Following their frustrating 2-0 defeat to Australia in the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Turkey’s head coach Vincenzo Montella is prepared to radically alter his tactical layout. Reports from the team’s training base in California indicate that the Italian manager is planning at least three significant changes to his starting eleven ahead of the must-win Group D encounter against Paraguay.
Driven by the team’s inability to convert 30 shot attempts into goals during their opener in Vancouver, Montella is zeroing in on structural adjustments to maximize efficiency in the final third.
Overhaul in the Attacking Trident
The most notable tactical shift involves Juventus starlet Kenan Yıldız. After making a dynamic impact off the bench as a substitute against Australia, the 21-year-old winger is poised to be elevated to the starting lineup.
Yıldız is expected to occupy the left flank, effectively replacing Benfica’s Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who started the previous match. This introduction will trigger a positional shift for Barış Alper Yılmaz. To exploit his physical presence and pace, Montella plans to move Yılmaz either to a central striker role or out to the right wing, transforming the dynamics of the Turkish frontline.
Midfield and Defensive Reinforcements Under Evaluation
Montella’s tactical evaluation extends to the central engine room and backline, where multiple spots are being actively contested in training.
In midfield, either İsmail Yüksek or captain Orkun Kökçü could make way for younger, highly-creative creative assets. The coaching staff is reportedly considering inserting Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun or FC Porto’s Deniz Gül to inject verticality and unpredictable attacking patterns against an anticipated compact Paraguayan defense.
Furthermore, a change is anticipated at right-back. Having struggled against Australia’s counter-attacking speed, Zeki Çelik is expected to be dropped to the bench, with Fenerbahçe’s versatile fullback Mert Müldür slated to take over the starting defensive duties.
With Turkey currently sitting at the bottom of Group D, Montella’s willingness to drop established starters underscores the high-stakes reality facing the Crescent-Stars. The finalized tactical lineup will be revealed when the teams step onto the pitch at Levi’s Stadium, where Turkey must secure all three points to regain control of their World Cup journey.
