Almost three million people with Turkish roots now live in Germany. They are keen to make an impression with Europe’s biggest football competition coming.
Last weekend, an organized fan march, flamboyant dancing, and a whole lot of noise descended on Dortmund. This is as Turkey prepared to face Portugal in their second match in Group F.
Hours before kick-off, drivers cruised along the roads surrounding the stadium, beeping their horns. Passengers stuck their heads out of the windows and waved Turkish flags.
While supporters thew confetti over cars passing by, side mirrors were also decorated in the red and white colors of Turkey. The fans of Turkey had taken over the city.
One of the supporters, Batuhan, 25, told BBC Sport that good is not the right word to describe their fans; they are unbelievable. He added that they make a good atmosphere, loud and normal, and he cannot explain it. There are many Turkish people who are living in Germany since many years ago. They helped to build this country too.
Turkey’s start to Euro 2024 couldn’t have gone better, as they recorded a 3-1 win over Georgia in Dortmund.
For the previous weeks, the city has become a home for supporters like Batuhan. Following that victory, they also celebrated wildly across the entire country.
In a lot of cities in Germany, the familiar sound of car horns beeping and cheers rang out in the streets until late in the evening. These cities include Stuttgart, Hamburg, and Dortmund themselves.
Batuhan lives in Krefeld, 45 miles or 70km west of Dortmund. He was also one of the Turkey supporters who led the latest fan march. It set off at 12:30 BST to march to Westfalenstadion.
He and his two friends met up with the core of Turkey’s fanbase.
