Real Madrid midfielder Arda Güler offered a candid, no-nonsense assessment of Turkey’s premature departure from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, stating that public backlash is entirely warranted despite their dramatic 3-2 victory over the United States.
The national team bowed out at the bottom of Group D with three points, failing to advance to the knockout rounds. Even with goals from Güler, Orkun Kökçü, and a 98th-minute stoppage-time winner by Kaan Ayhan to upset the host nation at SoFi Stadium, the mood inside the Turkish camp remained deeply reflective.
Speaking after the final whistle, the 21-year-old rising star refused to shield the squad behind sentimental excuses.
“We cannot make drama out of this,” Güler said plainly as quoted by Turkish-Football. “We played badly and were eliminated.”
Güler admitted that neither his individual performances nor the team’s collective output met the high expectations placed on them by supporters back home. He stressed that the players must take responsibility alongside their disappointed fanbase, hoping the group can make amends in upcoming international cycles.
His teammates mirrored that sentiment, with a collective emphasis on rigorous self-evaluation. Match-winner Kaan Ayhan noted that while the game carried immense emotional weight, the squad felt unable to fully celebrate the result. He asserted that the harshest critiques would ultimately come from within the dressing room itself.
Feyenoord’s Orkun Kökçü added that while salvaging their pride with a win was necessary, it remains a time for looking inward rather than talking to the press. Meanwhile, defender Ozan Kabak acknowledged the pain caused to fans during the opening two defeats, though he praised the squad for leaving everything on the pitch in their final outing.
The match itself saw Turkey fall behind early to a third-minute header from American defender Auston Trusty. Güler quickly countered with a clinical equalizer in the 10th minute, followed by a Kökçü strike to pull ahead 2-1 before halftime.
Though the U.S. leveled things up through Sebastian Berhalter in the 49th minute and pushed hard for a winner behind late cameos from Christian Pulisic, Turkey found their breakthrough at the death. An added-time effort from Can Uzun deflected directly into the path of Ayhan, who converted from short range to secure the three points.
Despite the late-game heroics, the overall campaign has left the Turkish squad focused entirely on rebuilding for the future. As midfielder Salih Özcan concluded, the team simply owed it to themselves to show their true identity before flying home, firmly believing the talented group deserved a much better fate on the world stage.
