Berlin - He may have been born and raised in Germany, but Turkey midfielder Nuri Sahin says he will have no problem wearing the red shirt on Friday and taking on the country of his birth in Berlin in a Euro 2012 qualifier.
Around 30,000 Turkey fans are expected at Olympic Stadium for the Group A clash.
With 1.66 million Turks and 700,000 Germans of Turkish origin currently living in Germany, the qualifier between the group’s top two sides will almost have the air of a home match for Guus Hiddink-coached Turkey.
Having played for Turkey since 2005, Sahin had no problem choosing to play for the country of his ancestors and says it was a matter of personal choice.
“The German national football team has set the example, they are a multicultural team and the whole country cheers when Mesut Ozil scores,” he said.
In the wake of the labor shortage caused by World War II, Germany recruited guest workers from overseas and a flood of immigrants from Turkey means the country still has a strong Turkish community today.
Just like Real Madrid’s Ozil, one of the stars of the World Cup, Sahin was born in Germany to Turkish parents.
“Although I am a Turk, I am also more than a little German. This is a very special game for me,” Sahin said.
The German Football Federation is working hard to make sure few other German-born players slip through the net to play for other countries.
With an estimated 200,000 footballers in Germany eligible to play for Turkey, the federation is doing what it can to keep hold of homegrown talent.
“It is our aim to integrate those players with a migration background into our talent development scheme,” the federation’s sport director, Matthias Sammer, told the magazine Kicker. (Ryland James)
Agence France-Presse
Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com