Turkey already has shown a European orientation through its football, writer Simon Kuper said Nov 29 at the “100th Year Sports and Science Congress,” organized by Fenerbahçe. “The metaphor for Turkish football is clear: Exposure to Europe changes everything,” said Kuper, as quoted in the Turkish Daily News ^[1]. Having left the age of a “selfish midget dribbler,” Turkey has been working toward a Western European mode: fast, hard-tackling, collectivist.

Now, as the continent’s third-most-populous nation, with millions living in Europe, Turkish football has begun realizing its potential and must continue to adapt, Kuper says in a separate interview ^[2], or “it will never win a World Cup.” For more on Kuper and his books, including Football against the Enemy ^[3], see our interview ^[4] from 2005. (Thanks to linkmeister general du Nord ^[5] for the original reference.)