19.11.2025 12:05
The Turkish National Football Team finished second in Group E of the 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers by drawing 2-2 away against Spain in their last match. Turkey will play in the playoffs for a World Cup ticket. Before the match, the Spanish press had headlines like "There's a party tonight," but the 2-2 result caused great surprise. Here are the headlines that were published...
The Turkish National Football Team finished second in Group E of the 2026 World Cup European Qualifiers by drawing 2-2 away against Spain in their last match. Turkey will play in the play-offs for a World Cup ticket.
Spanish media outlets, which expected a victory before the match, were shocked after the 2-2 draw and highlighted Turkey's surprising performance.
SPANISH PRESS GAVE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO THE MATCH
Spanish media organizations featured the match in Sevilla prominently in their headlines. Turkey's playing strength and ability to score were described with terms like "shock" and "disappointment" in many newspapers.
AS: HEADING TO THE WORLD CUP WITHOUT SHOWBOATING
Although AS newspaper wrote that the draw was disappointing, it argued that La Roja is still a strong contender for the World Cup:
"Drawing with Turkey hurt us, but it does not overshadow the good work done in recent months and Spain's talents."
RTVE: WINNING STREAK ENDED IN SEVILLA
RTVE noted that Spain struggled against Turkey:
"Spain has qualified for the World Cup, but Turkey ended their winning streak in Sevilla."
EL MUNDO: NARROW ESCAPE FROM AN ABSURD CONFLICT
El Mundo described the match as "chaotic":
"Turkey took the lead for a brief moment despite being without their stars. Spain narrowly escaped from an absurd conflict."
ABC FOOTBALL: A DRAW ON A COLD NIGHT
ABC noted that the match atmosphere was low:
"Spain drew with Turkey on a cold night in Sevilla, exiting the group in their worst match."
LA VOZ DE GALICIA: RECORD TIED
The newspaper highlighted Spain's equalization of the 31-match unbeaten record:
"Spain fulfilled its duty and went to the World Cup smoothly, reaching a historic record."
EL PAIS: TASTE OF MORTALITY
El Pais drew attention to the strong fight of the National Team:
"Spain tasted mortality against a fighting Turkey. They conceded two goals but secured their World Cup ticket with a draw."
MARCA: A WORLD CUP WITHOUT A PARTY
Marca, which had the headline "There is a party tonight" before the match, announced the disappointment after the match with the title:
"A World Cup with a record and without a party."
The newspaper stated, "Spain started the match well, conceded two goals, and only salvaged the draw with Oyarzabal's goal."
The Turkish National Team's performance in Sevilla surprised expectations in Spain and resonated widely in the European press.