Montella sticks with experience in Turkey World Cup squad
Soccer Football - International Friendly - Turkey v North Macedonia - Sukru Saracoglu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey - June 1, 2026 Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella reacts REUTERS/Murad Sezer
(Removes Yusuf Yazici in the lead)
June 2 : Turkey manager Vincenzo Montella named his World Cup squad on Tuesday, selecting the experienced Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler, Kerem Akturkoglu and Baris Alper Yilmaz, to lead the side.
Sporting Braga midfielder Demir Ege Tiknaz was left out, with Montella opting for Galatasaray’s Kaan Ayhan and Borussia Dortmund’s Salih Ozcan.
In attack, Danish league Player of the Season Aral Simsir was left out, but Irfan Can Kahveci was included.
Turkey are in World Cup Group D and will play Australia in their opening match before facing Paraguay and co-hosts the U.S.
Goalkeepers: Altay Bayindir (Manchester United), Mert Gunok (Fenerbahce), Ugurcan Cakir (Galatasaray)
Defenders: Abdulkerim Bardakci (Galatasaray), Caglar Soyuncu (Fenerbahce), Eren Elmali (Galatasaray), Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton & Hove Albion), Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli Saudi), Mert Muldur (Fenerbahce), Ozan Kabak (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Samet Akaydin (Caykur Rizespor), Zeki Celik (AS Roma)
Midfielders: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan), Ismail Yuksek (Fenerbahce), Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray), Orkun Kokcu (Besiktas), Salih Ozcan (Borussia Dortmund)
Strikers: Arda Guler (Real Madrid), Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray), Can Uzun (Eintracht Frankfurt), Deniz Gul (Porto), Irfan Can Kahveci (Kasimpasa), Kenan Yildiz (Juventus), Kerem Akturkoglu (Fenerbahce), Oguz Aydin (Fenerbahce), Yunus Akgun (Galatasaray)
