Turkey has been unexpectedly eliminated from the 2026 World Cup after just two matches, leaving players and the press in a state of profound disappointment.
Turkey suffered a shocking second consecutive loss in the 2026 World Cup, falling 1-0 to Paraguay. This defeat means they must return home prematurely. The disappointment following the loss to the South American side was immense. Paraguay managed to play the second half with ten men after a red card, a first in World Cup history.
«We are truly, truly sad, it is also shameful. We apologize to our people. We are crying in the locker room. We must do everything to make amends,» stated Real Madrid superstar Arda Güler.
Güler continued to TRT Spor, «There are no problems within the team. On the field, we simply failed to execute. We couldn’t implement what we had planned. We had our chances. We will do everything to ensure this tournament is forgotten.»
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu added, «At this moment, it’s not easy to find the right words. Everyone is deeply disappointed. After all, we made it this far again after 24 years. In both games, we gave our all, we tried, and we looked for goals, but it wasn’t enough. We shoot, but the ball just doesn’t want to go in. It’s bad luck, what can I say. I want to apologize to our entire nation.»
2026 World Cup: Turkey Eliminated, USA Wins Group
Former national player Halil Altıntop also stated he needed time to «let it sink in.» He told MagentaTV there are «very, very many question marks» and that «the disappointment is very, very great because the team has a lot of individual quality, some play for very big clubs.»
Following their opening defeat to Australia (2-0), Turkey no longer has any chance of advancing to the knockout stage. This is due to the World Cup’s tie-breaking rules, where the head-to-head record, not goal difference, is considered in case of a points tie. Turkey’s head-to-head record against both Paraguay and Australia, who are currently three points ahead, is unfavorable. The USA has already secured the group leadership with six points.
Turkey Eliminated: Domestic Press Reacts
The disappointment was not confined to the players; the domestic press was also critical. «We are out of the World Cup. Tears flowed! The national team is devastated,» wrote Fanatik.
«We say goodbye to the World Cup!» declared Hürriyet, while Post commented, «Our national team loses to a Paraguay reduced to ten men! We are out of the World Cup.»