Soccer-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

June 2 (Reuters) - Turkey ⁠manager Vincenzo Montella named his World ⁠Cup squad on Tuesday, selecting the ‌experienced Hakan Calhanoglu, Arda Guler, Kerem Akturkoglu, Baris Alper Yilmaz, and Yusuf Yazici 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.

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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)

(Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk, editing by Ed Osmond)

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