National Team in the World Cup after 24 years: We beat Kosovo with a single goal

Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the goal that sent our National Team to the World Cup in the 53rd minute. With this result, the National Team earned the right to participate in the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Merih Demiral could not be included in the squad for this match due to his injury.

In addition to these names, Muhammed Şengezer, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Mustafa Eskihellaç, and Oğuz Aydın were not included in the match squad by the decision of the technical staff.

The National Football Team, which first qualified for the World Cup in 1950, withdrew from the tournament due to the impossibilities of that era. In the 1954 World Cup, the Crescent-Stars were in the same group as Hungary, West Germany, and South Korea; they lost 4-1 to West Germany in their first match and defeated South Korea 7-0 in their second.

Due to the group format, the national team faced West Germany again, losing 7-2 and being eliminated.

The national team's next World Cup adventure took place 48 years later. Having earned the right to participate in the tournament by passing Austria in the play-off round in 2002, the national team achieved a historic success by finishing the tournament in 3rd place.

KEREM AKTÜRKOĞLU SCORED HIS 15TH GOAL FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM

National footballer Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored his 15th goal for the National Football Team with the Kosovo match.

The National Football Team faced Kosovo at the Fadil Vokrri Stadium in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers play-off final, and Kerem Aktürkoğlu scored the first goal for the national team. In the 53rd minute of the match, Kerem sent the ball into the net in front of the goal following a cross from Kenan Yıldız, who met the ball on the left wing with a pass from Orkun Kökçü, making the score 1-0.

The 27-year-old footballer thus celebrated his 15th goal in his 51st match wearing the crescent-star jersey.

Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who started the match in the starting 11, was replaced by Barış Alper Yılmaz in the 69th minute.

DATES OF THE NATIONAL TEAM'S MATCHES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED

The fixture for our National Team in World Cup Group D is as follows:

June 13 - 07:00 TSI - Australia - Turkey

June 19 - 07:00 TSI - Turkey - Paraguay

June 26 - 05:00 TSI - Turkey - USA

CONGRATULATORY MESSAGE FROM MINISTER BAK TO THE NATIONAL TEAM

Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Osman Aşkın Bak published a congratulatory message for the National Football Team, which earned the right to participate in the 2026 World Cup.

Minister Bak included the following statements in his congratulatory message:

"I wholeheartedly congratulate our National Football Team, which has earned the right to participate in the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico. I wish success to 'Our Boys' (Bizim Çocuklar), who made us proud by showing a superior performance in the qualifying matches, in the 2026 World Cup, where we will compete after a 24-year hiatus. I sincerely believe that our National Football Team will achieve results that will make our people happy. I thank everyone who contributed to this success."

News Source: 12punto