Turkey’s captain, Arda Turan, has announced that he is quitting the team following a bust-up with a reporter on the flight back from a friendly international in Macedonia.
The Barcelona midfielder admitted he had made a mistake while representing his country, and was ending a career with the national team after 94 caps and 17 goals. But he said he did not regret the clash with Milliyet reporter on the flight after Turkey drew 0-0 on Monday, saying Bilal Mese had insulted him during the Euro 2016 tournament in France.
The broadcaster CNN Turk quoted Mese as saying Turan attacked him shortly after boarding the plane, hurling insults and swinging punches at him despite being restrained by another journalist, a security guard and team personnel. Mese said he would take legal action against Turan.
“At first I thought he was joking … Then, one of his punches swung by,” CNN Turk quoted Mese as saying.
Commenting on the events on the flight to Slovenia, where Turkey will train before a World Cup qualifier in Kosovo on Sunday, Turan said the reporter had spread rumours and insulted his family values while covering Euro 2016.
He said: “I made a mistake while wearing the national team uniform. It was something that should not have happened on the national team plane,” he said. “Do I regret it? No, I feel like a bird because I never forgot what was said about me.
“I am putting an end to my national team career. I am speaking as someone who has served at every level of the national team, who loves his country and is in love with this jersey.”
Turan was widely criticised for a disappointing performance at Euro 2016. The the 30-year-old joined Barcelona from Atlético Madrid in July 2015.
Turkey are fourth in the World Cup qualifying Group I with eight points from five matches, five adrift of the leaders Croatia and two behind second-placed Iceland.