The Turkish Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Sergen Yalçin has signed a four-year contract to take over as the new head coach of the Turkey national football team, Nieuwsblad reported.

Appointment of Sergen Yalçin and Departure of Vincenzo Montella

Yalçin succeeds Italian coach Vincenzo Montella, who was dismissed from his role ten days prior following a difficult start to the UEFA Nations League campaign. Montella had managed the national side since September 2023 and led the squad to the quarter-finals of the European Championship in Germany in 2024.

During his playing career between 1991 and 2008, Yalçin represented Turkey as an international and played for the three major clubs in Turkish football: Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe, and Galatasaray, as detailed by VoetbalNieuws.be. As a manager, he has coached various Turkish clubs and secured both the Süper Lig title and the Turkish Cup with Beşiktaş in 2021.

Nations League Struggles and World Cup Setbacks

Turkey failed to secure a single point in its opening four matches of the current Nations League campaign under Montella. The sequence included a 3-0 defeat against the Red Devils in Liège, alongside losses to France (0-1) and Italy (1-4 and 3-1).

The team also experienced a group-stage elimination at the recent World Cup held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. During that tournament, Turkey lost its first two fixtures against Australia (2-0) and Paraguay (1-0) before winning a final group match 3-2 against the United States.

Debut Against the Red Devils in Izmir

Yalçin will make his debut on November 12, 2026, when Turkey faces the Red Devils in a home fixture in Izmir, according to Nieuwsblad. Sporza noted that this match serves as an immediate test for the 54-year-old manager as the team looks to reverse its fortunes.

Following the home fixture against Belgium, Turkey will conclude its Nations League group stage with an away match against France in Bordeaux on November 15, 2026.