Turkey national football team
The Turkey national football team (Turkish: Türkiye Millî Futbol Takımı; officially recognized as Türkiye by FIFA[5][6]) represents Turkey in men's international football matches. The team is controlled by the Turkish Football Federation (Turkish: Türkiye Futbol Federasyonu), the governing body for football in Turkey, which was founded in 1923 and has been a member of FIFA since 1923 and UEFA since 1962.[7]
| Nickname(s) | Ay-Yıldızlılar (The Crescent-Stars)[1] Bizim Çocuklar (Our Guys) |
|---|---|
| Association | Turkish Football Federation (TFF) |
| Confederation | UEFA (Europe) |
| Head coach | Vincenzo Montella |
| Captain | Hakan Çalhanoğlu |
| Most caps | Rüştü Reçber (120) |
| Top scorer | Hakan Şükür (51) |
| Home stadium | Various |
| FIFA code | TUR[2] |
| FIFA ranking | |
| Current | 37 (21 December 2023)[3] |
| Highest | 5 (June 2004) |
| Lowest | 67 (October 1993) |
| First international | |
| Turkey 2–2 Romania (Istanbul, Turkey; 26 October 1923)[a] | |
| Biggest win | |
| Turkey 7–0 Syria (Ankara, Turkey; 20 November 1949) Turkey 7–0 South Korea (Geneva, Switzerland; 20 June 1954) Turkey 7–0 San Marino (Istanbul, Turkey; 10 November 1996) | |
| Biggest defeat | |
| Poland 8–0 Turkey (Chorzów, Poland; 24 April 1968) Turkey 0–8 England (Istanbul, Turkey; 14 November 1984) England 8–0 Turkey (London, England; 14 October 1987) | |
| World Cup | |
| Appearances | 2 (first in 1954) |
| Best result | Third place (2002) |
| European Championship | |
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1996) |
| Best result | Semi-finals/Third place (2008) |
| Olympic Games | |
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1924) |
| Best result | Quarter-finals (1948, 1952) |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | |
| Appearances | 1 (first in 2003) |
| Best result | Third place (2003) |
| Website | tff.org |
The team played their first official international game in 1923 and has represented the nation in major competitions since their debut appearance at the 1924 Summer Olympics. They have participated in Summer Olympics a total of six times (1924, 1928, 1936, 1948, 1952 and 1960), and reached the quarter-finals twice, in 1948 and 1952.
The team enjoyed their highest achievements in the 2000s, most notably finishing in third place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup, and reaching the semi-finals at UEFA Euro 2008. They qualified for FIFA World Cup three times (1950,[b] 1954 and 2002) and reached the semi-finals in 2002, winning bronze medals. The team qualified for UEFA European Championships five times. Making their debut at Euro 96, they reached the quarter-finals in Euro 2000 and semi-finals in Euro 2008. In recent years, Turkey qualified to the Euro 2016, Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 championships. Turkey also qualified as a co-host for the Euro 2032 championship.
Since its introduction in 1992, the FIFA World Rankings has ranked the team between 5th and 57th place. Following their success at the 2002 World Cup, Turkey managed to stay in the top 10 in rankings between 2002 and 2004, ranking 5th in June 2004.[10] The team climbed once again up to 10th place in December 2008, following their success at Euro 2008.[11] Turkey achieved their highest victory margin with 7–0 wins over Syria in 1949, South Korea in 1954 and San Marino in 1996,[12] while their biggest losses were 8–0 defeats to Poland in 1968 and England in 1984 and 1987.[13]
As of 2020[update], the most capped player to play on the national team is Rüştü Reçber with 120 senior international caps between 1994 and 2012, and the most scoring player is Hakan Şükür with 51 goals scored between 1992 and 2007.[14] The longest-serving captain is Turgay Şeren with the captaincy of 35 international encounters from 1950 to 1966.[15]
History edit
Early years edit
The Turkish National Team's first game was against Romania, played on 26 October 1923 at Taksim Stadium in Istanbul, a 2–2 draw.[16] Zeki Rıza Sporel is considered as the first big star of Turkish football as he scored the first two goals against Romania. Turkey played their first ever official match at the 1924 Summer Olympics losing to Czechoslovakia, 5–2. The first two goals in an official game were scored by Bekir Refet.
1950 FIFA World Cup edit
Although Turkey qualified for the 1950 World Cup, beating Syria 7–0, they were forced to withdraw from the tournament due to financial problems.
1954 FIFA World Cup edit
Turkey then qualified for the 1954 World Cup after a play-off with Spain. The Turkish team first lost 4–1 to Spain, but a 1–0 win a few days later initiated a replay. On that occasion, they tied 2–2 after, booking their place after a coin toss. Turkey was put in a group along with Hungary and West Germany. The Turks, however, never played Hungary due to the tournament format, and a 4–1 defeat by the Germans was followed by Turkey carrying out a 7–0 win over South Korea. Turkey lost the play-off to West Germany 7–2. In 1956, however, Turkey did play Hungary in a friendly match in Istanbul, defeating what was one of the strongest teams of the era, 3–1.[17] Lefter Küçükandonyadis, arguably one of the best Turkish strikers of all time, scored two goals during the tournament.
Near misses edit
Despite the introduction of a national league, and showings by Turkish clubs in European competition, the 1960s would be a barren time for the national team. Most players from the 1954 World Cup squad were retired, and the new generation of players failed to qualify for a major tournament. The 1970s saw Turkey holding back in the World Cup and UEFA European Championship qualifiers, but the team was a point too short to qualify for both UEFA Euro 1972 and Euro 1976. In the 1980s the Turkish team also suffered their worst defeats with 8–0 scorelines against Poland and twice against England. Yet the 1990 World Cup qualifiers would mark a turning point for Turkish football, with Turkey only missing out on qualification in the final match. Prominent players in this period included Rıdvan Dilmen, Oğuz Çetin, Rıza Çalımbay, Feyyaz Uçar, and European Golden Boot winner Tanju Çolak.
1990–1997 edit
In 1990, coach Sepp Piontek was put in charge of the national team. Under his guidance, a group of new players debuted for the national team. Many of these players (which included Bülent Korkmaz, Alpay Özalan, Sergen Yalçın, Rüştü Reçber, and Hakan Şükür) would become the backbone of the national team for many years. Piontek's mission came to an end in 1993, when he was replaced by Fatih Terim, who in turn managed to qualify for Euro 1996. Turkey qualified for its first major tournament since 1954, marking another turning point for Turkish football. The appointment of Piontek was a recommended move by another coach, Jupp Derwall, who had coached Galatasaray for three seasons. Derwall is regarded as the revolutionizer of Turkish football since his introduction of training techniques and tactical ideas to the Turkish game also heavily influenced the national team.
Euro 1996 edit
Turkey qualified for Euro 1996, defeating both Switzerland and Sweden 2–1 during qualification. Despite a solid performance during the qualifiers, Turkey lost all their matches without scoring a single goal. They did, however, go home with an award: the fair play award, given to Alpay Özalan.
Euro 2000 edit
Although Turkey failed to qualify for the 1998 World Cup, they qualified for Euro 2000 after winning a play-off against the Republic of Ireland. Turkey lost their first match 2–1 to Italy, they drew their second match against Sweden 0–0, and beat host nation Belgium 2–0, making it the first time in the history of the UEFA European Championship a host nation had been eliminated in the first round. This victory brought Turkey into the last eight of the tournament, where they were beaten 2–0 by Portugal, with Arif Erdem missing a critical penalty.
2002 FIFA World Cup edit
For the 2002 World Cup, Turkey finished second in their qualifying group, despite starting well and being the favorites to top the group. They lost 2–1 to Sweden in the crucial match that would decide the top spot. The Turks were forced to play the play-offs against Austria. They defeated the Austrians 6–0 on aggregate and booked their place in the finals. The Turkish team started the 2002 World Cup with a 2–1 defeat against eventual winners Brazil.[18] Turkey qualified from the group stage with a 3–0 win against China PR after drawing 1–1 with Costa Rica.[19][20]
Turkey then faced home team Japan in the second round, winning 1–0.[21] The Turkish team continued their run, as they beat Senegal 1–0 on a golden goal to book their place in the semi-finals, where a 1–0 defeat against eventual tournament winners Brazil forced them to play the third-place match, and a bronze medal was won after a 3–2 victory over co-hosts South Korea.[22][23][24] Hakan Şükür scored Turkey's first goal in 10.8 seconds, even when the South Koreans kicked off first. It was the fastest goal in World Cup history.[25][26] Tens of thousands of flag-waving Turkish fans greeted the World Cup squad on their return to Istanbul, where they joined a massive street party at Taksim Square.[27] Rüştü Reçber, Alpay Özalan and Hasan Şaş were all included in the All-Star Team, with Reçber also being voted as the best goalkeeper in the UEFA Team of the Year 2002, while Şenol Güneş was being voted as the best manager.
2003 FIFA Confederations Cup edit
In the summer of 2003, Turkey reached third place at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. In the group stages, Turkey defeated the United States 2–1 before losing to Cameroon 0–1. In their final group match, Turkey drew 2–2 against Brazil, eliminating them from the tournament. Turkey lost to eventual tournament winners France 3–2 in the semi-final match. Turkey then defeated Colombia 2–1 to win the bronze medal. Tuncay scored three goals and made an assist, which won him the Silver Shoe Award and the Silver Ball Award for the second-best player of the tournament.
Euro 2004 edit
The Turkish team did not qualify for Euro 2004 after Latvia won the qualification play-offs. This also marked a turning point for the national team as new players were introduced to the national team to create a new generation.
2006 FIFA World Cup edit
The Turkish team once again narrowly missed out on the World Cup finals after failing to win a play-off, this time on away goals against Switzerland, again after finishing second in their group. There were scenes of violence after the game on and off the pitch where the Turkish team brawled with Swiss players down the tunnel.
Euro 2008 edit
Turkey qualified for their first international tournament in six years by finishing second behind Greece in Euro 2008 qualifying Group C to reach the Euro 2008 final stages. They were placed alongside Switzerland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic in Group A. In their first match, they played Portugal and were beaten 2–0, but wins over Switzerland (2–1) and the Czech Republic (3–2) – both secured by late goals – brought qualification for the knockout stages.[28][29][30] Again, Turkey knocked out a host nation – Switzerland – in the group stages for the second time.[31]
The quarter-final against Croatia was goalless after 90 minutes, and Croatia led 1–0 in the final minute of extra time, but another late Turkish goal by forward Semih Şentürk brought the game to penalties. The goal raised some controversy with Croatia fans and Croatia head coach Slaven Bilić, who claimed that the goal had been scored after extra time had elapsed. This complaint, however, was overruled, and the game went into penalties. Turkey defeated Croatia in penalties, 3–1.[32]
Turkey went into the semi-final against Germany with just 14 outfield players available as a result of injuries and suspensions but scored first and were drawing 2–2. But they finished third by default after losing 3–2 with a last-minute goal by Philipp Lahm.[33] Both Russia and Turkey were given bronze medals in the dressing rooms after the semi-finals.
2010 FIFA World Cup edit
Turkey was drawn in UEFA Group 5 together with Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Estonia and Spain. Turkey had a mixed qualifying campaign, finishing with 15 points and missing out on a play-off place to Bosnia and Herzegovina with 19 points. Spain topped the group to qualify, winning every game in the process. Coach Fatih Terim announced he would be resigning his post following their failure to qualify.[34]
Euro 2012 edit
Turkey was drawn in Group A in qualification for Euro 2012, together with Kazakhstan, Austria, Belgium, Germany and Azerbaijan. The Turkish team reached the play-offs after beating Azerbaijan 1–0 but got eliminated 3–0 on aggregate by Croatia. On 14 November 2012, Turkey celebrated their 500th match in a friendly game played against Denmark at the Türk Telekom Arena, Istanbul, which ended in a 1–1 draw. Before the match, footballers and coaches, who contributed to the national team's success in the past, were honored. Turkish pop singer Hadise, who wore a national team jersey with the number 500, performed a small concert.[35][36]
2014 FIFA World Cup edit
Turkey was drawn in Group D in qualification for the 2014 World Cup, together with Andorra, Estonia, Hungary, the Netherlands and Romania, finishing fourth. Turkey began to lose critical points during qualification and Abdullah Avcı was sacked soon after. Fatih Terim was put in charge for the third time to lead the national team, but a 2–0 defeat against the Netherlands ended hopes of qualification.
Euro 2016 edit
Turkey was drawn in Group A in the qualification campaign for the Euro 2016, together with Iceland, Latvia, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic. The Turkish team qualified for their first major tournament in eight years as the best third-placed team after beating Iceland 1–0, with Selçuk İnan netting a free kick in the 89th minute and combined with Kazakhstan beating Latvia 1–0.[37][38][39][40][41] After over 18 months unbeaten, a loss to England as a pre-tournament friendly ended the team's winning streak, subsequently leading to back-to-back losses against Croatia and Spain in the tournament. Turkey won their last game against the Czech Republic, 2–0. They were close to reaching the last 16 until a late winner for Ireland against Italy meant that the latter instead qualified as one of the best third-placed teams. Despite elimination, youngster Emre Mor's skillful display and assist during the game revealed a hopeful future for Turkish football.[42]
2018 FIFA World Cup edit
Turkey was drawn in UEFA Group I for the 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign. together with Croatia, Finland, Iceland, Kosovo and Ukraine. During the qualifiers, head coach Fatih Terim stood down after an off-field incident,[43] and 72-year-old former Romania manager Mircea Lucescu took over. After eight games, Turkey stood a strong chance of qualifying for the tournament, but a 0–3 defeat against Iceland at home ended automatic qualification hopes. After a 2–2 draw against Finland, the team finished fourth in Group I.
2018–19 UEFA Nations League and Euro 2020 edit
Turkey was drawn with Russia and Sweden in the 2018–19 UEFA Nations League B and Turkey had a poor performance which led the country to finish bottom. At the first game held at home against 2018 World Cup host and quarter-finalist Russia, Turkey lost 1–2 despite an equalizer by Serdar Aziz. Turkey then put up its best performance in the League, winning 3–2 against Sweden right on Swedish soil. However, Turkey could not capitalize on this opportunity and lost 0–2 to Russia in Sochi before suffering a humiliating 0–1 home loss to Sweden, thus initially sending Turkey to League C. However, UEFA rule changes meant Turkey was allowed to remain in League B.
Turkey was drawn in Group H in the qualifying stage along with the 2018 FIFA World Cup champions France, as well as Iceland, Albania, Moldova, and Andorra. Veteran coach Şenol Güneş revolutionized the team, with many young talents, combining them with experienced players like Burak Yılmaz and Emre Belözoglu. The team restructuring proved to be genius, as Turkey had one of the best campaigns in recent history.
Turkey managed to achieve a 2–0 victory against the group favorites France in Konya and later a 1–1 draw at Stade de France. Turkey struggled against the group underdogs Andorra in their first match against them, winning by an 89th-minute goal at the Vodafone Arena in Istanbul. Turkey's only defeat in the group came against Iceland in Reykjavik, losing 2–1. The defeat came after the ill-treatment of the Turkish group at the Iceland customs, keeping them at the airport for 3 hours. This was followed by an Icelandic supporter holding a toilet brush to team captain Emre Belozoglu as a pretend microphone during an interview. The events were heavily criticized by the Turkish and European media. In an interview, Turkish Coach Şenol Güneş, said that had come here 40 years ago, nothing had changed about the stadium and the country, except that some Icelandic people had lost the hospitality they had 40 years ago. Turkey entered matchday 9 against Iceland as group leaders with 19 points. Turkey and Iceland were drawn 0–0 at Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul. Though unable to defeat Iceland and losing the first place to France, a draw was enough to secure Turkey a spot in Euro 2020 finals, ahead of their away match against Andorra.[44]
Turkey had the honor of opening the Euro 2020 Finals but it soon turned out to be a night to forget for the Turkish. Turkey kicked off the European Championship with a 3–0 loss against Italy in Group A at the Olympic Stadium with Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne on target. Roberto Mancini's side had been frustrated by Turkey's defensive approach in the first half but broke through in the 53rd minute when a hard-hit cross from Domenico Berardi flew in off Turkey defender Merih Demiral for an own goal. They went on to lose the next two games from both Switzerland and Wales, losing all three games in a row alongside debutants North Macedonia.
2020–21 UEFA Nations League and 2022 World Cup edit
After qualifying for Euro 2020, Turkey entered with momentum, even though they had to face old foe Russia, alongside Hungary, and Serbia in the 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B.
However, despite all these improvements, Turkey performed poorly in their two opening games in September 2020. The first game against Hungary at home saw Turkey suffer a 0–1 loss by a free kick from Dominik Szoboszlai. Going to Belgrade against Serbia, after repeated Serbian pressure, Turkey had a one-man advantage following Aleksandar Kolarov's red card, however, the Turks failed to capitalize and were held goalless. This damaged their chances of qualifying for League A, as their next opponents in October will be Russia (who had had a strong start) and Hungary. The early poor performance could also represent a detrimental effect for Turkey, as this season's Nations League was used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification process.
Turkey continued to find its first win in the Nations League. Against Russia in Moscow, a team which Turkey has failed to win on Russian soil since its last win in 1966 and still finding its first win over the Russians since 1975 in general, Turkey once again failed to register a win, though they got an encouraging 1–1 draw thanked for Kenan Karaman's equalizer. Yet, the Turkish side was disappointed with only a 2–2 draw over Serbia at home soil.[45]
November 2020 proved to be very important as Turkey must gain important wins to stay or even better get the possible promotion. Their first game in this month's Nations League was against Russia, but Denis Cheryshev scored an early lead making the Turkish side look hapless. Yet, a red card to Andrei Semyonov proved to be a game changer, and with a one-man advantage, the Turks turned the deficit to finally break down its winless run against Russia with a 3–2 home win.[46][47][48] The Turks then traveled to Hungary with the hope that a win against the Hungarians could mean possible promotion, at least if Russia lost to Serbia. However, while Russia suffered a humiliating 0–5 defeat away in Belgrade, Turkey failed to gain the advantage and instead lost 2–0 to the Hungarians, despite late pressure to find an equalizer in the second half. That meant Turkey and Serbia were tied on points, but they were relegated after they lost the head-to-head away goals tiebreaker, 2–0 to 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C.[49][50][51] Such an outcome also meant Turkey would have to fight to get a direct 2022 FIFA World Cup ticket as play-off qualification appeared to be slim with their relegation, in which the 2022 World Cup qualifiers that started in March 2021.
In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Turkey was drawn into Group G with the Netherlands, Norway, Montenegro, Latvia, and Gibraltar. After they finished second in their group behind the Netherlands,[52][53][54] they entered 2022 FIFA World Cup UEFA playoffs against Portugal[55][56] but they lost 3–1 in a game that Burak Yılmaz missed a crucial penalty to equalise and thus failed to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[57] Afterwards, he announced his international retirement.[58][59]
2022–23 UEFA Nations League and Euro 2024 edit
In the 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C, they were drawn in Group 1 with Luxembourg, the Faroe Islanders, Lithuania. They were promoted to 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B after having 13 points in 6 games. Their Nations League success not only rewarded them a playoff place should they fail to qualify directly,[60] but also rewarded with an easier draw in Group D with Croatia, Wales, Armenia, and Latvia. They subsequently qualified directly on 16 October 2023 and finished top on 19 November 2023.[61][62][63]
Euro 2032 edit
On 10 October 2023, Turkey was selected to co-host the UEFA Euro 2032 alongside Italy. They earned an automatic qualification as co-host.[64][65]
Kit suppliers edit
Turkey's kit colors were home red kits and white away kits; they were manufactured by Adidas from 1982 to 2002, and they later announced their manufacturer as Nike in 2003. Starting in 2020, they switched their kit colors so that white is home and red is away.
Rivalries edit
Turkey has developed several notable rivalries, the most well-known being with Croatia,[66] and Greece.
Turkey and Croatia have played each other nine times,[67] with their first encounter at Euro 1996; where both countries made their debuts in the opening match, which Croatia won 1–0.[68] A well-remembered match between them was at Euro 2008, which Turkey won on penalties after a 1–1 deadlock even after extra-time. With the win, Turkey reached the semi-finals in only their third appearance overall at the Euro finals.[69] The two teams faced each other in the 2012 Euro qualifying play-offs, with Croatia winning 3–0 in the first-leg in Istanbul, and advancing to the tournament finals following a 0–0 draw in the second-leg.[70][71] The two teams faced each other once again in a European competition at Euro 2016, playing in the opening match of Group D; with Croatia winning 1–0.[72][73] Only three months after the match at the Euros, the two teams played in their opening match in Group I of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, which finished 1–1.[74] Exactly one year after this, Turkey won the reverse fixture 1–0 at home, which played a key part in both countries' qualifying campaign, although Turkey would not qualify for World Cup while Croatia would go on to qualify and finish second in that edition.[75][76]
Turkey also has a historical rivalry with Greece. They played a total of 14 times. Among these competitions, Turkey won against Greece 8 times, drew 3 times, and lost only 3 times.[77] Both countries have been described as "punching above their weight"; with Greece winning Euro 2004 despite being classified as underdogs before the competition, and Turkey followed-up their World Cup bronze medal in 2002 by advancing to the semi-finals of Euro 2008, where they were knocked out by Germany. Due to tension between the two countries and the dispute over Cyprus, coupled with several incidents occurring during matches between Turkish and Greek clubs, it has been described as one of the biggest international football rivalries.[78]
Results and fixtures edit
The following is a list of match results in the last 8 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
2023 edit
| 25 March 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Armenia | 1–2 | Turkey | Yerevan, Armenia |
| 21:00 AMT (UTC+04:00) | Report |
| Stadium: Vazgen Sargsyan Republican Stadium Attendance: 14,125[79] Referee: José María Sánchez Martínez (Spain) |
| 28 March 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Turkey | 0–2 | Croatia | Bursa, Turkey |
| 21:45 TRT (UTC+03:00) | Report |
| Stadium: Bursa Metropolitan Municipality Stadium Attendance: 37,750[80] Referee: Andreas Ekberg (Sweden) |
| 16 June 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Latvia | 2–3 | Turkey | Riga, Latvia |
| 21:45 EEST (UTC+03:00) | Report | Stadium: Skonto Stadium Attendance: 6,287[81] Referee: Tamás Bognár (Hungary) |
| 8 September 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Turkey | 1–1 | Armenia | Eskişehir, Turkey |
| 21:45 TRT (UTC+03:00) |
| Report |
| Stadium: New Eskişehir Stadium Attendance: 31,740[83] Referee: Daniele Orsato (Italy) |
| 12 October 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Croatia | 0–1 | Turkey | Osijek, Croatia |
| 20:45 CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report |
| Stadium: Opus Arena Attendance: 12,812[85] Referee: Anthony Taylor (England) |
| 15 October 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Turkey | 4–0 | Latvia | Konya, Turkey |
| 21:45 TRT (UTC+03:00) |
| Report | Stadium: Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium Attendance: 35,925[86] Referee: Enea Jorgji (Albania) |
| 21 November 2023 UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying | Wales | 1–1 | Turkey | Cardiff, Wales |
| 19:45 GMT (UTC+00:00) |
| Report | Stadium: Cardiff City Stadium Attendance: 32,291[88] Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia) |
2024 edit
| 18 June UEFA Euro 2024 Group F | Turkey | v | TBD | Dortmund, Germany |
| 18:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium: Westfalenstadion |
| 22 June UEFA Euro 2024 Group F | Turkey | v | Portugal | Dortmund, Germany |
| 18:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium: Westfalenstadion |
| 26 June UEFA Euro 2024 Group F | Czech Republic | v | Turkey | Hamburg, Germany |
| 21:00 CEST (UTC+02:00) | Report | Stadium: Volksparkstadion |
| 6 September 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Wales | v | Turkey | Wales |
| 18:45 UTC±0 |
| 9 September 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Turkey | v | Iceland | Turkey |
| 21:45 UTC+3 |
| 11 October 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Turkey | v | Montenegro | Turkey |
| 21:45 UTC+3 |
| 14 October 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Iceland | v | Turkey | Iceland |
| 18:45 UTC±0 |
| 16 November 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Turkey | v | Wales | Turkey |
| 20:00 UTC+3 |
| 19 November 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B | Montenegro | v | Turkey | Montenegro |
| 20:45 UTC+1 |
Coaching staff edit
- As of 21 September 2023[89]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Vincenzo Montella |
| Assistant coaches[90] | Daniele Russo |
| Selçuk Şahin | |
| Goalkeeping coaches | Ozan Özerkan |
| Emrah Karakovan | |
| Fitness coach | Pierpaolo Polino |
| Ömür Serdal Altunsöz | |
| Vural Durmuş | |
| Match analyst | Massimo Crivellaro |
| Okan Aydıner | |
| Team manager[c] | Hamit Altıntop |
Players edit
Current squad edit
The following players were called up for the friendly match against Germany on 18 November 2023 and UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match Wales on 21 November 2023.[92]
Caps and goals are correct as of 21 November 2023, after the match against Wales.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Mert Günok | 1 March 1989 | 27 | 0 | Beşiktaş |
| 12 | GK | Altay Bayındır | 14 April 1998 | 8 | 0 | Manchester United |
| 23 | GK | Uğurcan Çakır | 5 April 1996 | 26 | 0 | Trabzonspor |
| GK | Ertaç Özbir | 25 October 1989 | 0 | 0 | Adana Demirspor | |
| 2 | DF | Zeki Çelik | 17 February 1997 | 42 | 2 | Roma |
| 3 | DF | Samet Akaydin | 13 March 1994 | 4 | 0 | Panathinaikos |
| 4 | DF | Çağlar Söyüncü | 23 May 1996 | 55 | 2 | Fenerbahçe |
| 13 | DF | Eren Elmalı | 7 July 2000 | 10 | 0 | Trabzonspor |
| 14 | DF | Abdülkerim Bardakcı | 7 September 1994 | 6 | 1 | Galatasaray |
| 15 | DF | Ozan Kabak | 25 March 2000 | 24 | 2 | 1899 Hoffenheim |
| 20 | DF | Ferdi Kadıoğlu | 7 October 1999 | 15 | 1 | Fenerbahçe |
| 21 | DF | Cenk Özkacar | 6 October 2000 | 7 | 0 | Valencia |
| 22 | DF | Kaan Ayhan | 10 November 1994 | 55 | 5 | Galatasaray |
| DF | Rıdvan Yılmaz | 21 May 2001 | 6 | 0 | Rangers | |
| 5 | MF | Salih Özcan | 11 January 1998 | 16 | 0 | Borussia Dortmund |
| 6 | MF | Berat Özdemir | 23 May 1998 | 3 | 0 | Trabzonspor |
| 10 | MF | Abdülkadir Ömür | 25 June 1999 | 12 | 0 | Trabzonspor |
| 16 | MF | İsmail Yüksek | 26 January 1999 | 12 | 1 | Fenerbahçe |
| 18 | MF | Berkan Kutlu | 25 January 1998 | 8 | 0 | Galatasaray |
| MF | Emre Akbaba | 4 October 1992 | 6 | 3 | Adana Demirspor | |
| 7 | FW | Kerem Aktürkoğlu | 21 October 1998 | 26 | 5 | Galatasaray |
| 8 | FW | İrfan Kahveci | 15 July 1995 | 30 | 2 | Fenerbahçe |
| 9 | FW | Barış Alper Yılmaz | 23 May 2000 | 11 | 1 | Galatasaray |
| 11 | FW | Yusuf Yazıcı | 29 January 1997 | 41 | 3 | Lille |
| 17 | FW | Yusuf Sarı | 20 November 1998 | 4 | 1 | Adana Demirspor |
| 19 | FW | Kenan Yıldız | 4 May 2005 | 3 | 1 | Juventus |
| FW | Bertuğ Yıldırım | 12 January 2002 | 3 | 2 | Rennes | |
Recent call-ups edit
The following players have been called up for the team within the last twelve months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Doğan Alemdar | 29 October 2002 | 2 | 0 | Troyes | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| GK | Muhammed Şengezer | 5 January 1997 | 0 | 0 | İstanbul Başakşehir | v. Wales, 19 June 2023 |
| DF | Merih Demiral | 5 March 1998 | 41 | 2 | Al-Ahli | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| DF | Rayyan Baniya | 18 February 1999 | 0 | 0 | Trabzonspor | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| DF | Mert Müldür | 3 April 1999 | 19 | 1 | Fenerbahçe | v. Japan, 12 September 2023 |
| DF | Onur Bulut | 16 April 1994 | 3 | 0 | Beşiktaş | v. Japan, 12 September 2023 |
| DF | Kazımcan Karataş | 16 January 2003 | 0 | 0 | Galatasaray | v. Japan, 12 September 2023 |
| DF | Tayyip Talha Sanuç | 17 December 1999 | 1 | 0 | Beşiktaş | v. Croatia, 28 March 2023 |
| MF | Hakan ÇalhanoğluINJ (captain) | 8 February 1994 | 82 | 17 | Inter Milan | v. Germany, 18 November 2023 |
| MF | Orkun Kökçü | 29 December 2000 | 24 | 2 | Benfica | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| MF | Salih Uçan | 6 January 1994 | 2 | 0 | Beşiktaş | v. Japan, 12 September 2023 |
| MF | Arda Güler | 25 February 2005 | 4 | 1 | Real Madrid | v. Wales, 19 June 2023INJ |
| MF | Mehmet-Can Aydın | 9 February 2002 | 0 | 0 | Trabzonspor | v. Croatia, 28 March 2023 |
| FW | Cengiz ÜnderINJ | 14 July 1997 | 51 | 16 | Fenerbahçe | v. Germany, 18 November 2023 |
| FW | Cenk Tosun | 7 June 1991 | 50 | 20 | Beşiktaş | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| FW | Yunus Akgün | 7 July 2000 | 7 | 2 | Leicester City | v. Latvia, 15 October 2023 |
| FW | Halil Dervişoğlu | 8 December 1999 | 16 | 6 | Galatasaray | v. Japan, 12 September 2023 |
| FW | Umut Nayir | 28 June 1993 | 4 | 1 | Fenerbahçe | v. Armenia, 8 September 2023INJ |
| FW | Kenan Karaman | 5 March 1994 | 31 | 6 | Schalke 04 | v. Wales, 19 June 2023 |
| FW | Umut Bozok | 19 September 1996 | 1 | 0 | Trabzonspor | v. Latvia, 16 June 2023 |
| FW | Enes Ünal | 10 May 1997 | 32 | 3 | Getafe | v. Croatia, 28 March 2023INJ |
| ||||||
Player records edit
- As of 15 October 2023[93]
- Players in bold are still active with Turkey.
Most appearances edit
| Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rüştü Reçber | 120 | 0 | 1994–2012 |
| 2 | Hakan Şükür | 112 | 51 | 1992–2007 |
| 3 | Bülent Korkmaz | 102 | 2 | 1990–2005 |
| 4 | Emre Belözoğlu | 101 | 9 | 2000–2019 |
| 5 | Arda Turan | 100 | 17 | 2006–2017 |
| 6 | Tugay Kerimoğlu | 94 | 2 | 1990–2007 |
| 7 | Alpay Özalan | 90 | 4 | 1995–2005 |
| 8 | Hamit Altıntop | 82 | 7 | 2004–2014 |
| Hakan Çalhanoğlu | 82 | 17 | 2013–present | |
| 10 | Mehmet Topal | 81 | 2 | 2008–2018 |
Top goalscorers edit
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hakan Şükür | 51 | 112 | 0.46 | 1992–2007 |
| 2 | Burak Yılmaz | 31 | 77 | 0.4 | 2006–2022 |
| 3 | Tuncay Şanlı | 22 | 80 | 0.28 | 2002–2010 |
| 4 | Lefter Küçükandonyadis | 21 | 46 | 0.46 | 1948–1963 |
| 5 | Cenk Tosun | 20 | 50 | 0.4 | 2013–present |
| 6 | Metin Oktay | 19 | 36 | 0.53 | 1956–1968 |
| Cemil Turan | 19 | 44 | 0.43 | 1969–1979 | |
| Nihat Kahveci | 19 | 68 | 0.28 | 2000–2011 | |
| 9 | Hakan Çalhanoğlu | 17 | 82 | 0.21 | 2013–present |
| Arda Turan | 17 | 100 | 0.17 | 2006–2017 |
Most clean sheets edit
- As of 21 November 2023[94]
- Players in bold are still available to play in Turkey national team.
| Rank | Player | Clean sheets | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rüştü Reçber | 58 | 120 | 0.48 | 1994–2012 |
| 2 | Volkan Demirel | 22 | 63 | 0.35 | 2004–2014 |
| 3 | Turgay Şeren | 16 | 46 | 0.35 | 1950–1966 |
| 4 | Volkan Babacan | 15 | 35 | 0.43 | 2014–present |
| 5 | Mert Günok | 13 | 27 | 0.48 | 2011–present |
| 6 | Ömer Çatkıç | 10 | 19 | 0.53 | 2000–2005 |
| Engin İpekoğlu | 10 | 32 | 0.31 | 1989–1999 | |
| 8 | Uğurcan Çakır | 9 | 26 | 0.35 | 2019–present |
| 9 | Sabri Dino | 7 | 12 | 0.58 | 1969–1975 |
| Sinan Bolat | 7 | 12 | 0.58 | 2009–present |
Centuriate goals edit
As of 29 September 2020:[95][96]
| Rank | Date | Scorer | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 26 October 1923 | Zeki Rıza Sporel | Romania | 2–2 |
| 100th | 23 June 1954 | Mustafa Ertan | West Germany | 2–7 |
| 200th | 14 February 1973 | Osman Arpacıoğlu | Algeria | 4–0 |
| 300th | 27 February 1991 | Uğur Tütüneker | Yugoslavia | 1–1 |
| 400th | 27 March 1999 | Sergen Yalçın | Moldova | 2–0 |
| 500th | 9 October 2004 | Fatih Tekke | Kazakhstan | 4–0 |
| 600th | 5 September 2009 | Arda Turan | Estonia | 4–2 |
| 700th | 3 September 2015 | Selçuk İnan | Latvia | 1–1 |
| 800th | 13 November 2021 | Kerem Aktürkoğlu | Gibraltar | 6–0 |
Competitive record edit
FIFA World Cup edit
| FIFA World Cup record | Qualification record | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
| 1930 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
| 1934 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||||
| 1938 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||||
| 1950 | Qualified but withdrew | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 1954 | Group stage | 9th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 11 | Squad | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1958 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||||
| 1962 | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 1966 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 1970 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 13 | |||||||||||
| 1974 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 1978 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 5 | |||||||||||
| 1982 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 22 | |||||||||||
| 1986 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 24 | |||||||||||
| 1990 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 10 | |||||||||||
| 1994 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 1998 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 21 | 9 | |||||||||||
| 2002 | Third place | 3rd | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 6 | Squad | 12 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 24 | 8 | ||
| 2006 | Did not qualify | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 27 | 13 | ||||||||||
| 2010 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 10 | |||||||||||
| 2014 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 16 | 9 | |||||||||||
| 2018 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 13 | |||||||||||
| 2022 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 28 | 19 | |||||||||||
| 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||||
| 2030 | |||||||||||||||||
| 2034 | |||||||||||||||||
| Total | Third place | 2/25 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 20 | 17 | — | 139 | 53 | 27 | 59 | 204 | 206 | ||
| Turkey's FIFA World Cup history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Score | Result | Date | Venue |
| 1954 | Group 2 | Turkey 1–4 West Germany | Loss | 17 June 1954 | Bern, Switzerland |
| Turkey 7–0 South Korea | Win | 20 June 1954 | Geneva, Switzerland | ||
| Turkey 2–7 West Germany | Loss | 23 June 1954 | Zürich, Switzerland | ||
| 2002 | Group C | Turkey 1–2 Brazil | Loss | 3 June 2002 | Ulsan, South Korea |
| Turkey 1–1 Costa Rica | Draw | 9 June 2002 | Incheon, South Korea | ||
| Turkey 3–0 China | Win | 13 June 2002 | Seoul, South Korea | ||
| Round of 16 | Turkey 1–0 Japan | Win | 18 June 2002 | Rifu, Japan | |
| Quarter-final | Turkey 1–0 Senegal | Win | 22 June 2002 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Semi-final | Turkey 0–1 Brazil | Loss | 26 June 2002 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Third place play-off | Turkey 3–2 South Korea | Win | 29 June 2002 | Daegu, South Korea | |
UEFA European Championship edit
| UEFA European Championship record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
| 1960 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
| 1964 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 1968 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||||||||||
| 1972 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | ||||||||||
| 1976 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 10 | ||||||||||
| 1980 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 1984 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 16 | ||||||||||
| 1988 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 16 | ||||||||||
| 1992 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 14 | ||||||||||
| 1996 | Group stage | 16th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | Squad | 8 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 8 | |
| 2000 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Squad | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 7 | |
| 2004 | Did not qualify | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 8 | |||||||||
| 2008 | Semi-finals | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 9 | Squad | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 25 | 11 | |
| 2012 | Did not qualify | 12 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 14 | |||||||||
| 2016 | Group stage | 17th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | Squad | 10 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 9 | |
| 2020 | 24th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | Squad | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 3 | ||
| 2024 | Qualified | 8 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 14 | 7 | |||||||||
| 2028 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
| 2032 | Qualified as co-host | Qualified as co-host | ||||||||||||||
| 2036 | To be determined | To be determined | ||||||||||||||
| Total | Third place | 6/20 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 30 | 128 | 56 | 31 | 41 | 166 | 159 | ||
| Turkey's UEFA European Championship history | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Score | Result | Date | Venue |
| 1996 | Group D | Turkey 0–1 Croatia | Loss | 11 June 1996 | Nottingham, England |
| Turkey 0–1 Portugal | Loss | 14 June 1996 | Nottingham, England | ||
| Turkey 0–3 Denmark | Loss | 19 June 1996 | Sheffield, England | ||
| 2000 | Group B | Turkey 1–2 Italy | Loss | 11 June 2000 | Arnhem, Netherlands |
| Turkey 0–0 Sweden | Draw | 15 June 2000 | Eindhoven, Netherlands | ||
| Turkey 2–0 Belgium | Win | 19 June 2000 | Brussels, Belgium | ||
| Quarter-final | Turkey 0–2 Portugal | Loss | 24 June 2000 | Amsterdam, Netherlands | |
| 2008 | Group A | Turkey 0–2 Portugal | Loss | 7 June 2008 | Geneva, Switzerland |
| Turkey 2–1 Switzerland | Win | 11 June 2008 | Basel, Switzerland | ||
| Turkey 3–2 Czech Republic | Win | 15 June 2008 | Geneva, Switzerland | ||
| Quarter-final | Turkey 1–1 (pen. 3–1) Croatia | Draw | 20 June 2008 | Wien, Austria | |
| Semi-final | Turkey 2–3 Germany | Loss | 25 June 2008 | Basel, Switzerland | |
| 2016 | Group D | Turkey 0–1 Croatia | Loss | 12 June 2016 | Paris, France |
| Turkey 0–3 Spain | Loss | 17 June 2016 | Nice, France | ||
| Turkey 2–0 Czech Republic | Win | 21 June 2016 | Lens, France | ||
| 2020 | Group A | Turkey 0–3 Italy | Loss | 11 June 2021 | Rome, Italy |
| Turkey 0–2 Wales | Loss | 16 June 2021 | Baku, Azerbaijan | ||
| Turkey 1–3 Switzerland | Loss | 20 June 2021 | Baku, Azerbaijan | ||
UEFA Nations League edit
| UEFA Nations League record | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Division | Group | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | P/R | RK |
| 2018–19 | B | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 22nd | |
| 2020–21 | B | 3 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 29th | |
| 2022–23 | C | 1 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | 5 | 35th | |
| 2024–25 | B | To be determined | ||||||||
| Total | 16 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 28 | 20 | 22nd | |||
FIFA Confederations Cup edit
| FIFA Confederations Cup record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1992 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1995 | |||||||||
| 1997 | |||||||||
| 1999 | |||||||||
| 2001 | |||||||||
| 2003 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | Squad |
| 2005 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 2009 | |||||||||
| 2013 | |||||||||
| 2017 | |||||||||
| Total | Third place | 1/10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | — |
Olympic Games edit
1968–1988 see Turkey national amateur football team. Football at the Summer Olympics has been an under-23 tournament since 1992.
| Olympic Games record | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1924 | Round 1 | 13th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | Squad |
| 1928 | 14th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | Squad | |
| 1936 | 15th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Squad | |
| 1948 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Squad |
| 1952 | 8th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | Squad | |
| 1956 | Withdrew | ||||||||
| 1960 | Round 1 | 14th | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | Squad |
| 1964 | Did not qualify | ||||||||
| 1968 | |||||||||
| 1972 | |||||||||
| 1976 | |||||||||
| 1980 | |||||||||