One player ate three
Turkey celebrated reaching the Euro 2024 quarter-finals by ordering 300 doner kebabs to their four-star hotel.
Vincenzo Montella beat Austria 2-1 to progress to the last eight but snubbed the healthy food options usually favoured by footballers as they enjoyed kebabs instead.
BILD reported that a large order was placed at Lister Doner in Hanover after they progressed to the quarters but it’s not the first time they have placed an order like this as they enjoyed kebabs after they qualified for the last-16 as well.
Daldar Junaid from Lister Doner said: “I got a call and someone said I was the team manager of Turkey and would like to order 300 kebabs. I would like them in three hours. I could hardly believe it.”
Junaid went on to say that the team invited everyone from staff, security, police to hotel staff.
He said: “The players enjoyed it. One even ate three kebabs. But I won’t say who. It’s a trade secret!”
Real Madrid’s Arda Guler and former Everton forward Cenk Tosun were amongst those pictured at the restaurant.
The players and staff were present for over three hours at the restaurant and once they had finished their meal they presented their hosts with a signed Turkey shirt.
Turkey have enjoyed a fantastic run in the Euros so far having finished second behind Portugal in Group F before they clung on to a 2-1 victory over Austria in the last-16.
Merih Demiral scored a brace, opening the scoring in the first minute before doubling their lead shortly after half-time. Austria found a way back into it seven minutes later through Michael Gregoritsch.
In the dying moments of that game against Ralf Rangnick’s side, Christoph Baumgartner had a chance to equalise but forced Mert Gunok into producing what is being called ‘one of the greatest saves of all time’.
