Deniz Gul: “To be honest, I always wanted to play for Turkey” | OneFootball

Deniz Gul, FC Porto striker, told Sport TV that he feels ambition and pride in wearing the Turkey national team shirt, a country that has not been at a World Cup since 2002, when the player had not even been born yet.

Looking ahead, Gul believes in the national team’s quality and feels that, despite the demands of the competition, Turkey “can get through the group.” For the forward, being at this stage means fulfilling a long-held goal, stressing that “it has always been a dream to play at the World Cup since I was a child” and that he is “very happy and proud” to have achieved that feat.

Choosing to represent Turkey instead of Sweden — the country where he was born, raised, and for whose youth teams he played — was a decision made with his heart. The son of a Turkish father and a Swedish mother, Deniz Gul explained that his connection to his father’s roots has always been strong, and that he has kept the habit of speaking Turkish at home. “I’ll be honest, I’ve always wanted to play for Turkey since I was a kid and, when I had the chance to switch, I did,” he said, stressing that although he remains grateful for the training he received in Sweden, his preference was always very clear.

Despite living in Portugal, the striker makes a point of preserving the traditions of his culture. One of the most curious examples is the presence of kolonya at the entrance to his home, a scented alcohol spray that is very common in Turkish households to welcome guests. “As soon as you walk through my door, I have a hand alcohol spray, and this is typically Turkish,” he revealed.

Beyond hygiene habits, cuisine is what he misses most, highlighting Adana Kebab — well-seasoned grilled lamb — as the essential dish that “everyone should try.”

Looking at the history of football in his country, he points to reaching the semi-finals of the 2002 World Cup as the “highest point ever” and names Hakan Şukur as the national team’s great historical reference, describing him as “the hero of that era.”

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.