Can Uzun has attracted the attention of both the German and Turkish Football Federations (DFB and TFF) for potential national team representation.
Uzun’s impressive performances for Nürnberg, with 10 goals and 1 assist in 18 matches, have ignited a tug-of-war between the two nations.
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The DFB held a positive first meeting with Uzun and his family, showcasing their interest in integrating him into the German national team setup.
Meanwhile, the TFF has repeatedly expressed their desire for Uzun to represent Turkey. TFF Board Member Hamit Altıntop highlighted Uzun’s previous involvement with Turkish youth teams and emphasized his potential contribution to the nation’s future.
For Altintop the case is clear, Uzun has already declared for the Turkish national side and made his decision.
Altıntop acknowledges diverse historical examples of players choosing different national teams despite their upbringing. He emphasizes that the decision is personal and respects Uzun’s future choice.
“After all, we wish him to continue with us. We have two more young players such as Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız in our A team, born in 2005. The next life should be Uzun, he knows that too. He has to decide for this. He played on our U17 team and is our player. He also needs to play in U21. It’s been very, very close to us for a few years because it’s doing good work and has an extremely high potential. On the other hand, the player has to decide. There have been different decisions in history. My side was Turkey. Other players preferred Germany. It’s a fair choice and it’s not a problem,” he added.
Ultimately, the decision rests with Uzun. Both federations offer compelling options, and his choice will be met with interest from both sets of fans.
Uzun is a friend of Kenan Yildiz who also recently had the choice of playing for Germany or Turkiye; he picked the Turkish national team.
The young forward has already represented Turkiye at U17 and U18 level.
