By Ece Toksabay
ISTANBUL, June 1 (Reuters) – Turkey return to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years buoyed up by gifted young players — including Real Madrid midfielder Arda Guler — and by memories of their run to the 2002 semi-finals, but doubts over consistency and big-match temperament persist.
Coach Vincenzo Montella guided Turkey through qualification with a series of narrow victories and restored optimism after an encouraging Euro 2024 campaign, with Guler emerging as the face of a team many Turkish fans believe could become the country’s strongest in decades.
The squad also features Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz and several Europe-based players who have raised expectations that Turkey can finally build on the legacy of the side that finished third at the 2002 World Cup under Senol Gunes.
Yet Turkey’s qualification campaign also exposed familiar weaknesses.
A 6-0 home defeat by European champions Spain in Konya last September was a defining reality check, suggesting deficits compared to the world’s elite sides despite the growing excitement around the team’s attacking talent.
The loss reinforced a reputation that has long followed Turkey: capable of upsetting stronger opponents on their day, but equally vulnerable to emotional collapses and defensive disorganisation.
Montella has sought to bring greater tactical discipline and calm to a squad that has often struggled with inconsistency over the past two decades.
Turkey impressed at times during Euro 2024 with their aggressive pressing and technical quality, but they also relied heavily on moments of individual brilliance and rode their luck in several matches.
Turkey are in Group D alongside hosts the United States, Paraguay and Australia, and will be based in Mesa, Arizona, for the tournament.
Much of Turkey’s hopes are expected to rest on the creativity of Guler, whose rapid rise at Real Madrid has made him one of the country’s biggest sporting talents and raised expectations that he can lead a new era for the national team.
Guler and several other squad members were not even born in 2002 when Turkey made their run to the semi-finals, an achievement which still features heavily in the country’s football folklore.
Whether this generation can create its own history, however, may depend on whether Turkey can finally overcome the volatility that has repeatedly prevented talented squads from delivering consistently on the biggest stage.
(Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Editing by Daren Butler and Christian Radnedge)
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