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
