PRISTINA, Kosovo — The United States men’s national team now knows its final opponent at the FIFA World Cup. Türkiye — one of Europe’s most talented and unpredictable teams — sealed its place in Group D with a tense 1-0 playoff win against Kosovo in Pristina.
Kerem Aktürkoglu’s 53rd-minute goal was enough to claim victory and send Türkiye to its first men’s World Cup since it reached the semifinals — losing to eventual winners Brazil — in 2002.
Sitting in 22nd spot in the FIFA World Ranking, six below Maurico Pochettino’s U.S. team, Türkiye will face the World Cup co-hosts in Group D’s final game in Los Angeles on June 25 with both nations having already faced Paraguay and Australia. Unless the U.S. wins both of its opening two games, its clash with Türkiye at SoFi Stadium could make or break the Americans’ hopes of claiming top spot, or even qualifying for the round of 32.
What can the U.S. expect against Vincenzo Montella’s side, which includes young Real Madrid star Arda Güler and Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz? Here is what to know about Türkiye’s strengths and weaknesses, and why they could turn out to be one of the dangerous outsiders at the World Cup this summer.
How did Türkiye qualify for the World Cup?
Türkiye were forced to navigate the playoffs, beating Romania and then Kosovo, after finishing second in UEFA Group E behind European champions Spain.
Although they beat Bulgaria and Georgia home and away, Türkiye’s two encounters with Spain epitomized their ability to compete with the best, but also their propensity to collapse when the pressure of expectancy is on — just as they did at Euro 2024, when they were fancied to beat the Netherlands in the quarterfinals but lost.
Against Spain, Türkiye were beaten 6-0 at home, but they then held the World Cup favorites to a 2-2 draw in Seville in the final group game.
The message with Türkiye is clear: expect the unexpected.
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Who are Türkiye’s star players?
Real Madrid midfielder Güler is the standout performer, but he has a strong supporting cast with Yildiz and Internazionale’s Hakan Çalhanoglu alongside him.
At 21, Güler is already the heartbeat of the Türkiye team. It was his control and maturity, such a young age, that enabled them to dominate against Kosovo in Pristina. He has yet to earn a regular starting spot at Real, but it won’t be long before he is a mainstay in Alvaro Arbeloa’s team. He has the vision of Luka Modric, but he is also effective further forward, and his understanding with winger Yildiz will be the top of Pochettino’s list when it comes to assessing threats to his team.
Yildiz is a classic, old-fashioned winger. Strong on either foot, he operates on the left; against Kosovo, he created several chances with his direct running and readiness to cross or shoot. He can be inconsistent and infuriating at times, but at just 20, he has a huge future in the game. He and Güler could be real stars this summer.
Çalhanoglu is at the other end of the scale at 32, but the Inter midfielder’s experience is crucial in anchoring the team. When Türkiye went ahead in Pristina, Çalhanoglu was the key figure in slowing the game down and giving his side greater control. He knew how to manage the game, and in the heat of a U.S. summer, that kind of measured and seasoned player will be crucial.
Any potential surprises?
Türkiye fullbacks Zeki Çelik and Ferdi Kadioglu are big part of Montella’s 4-2-3-1 formation because they both become auxiliary wingers when the team goes forward. Both have pace and tenacity, but they can also defend. Any team that faces Türkiye will need a plan to keep Çelik and Kadioglu – who play for Roma and Brighton, respectively, at club level — pinned back in their own half.
Both players are experienced at the top level and have performed at the Euros with Türkiye, so the World Cup won’t faze either of them. While all eyes will be on Güler and Yildiz, it is worth keeping tabs on Türkiye’s pair of dangerous fullbacks.
What are Türkiye’s weaknesses?
As mentioned earlier, Türkiye has cracked under the pressure in the past. That could be an issue at the World Cup because they will be expected to qualify in the top two from Group D.
But they will take great strength and belief from their playoff success because they dealt with the pressure of being heavy favourites to beat Romania in Istanbul in the semifinal before travelling to Kosovo and winning against a dangerous young team on their own turf.
On the pitch, though, there are areas in which Türkiye can be tested.
The team lacks a reliable goalkeeper — Galatasaray’s Ugurcan Çakir is first choice, making 37 appearances since his debut in 2019, but he is not of the level required by the major nations. His backup against Kosovo was Manchester United’s error-prone second-choice Altay Bayindir. Çakir might just be reliable enough to get through the World Cup, but Türkiye will have a problem if he is injured or suspended.
At the other end of the pitch, Türkiye is also unconvincing and lacks a goal scorer who can compare to former greats Hakan Sukur, Burak Yilmaz and Tuncay Sanli. The match winner in Pristina, Aktürkoglu, scored just three goals in qualification. None of the other attacking options available to Montella has a great scoring record.
In other words, Türkiye can be vulnerable defensively — they conceded 12 goals in six qualifiers — and they lack firepower at striker. If Güler, Yildiz and Çalhanoglu can be kept quiet, Türkiye’s threat diminishes quite significantly.
Is Türkiye a threat to the USMNT?
Yes, Türkiye’s presence in Group D only makes life more difficult for Mauricio Pochettino and his players.
Türkiye has weaknesses, but a team possessing the quality of Güler, Yildiz and Çalhanoglu can beat any opponent on its day.
Had Kosovo progressed to the World Cup, it would have landed in Group D as clear underdogs. But Türkiye has some serious players, and its overall ability should make it the favorite to top the group.
