Turkey midfielder Orkun Kökcü has said he is heart-broken that he is suspended for the Euro 2024 quarter-final against the Netherlands, where he was born and played club football until last year.
"It tears my heart apart. I would have done anything to play this game," the 23-year-old Benfica midfielder told reporters at the team case camp in Barsinghausen.
"But I also have full confidence in my team-mates that they will do everything they can to ensure we progress to the next round."
Kökcü picked up a second yellow card during the 2-1 victory against Austria in the round of 16 which leads to an automatic suspension for the next match.
He was born in Haarlem and came to Feyenoord at the age of 13. He made his first team debut at the Rotterdam club in 2018 and helped them win the Eredivisie title in 2023 before he left for Lisbon.
Kökcü, who has dual citizenship, played for the Netherlands under-17 and under-19 national teams before switching to Turkey from the under-19s onwards, making his senior team debut in 2020.
He took part in Euro 2020 and played in all matches at the current tournament where he hopes that Turkey reach the semi-finals like in 2008, which would give him a chance to return.
He said he remembers the 2008 semi Turkey lost 3-2 against Germany from a last-minute goal by Philipp Lahm.
"I was seven at the time and watched every match together with my brother in the Netherlands. Back then I dreamed of being part of such a game myself," Kökcü said.