Turkey
Two of Europe's most thrilling young talents — but they fell flat and now it's a pressure cooker.
Team rating
- Attack81
- Midfield80
- Defense75
Next matches
- Next upvs United StatesSoFi Stadium, InglewoodJun 25
The read
Turkey are back at a World Cup for the first time since 2002, led by two of the most thrilling young talents in Europe — Real Madrid's Arda Güler and Juventus's Kenan Yıldız, kids who weren't even born the last time Turkey played at a World Cup. But they fell flat in their opener, stunned 2-0 by Australia, and the wonderkid fairytale is suddenly a pressure cooker. Watch them because the talent is dazzling and the team is on the brink.
The fan’s readTwo of Europe's most dazzling young talents in Guler and Yildiz, a nation that once finished THIRD in the world, and a boom-or-bust ceiling that makes every match an event.
Live storylines
- Australia stuns the dark-horse darlings (Turkey)
Turkey, back at a World Cup for the first time since 2002 and widely tipped as everyone's trendy dark horse (Güler, Yıldız, Çalhanoğlu), got humbled on day one. The upset reset the Group D pecking order and reminded everyone the bracket is chaos.
Australia 2-0 Turkey (June 13) — one of the cleanest shocks of the group stage. Turkey dominated the ball and shots but couldn't finish. The Socceroos sit level with hosts USA on points; they meet June 19.
The cast
- Vincenzo MontellaItalian; a former Roma striker (who later managed AC Milan) nicknamed "the little airplane," now coaching Turkey’s young golden generation.manager
- Arda Guler ★The golden boy Turkish football waited a generation for — a Real Madrid playmaker on his first World Cup stage, after a chastening opening 0-2 loss to Australia.ClubReal Madrid
- Kenan YildizJuventus's prodigy wears Del Piero's old No. 10 — pair him with Guler and Turkey have the most exciting young attacking duo in the tournament, if they can make it work.ClubJuventus
- Hakan CalhanogluThe captain and free-kick specialist who runs Inter Milan's midfield.ClubInter Milan
- Kerem AkturkogluA direct, goal-scoring winger Turkey badly needed after being shut out by Australia.ClubBenfica
Key moments
- 20022002 — third in the worldAt the 2002 World Cup, Turkey finished THIRD — their best-ever result — losing only to eventual champions Brazil, including in the semifinal.
- 2002The fastest goal everIn the 2002 third-place match, captain Hakan Şükür scored after just 10.8 seconds — still the fastest goal in World Cup history.
- 2002First time since 2002Turkey had not reached a World Cup since that 2002 run; 2026 is their first appearance in 24 years, this time built around a young attacking generation.