27.06.2026 15:06
The Turkish Football Federation responded to the "naturalized striker" claim made after the National Team's early exit from the World Cup. TFF sources reportedly stated that such a study is not on their agenda.
After being defeated by Australia and Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup and bidding an early farewell to the tournament, the reasons for the failure of the Turkish National Football Team continue to be debated. In the process where squad structuring and offensive line preferences are on the agenda, claims have been made that the Turkish Football Federation plans to naturalize a foreign striker to bring into the national team.
STRIKER DEBATE COMES TO THE AGENDA
Following the ineffective display in the offensive line at the World Cup, the lack of a striker was among the most discussed topics. The limited playing time of Deniz Gül, the only player considered a pure striker in the squad, also brought about controversies.
CLAIM OF OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM TFF
According to a report by Sabah, TFF sources stated that claims of efforts to naturalize a forward do not reflect the truth. The report indicated that there is no such plan on the federation's agenda.
RHIAN BREWSTER COMES TO MIND
Following the naturalized player claims, one of the first names that came to mind was Rhian Brewster. The English footballer had also been brought up during Stefan Kuntz's tenure as Technical Director of the National Team. After a post made by Kuntz at that time, it was commented that Brewster was one of the names that could be considered for the national team.
THE LAST EXAMPLE IN TURKEY WAS AURELIO
One of the most well-known examples of the naturalized player practice in Turkish football was Marco Aurelio. The Brazilian-born footballer, after acquiring Turkish citizenship, played for the National Team under the name Mehmet Aurelio and took part in 37 matches.