign, well, maybe they will have to accept I will not.”
Turkey lost 2-0 to Australia and 1-0 to Paraguay, results that ended its World Cup contention before the final group match. Montella led Turkey back to the World Cup after a 24-year absence, so the elimination arrives in the same tournament that had been cast as the payoff for that return.
Turkey's Goals Never Arrived
The contradiction is hard to miss: Turkey dominated both losses by many statistical measures, yet it still could not score. That left the team with two scoreless defeats and no path forward, even as the performances suggested more control than the results showed.
Montella also pleaded with Turkey's fans and media to be civil and supportive after the losses. He said he could not accept excessive criticism of his team received online and in person, a sharper response than the usual post-elimination defense because the pressure now sits on the next match and on the coach's message to a frustrated group.
SoFi Stadium Awaits Turkey
Turkey was scheduled to finish its World Cup against the unbeaten co-host U.S. on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium. That leaves Montella managing a team that has already been eliminated but still has one match to play, with the coaching situation settled for now and the focus shifting to how Turkey responds after failing to score in two straight defeats.
