Turkey Fall To Belgium
Turkey have lost all five group games, and the latest was a 2-1 defeat to Belgium in İzmir. It was Sergen Yalçın’s first match in charge after Vincenzo Montella’s dismissal. The scoreline understates how competitive it was for long stretches, but the pattern is clear: a team with a world-class creator and little else around him.
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Güler’s performance
Güler was Turkey’s best player on the night. He gave them the lead with a long-range free-kick in the 20th minute, a strike that drew comparisons from official Champions League accounts to his earlier set-piece goal against Bayern Munich. One ratings site made him the best player on the pitch, giving him 9/10, while the lowest Turkey score went to Ozan Kabak on 5.5. He is also playing at what looks like his full potential this season at Real Madrid.
Why Turkey lost anyway
Belgium’s response was swift. De Bruyne equalised in the 27th minute, flipping the momentum, and De Ketelaere then completed the turnaround. De Bruyne admitted Belgium struggled early. He said the first 15 to 20 minutes were difficult for them, both collectively and individually, so Turkey’s start was strong, but they couldn’t convert it into a lasting advantage. That fits a wider pattern this campaign, with earlier defeats to France, Italy and Belgium (3-0 away), then another loss to Italy.
De Bruyne’s Statement
The Belgian captain’s comments are the most useful outside assessment. He described Güler as one of the world’s best players and said Belgium built their game plan around him. His main point was tactical rather than personal: Turkey’s other players need to take more responsibility, because too much currently falls on Güler. In plain terms, Turkey’s attacking output runs through one player, which makes them easier to plan against.
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The Wider Context for the Turks
Coaching change: Montella’s dismissal and Yalçın’s debut leave the team in transition at a poor moment.
World Cup hangover: The group stage exit in the summer still hangs over the squad. After the Paraguay defeat, Güler said the team was ashamed and apologised to the nation.
Young core: Turkey have talented players of Güler’s generation, including Kenan Yıldız and Can Uzun, but the group stage shows they haven’t yet turned that into collective output.
What To Watch
Turkey’s final group game is away to France on Sunday. A result there would help Yalçın’s early credibility, but the larger question is structural: can the team create without routing everything through Güler? If De Bruyne’s assessment holds, that’s the question the new coach must answer before the next qualifying cycle.
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