German football mulls compensation amid rise of Turkish-origin players choosing Türkiye

BERLIN

Germany’s football federation is exploring ways to seek compensation for developing players who later choose to represent other nations, with Türkiye cited as a primary example amid a growing wave of German-born talents opting to play for their countries of origin.

The debate comes as young Turkish stars Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun, both born and raised in Germany, opted to represent Türkiye.

Their choices highlight a long-standing dynamic in a country home to around 3 million people of Turkish descent, where many young footballers hold dual nationality and must decide between the German eagle and the Turkish crescent.

“It simply makes no sense to me why a player who has been coached primarily at his club for five years but also by the federation as a junior partner should be able to switch national associations for free,” Andreas Rettig, managing director of the German Football Association (DFB), told German news agency dpa on Nov. 11.

Rettig said the DFB is currently studying whether a “coaching compensation” system could be implemented when players who represented Germany at the youth level later change allegiance.

FIFA would need to approve and enforce any system of compensation payments.

“This issue has not yet been addressed extensively. But coaching must be worthwhile for both sides, the player and the coach,” he said.

Germany has long benefited from its immigrant communities, producing Turkish stars such as İlkay Gündoğan and Mesut Özil, both of whom contributed significantly to the national team’s success. Yet, in recent years, more players of dual nationality, particularly those with Turkish heritage, have opted for other national teams.

Currently, German youth international Muhammed Damar is also reportedly being courted by Türkiye.

Rettig noted that the trend reflects Germany’s shifting demographics.

“In Germany, 43 percent of children under five years of age hold dual citizenship. When they’re 10 or 12 years older, they can decide, do I prefer the [German] eagle or, for example, the [Turkish] crescent moon?” he said.

Under-15s to the under-21s within the federation, there are age groups in which seven or eight players in the starting 11 have dual nationality, according to Rettig.