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Juventus midfielder Kenan Yildiz has said he chose to represent Türkiye at the international level because German football selectors never showed faith in him, adding that he has no regrets about the decision.
The 20-year-old, who extended his contract with the Italian Serie A club through 2030, told Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport that his move to Juventus at a young age was driven by a desire to improve rather than financial reward. He said he informed his family he was happy in Turin and credited the club with providing the trust he felt was absent during his years at Bayern Munich.
When asked why he opted to play for Türkiye's national team rather than Germany, where he spent 11 years at Bayern Munich's youth academy, Yildiz was direct. German selectors repeatedly passed him over in favor of other players, he said, and he was not the only one who recognized his own ability. Vincenzo Montella, the coach who first called him up for the Turkish national side, also earned his gratitude, he added.
Yildiz described his time at Bayern as difficult overall. Despite spending more than a decade at the club, he said he never felt trusted by the organization and that there was always someone ranked ahead of him. Leaving, he said, felt straightforward and natural.
Yildiz also addressed a minor controversy during the European Championship, when he was photographed appearing to fix his hair while on the pitch and was criticized for prioritizing his appearance over the game. He said he was actually trying to remove an insect from his hair and that the matter has since been put to rest. He acknowledged that Turkish media coverage of him tends to track closely with results.
Yildiz pushed back on comparisons to Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero, saying he is still early in his career while Del Piero is a global icon and a part of football history. He said his ambition is to forge his own legacy, both at club level and in the national team alongside talented young Turkish players such as Arda Guler, Semih Kilicsoy, and Can Uzun.
He described Uzun, whom he calls a brother, as someone he grew up with. The two remain in regular contact and have played together for Türkiye.
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