A goal that hurts Germany and FC Bayern
Kenan Yildiz was born in Germany and trained at FC Bayern. The 18-year-old's dream goal in the test match in Berlin hit the DFB particularly hard. Like his idol Alessandro Del Piero, he struck the German national team right in the heart.
In the greatest moment of his young soccer career to date, Kenan Yildiz remembered his idol Alessandro Del Piero. After his dream goal against the DFB team, the Turkish teenager showed his tongue and spread his arms in celebration - just like the great Italian always did. Like Del Piero once did, Yildiz struck the heart of the German national team in their 3:2 (2:1) defeat of Turkey in Berlin. His shot from the edge of the box into the corner of the net reminded some observers of Del Piero's goal in the 2006 World Cup semi-final to put Italy 2-0 up.
"I'm very happy," said Yildiz, proudly sharing the video of his "nice" goal on Instagram with three raised finger emojis. "I thank everyone in the association for their trust," added the 18-year-old. This could certainly be seen as a slight jab at the DFB. The son of a German mother and a Turkish father once complained that the DFB "never approached me". Yildiz was born in Regensburg and spent ten years training with FC Bayern's youth team. However, the fact that the DFB spurned him, as the two-footed striker suggested, is probably only half the truth.
Yildiz's loyalty, said former Turkish national coach Stefan Kuntz, was to his father's country early on. Especially as Turkey used to entice him with the prospect of the A team. "It's hard to beat," said Kuntz, "I would be careful to say: 'The DFB is sleeping here'." And Bayern? How did this exceptional talent slip away from the record champions? "Hasan Salihamidžić perhaps didn't do the job that one or two others would have done," said RTL expert Lothar Matthäus. The then sporting director explained Yildiz's move to Juventus in 2022 with "his financial demands", which Munich "did not want to meet".
Juventus, Kuntz explained, had presented Yildiz with "the perfect career plan". Via the U19s and the second team, he has now joined the professional squad, for whom he has made five brief appearances this season. "I'm sure," said coach Massimiliano Allegri, "that he will become a wonderful, top player."
- Despite his strong connection with FC Bayern Munich, where he spent a decade in their youth team, Kenan Yildiz opted to join Juventus, as suggested by their former coach Hasan Salihamidzic, due to financial reasons that Bayern could not meet.
- After scoring a goal against the German national soccer team that reminded some observers of Alessandro Del Piero's strike in the 2006 World Cup semi-final, Turkish teenager Kenan Yildiz received support from his idol's country, Turkey, who had consistently shown interest in him.
- In a press conference, former Turkish national coach Stefan Kuntz expressed his belief that it would be challenging for the DFB to win over the loyalty of talent like Yildiz, who had early on chosen to represent his father's country over Germany.
Source: www.ntv.de
