Turkey crashes out of World Cup after Paraguay defeat, players apologize to nation
Turkey's first World Cup appearance in 24 years ends after two defeats without a goal; Arda Güler and teammates break down in tears and ask the country for forgiveness.
Early exit after Paraguay loss
In Santa Clara, California, Turkey lost 1-0 to Paraguay on Friday night. Matías Galarza scored in the 2nd minute. Paraguay played the second half with ten men after Miguel Almirón received a red card in first-half stoppage time for holding his hand over an opponent's mouth, a new World Cup rule applied for the first time. Turkey dominated the rest of the game but failed to score. The defeat follows a 0-2 loss to Australia, leaving Turkey with zero points and no goals after two matches. The result confirms their elimination before the final group game against co-host USA, who have already won the group. Paraguay will face Australia for the second spot in the round of 16.
Tears and apologies
Arda Güler, the 21-year-old Real Madrid star, was devastated after the match.
We are really, really sad. It is shameful, and we apologize to our people.
He added that the entire team was crying in the dressing room. Goalkeeper Uğurcan Çakır also addressed the nation directly.
I apologize to our country. We wanted to make you proud; we failed. The expectations were huge, and we fell short.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu struggled to find words.
It's hard for me to find the right words right now.... Football can be merciless sometimes.
Coach defends players, fans demand his exit
Coach Vincenzo Montella noted that Turkey took 65 shots in two games without scoring.
Football is not logical, that's why it's the best game in the world. The better team doesn't always win.
He added that his players had left their hearts and souls on the pitch. But on social media, thousands of fans called for Montella's dismissal, blaming him for the team's failure. Montella is under contract until July 2028. Fan comments on the national team's post of the Paraguay result demanded an explanation from the federation president and described the campaign as a "disgrace."
Historic disappointment and media comparisons
Turkish media reacted with heavy criticism. The portal Fanatik noted: "Like Haiti! We are eliminated without scoring a goal, like Haiti! We share the fate of the weakest team in the tournament." Haiti, the only other team to be eliminated without scoring, had already been mentioned as the first team out. Former international Halil Altintop said there were "very, very many question marks" and that the team had not been able to handle the pressure, despite having plenty of individual quality. Turkey had arrived at the tournament with huge hopes after qualifying for the first time since 2002. The journey ended after just 180 minutes of football.
