Montella excluded 9 players from the World Cup squad: Turkish Football Federation made an announcement

Montella excluded 9 players from the World Cup squad: Turkish Football Federation made an announcement

02.06.2026 14:02

The 26-player 2026 World Cup squad of the Turkish National Team has been officially announced. The 9 names that Vincenzo Montella called up to the extended squad but did not include in the World Cup roster have also been revealed. Here are those names...

The final 26-man squad of the Turkish National Team for the 2026 World Cup has been announced. Nine footballers included by Head Coach Vincenzo Montella in the extended squad were left out of the World Cup roster.

SQUAD FINALIZED

The tournament squad of the Turkish National Team, which will compete in Group D of the 2026 World Cup against Australia, Paraguay, and the USA, has been determined. The Turkish Football Federation has shared the final 26-man list determined by Vincenzo Montella with the public.

9 FOOTBALLERS EXCLUDED FROM SQUAD

The names invited by Montella to the extended squad but not included in the World Cup roster have also been clarified. Ersin Destanoğlu, Muhammed Şengezer, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Mustafa Eskihellaç, Yusuf Akçiçek, Atakan Karazor, Demir Ege Tıknaz, Aral Şimşir, and Yusuf Sarı were not included in the tournament squad. Following this decision, the situation of the young players in particular has sparked debate in the football community.

3 NAMES WILL GO TO THE USA

In the statement from the TFF, it was stated that Muhammed Şengezer, Aral Şimşir, and Demir Ege Tıknaz, who were not included in the squad, will still be part of the delegation. It was indicated that, in accordance with World Cup regulations, the three footballers will be kept on standby to allow player changes in case of injuries occurring before the first match.

GOALKEEPER COMPETITION ATTRACTS ATTENTION

Montella's goalkeeper trio for the World Cup consists of Altay Bayındır, Mert Günok, and Uğurcan Çakır. The jersey competition, especially between Uğurcan Çakır and Altay Bayındır, is eagerly anticipated.

ARDA, KENAN, AND KEREM IN SQUAD

In the attacking line, star names such as Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Yunus Akgün, and İrfan Can Kahveci were included. Young strikers Can Uzun and Deniz Gül also secured their places in the World Cup squad.

MONTELLA'S 26-MAN WORLD CUP SQUAD

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