Turkey's volleyball stars dedicate European title to the path opened by the Republic

Turkey's women's national volleyball team won the 2026 CEV European Championship for the second time in a row, defeating Italy 3-2 in the final. After the match, captain Eda Erdem Dündar dedicated the victory to the Turkish people.

Dündar praised the team and the crowd in Istanbul, saying the supporters' pressure helped Turkey fight back to the 3-2 result. She thanked the fans and said the players had tried to give their best on the court.

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Three years later, becoming champions again is an incredible feeling! We showed what Turkish women can achieve on the path opened for us by the Republic. Turkish women will always continue to dream, fight and win. This cup belongs to all of us!

“Three years later, becoming champions again is an incredible feeling,” Dündar said. She added that the team had shown what Turkish women can achieve on “the path opened for us by the Republic,” and said Turkish women would continue to dream, fight and win. “This cup belongs to all of us,” she said, declaring Istanbul the capital of Europe for the day.

Derya Cebecioğlu, who stood out for her defensive performance in the final, said she was proud of all her teammates. She described winning the European title in front of the Istanbul crowd as a source of great happiness and said she loved and felt proud of her teammates.

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I am truly proud of all my teammates. We became European champions in Istanbul in front of our supporters.