Turkey's Euro 2024 Campaign Takes a Hit as Defender Ozan Kabak Suffers Knee Injury

In a setback for Turkey's European Championship aspirations, defender Ozan Kabak has been ruled out of Euro 2024 due to a torn cruciate ligament in his right knee sustained during a friendly match against Italy. The Turkish Football Association confirmed the news on Wednesday, following Kabak's injury during a challenge with Italy's Mateo Retegui just before halftime. The match ended in a goalless draw.

As a result of the injury, Kabak, who plies his trade in the Bundesliga with Hoffenheim, faces an extended period of recovery, with the club estimating his absence to be "many months." Expressing disappointment over the situation, Hoffenheim's managing director Alexander Rosen lamented the loss, highlighting Kabak's dream of representing Turkey on home soil during Euro 2024.

With Kabak sidelined, Turkey will need to regroup ahead of their Euro 2024 campaign, which kicks off against Georgia on June 18 in Group F, followed by matches against Portugal on June 22 and the Czech Republic on June 26. Despite the setback, the Turkish federation has yet to announce a replacement for Kabak in the squad.