TürkiyeGroup D · UEFA · FIFA #22 · Elo 1906
📅 Group D: vs Australia · Paraguay · United States
Türkiye return to the World Cup stage after a 24-year absence, buoyed by arguably the most exciting generation of talent the nation has ever produced: Arda Güler (Real Madrid, CL Revelation of the Season) and Kenan Yıldız (Juventus, Serie A Best Under-23) were not even born last time Turkey played at a World Cup, yet they now carry the hopes of millions into Group D against the USA, Australia and Paraguay.
Hakan Şükür scored the fastest goal in World Cup history (11 seconds vs South Korea, 2002) — a record that still stands 24 years on as Türkiye return.
Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız were both born in 2005: neither player was alive the last time Türkiye appeared at a World Cup.
Arda Güler was named Young Player of the Season in the 2025-26 Champions League — crowning his breakout year as the creative heartbeat of Real Madrid's midfield.
Türkiye qualified via the UEFA play-offs, beating Romania 1-0 and Kosovo 1-0, and received a €27.5m transfer fee from Galatasaray for Uğurcan Çakır — a Turkish goalkeeper record.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu was voted Brighton & Hove Albion Player of the Season for 2025-26 in a landslide, after winning the fans' Player of the Month award four times in five months.
Türkiye reached the 1954 World Cup by pure luck — after their playoff with Spain ended level, a blindfolded 14-year-old Italian boy drew Turkey's name out of a drum in Rome.
Türkiye's 2002 bronze-medal match against co-hosts South Korea is remembered as the friendliest game in World Cup history — after the final whistle the two teams linked arms and did a joint lap of honour.
The big number is the player's EA FC 26 (FIFA 26) overall rating; for players not in the game it's estimated from market value & role.
Tip: click any player for full details, or “✨ Get to know Türkiye” up top for trivia & the anthem. OVR = EA FC 26 (FIFA 26) rating; for players not in the game it's estimated from market value.
Australia
Paraguay
United States