In a thrilling conclusion to the World Cup qualifiers on March 31st, marked by Italy’s third consecutive elimination, Turkey clinched their spot for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 24 years. They secured their qualification with a decisive 1-0 victory over Kosovo, thanks to the solitary goal scored by Fenerbahçe’s Kerem Aktürkoğlu.
Currently spearheaded by talents like Real Madrid’s Arda Güler and Inter Milan’s Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Turkey’s World Cup history has been notably sparse. After failing to qualify between 1962 and 1998, they famously emerged as one of the tournament’s biggest surprises in 2002, defeating Japan, Senegal, and co-hosts South Korea to secure a remarkable third-place finish. However, subsequent qualification attempts proved unsuccessful until this recent breakthrough.
Meanwhile, for Kosovo, whose UEFA and FIFA membership was accepted in 2016, the wait for a maiden appearance in a major international tournament continues.
Notably, Turkey’s 1-0 win was the only away victory among the four final playoff matches held on that eventful evening. They now join Group D, where they are set to face co-hosts USA, Paraguay, and Australia.