Many international media have labeled Turkey as one of the biggest disappointments of the 2026 World Cup after Vincenzo Montella’s team was eliminated after just two games in the group stage.
Turkey’s 0-1 defeat against Paraguay on June 20 unexpectedly and early ended their 2026 World Cup season. The result immediately became a major topic of discussion among the international media, as the European side had been widely taken into account a strong contender for a place in the knockout stage in Group D.
The Guardian described Turkey’s elimination as one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far. Before the start of the World Cup, the European representatives had significant expectations thanks to their young, talented squad and impressive performances at Euro 2024. However, consecutive defeats against Australia and Paraguay quickly shattered those predictions.
The Australian called him one of the most extraordinary stories of the eighth dayhighlighting as a team expecting to fight for qualification instead became the first team in Group D to lose all hope of advancing.
Reuters noted this Turkey’s collapse was particularly disappointing because the team had been seen as a potential dark horse entering the tournament. Before the World Cup, the British news agency praised the country’s new generation of talent, including Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız and Hakan Çalhanoğlu. At the same time, Reuters had warned Turkey’s inconsistency in major matches, a weakness that has become painfully evident in the United States.
Cronkite News said so Turkey’s opening defeat against Australia proved to be the turning point from which the team never recovered. Vincenzo Montella’s men face the second match with no margin for error but against Paraguay they offer another disappointing performance.
One of the most frequently mentioned issues in international coverage was Turkey’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. This was underlined by analyzes by Goal and various sports media outlets in the United Kingdom and the United States Montella’s team had superior individual qualities compared to many teams in the group. Yet they failed to transform ball possession and territorial dominance into goals.
After two matches, Turkey exited the tournament without scoring a single goal. The statistic has become the clearest symbol of the disappointment expressed by the international media towards a team that many expected to make a significant impact in its first World Cup appearance in 24 years.
What increased the attention around the Paraguay match was the red card shown to Miguel Almirón. This was reported by Reuters and numerous international newspapers the Paraguayan midfielder became the first player in World Cup history to be sent off for covering his mouth while arguing on the pitch under new FIFA regulations.
In the eyes of the global media, Turkey has never been considered a weak team. This is precisely why their early elimination after two consecutive defeats attracted so much attention. Once seen as a dark horse capable of running hard, the men in red have instead become one of the biggest disappointments of the opening phase of the 2026 World Cup.
Sources: Znews
