Why Has Berke Özer Not Been Called Up by Turkey? The 2025 Camp Incident Still Looms Large

Berke Özer’s early-season form for Lille has put his absence from the Turkey national team back in the spotlight.

The 26-year-old has started each of Lille’s first five Ligue 1 matches in 2026/27. He has made 17 saves, conceded only three goals and recorded a 7.25 average rating.

But the reason Berke remains outside the national-team picture is not simply a question of current form. It goes back to a disputed departure from Turkey’s camp in October 2025.

What happened after the Bulgaria match?

Berke was not included in the matchday squad when Turkey beat Bulgaria 6-1 in a 2026 World Cup qualifier on 11 October 2025. Uğurcan Çakır started in goal, while Mert Günok was on the bench.

After the team returned to Istanbul, Berke left the camp.

According to the Turkish Football Federation’s statement, he left without the permission of the technical and administrative staff after being omitted from the matchday squad.

The federation stressed that discipline, respect and team spirit are non-negotiable when representing the national team. Başakşehir goalkeeper Muhammed Şengezer was called up as his replacement.

Berke Özer disputed the claim

Berke rejected the description of his exit as unauthorised.

In his response, he said he had informed the coaching staff before the camp about physical pain and had suggested that, if he would not be in the matchday squad, rest and treatment would be the better option.

He argued that he left with the knowledge and permission of the technical and administrative staff.

That remains the central disagreement. The federation said Berke left without authorisation; the player said his departure was known and approved.

He later accepted responsibility

In a later interview, Berke accepted that he had made a mistake.

“If there is a losing side, it is 100 per cent me. The national team is a completely different place,” he said, while also criticising the tone of the federation’s public statement. His comments were reported here.

Vincenzo Montella also described the episode as unacceptable, saying that nobody could leave a national-team camp without informing the staff and that there would be consequences.

Lille form reopens the debate

Berke’s Ligue 1 numbers are strong enough to ensure that the debate has not disappeared.

He is averaging 3.40 saves per 90 minutes and 2.40 saves inside the box per 90, while conceding only 0.60 goals per 90. Those figures place him among the stronger early-season performers in the league.

Yet international selection is not decided by statistics alone. Trust, discipline, continuity and a coach’s view of the squad all matter.

Berke Özer’s form has made the football case harder to ignore. Whether it is enough to repair the fracture created in October 2025 is the more important question.

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