Turkiye’s Route to EURO 2024
A) How Turkey qualified for EURO 2024
Turkey has qualified for Euro 2024 by finishing first in Group D during the qualification campaign. They kicked off their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Armenia in March 2023. In June, they defeated Wales 2-0 at home. A notable result came in October 2023, when they achieved a crucial 1-0 away win against Croatia, solidifying their position at the top of the group.
Throughout the campaign, Turkey maintained a strong defensive record and managed important wins and draws that ensured they stayed ahead of their competitors. Turkey’s consistent performance allowed them to finish the group stages with 17 points, narrowly edging out Croatia, who finished second with 16 points.
B) Key players in EURO Qualifiers for Turkey
In Turkey’s Euro 2024 qualification campaign, the team’s top scorers were Cenk Tosun and Kerem Aktürkoğlu, with two goals each. Orkun Kökçü had two assists and one goal; he was the player with the most assists.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, who played in all 8 matches, had 18 attempts, 8 of which were on target. Cengiz Ünder had the second-most attempts with 16. Six of them were on target.
Ferdi Kadıoğlu was very important for Turkey’s defense, he recovered 35 balls while playing in every match except one. He was followed by Samet Akaydin, with 28 balls recovered.
2) Turkey: Team strengths and playing style
The Turkish national football team’s biggest strength is its defense. In eight qualifier matches, the team only conceded seven goals.
One of Turkey’s key strengths is its ability to counter-attack swiftly and effectively. The team had a high passing accuracy percentage, and Turkey will try to use this to their advantage in the group stage.
The team appointed Vincenzo Montella in 2023, who is known for having a swift attack style. He prefers possession-based football, and he will rely heavily on attacking midfielders in the tournament.
EURO 2024 will be Turkey’s third consecutive Euro, and while they will probably not finish first against Portugal, Turkey will try hard to reach second place.
3) Expected penalty and set piece takers for Turkey on EURO 2024
a) Penalty Taker
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter)
b) Backup Penalty Takers
- Kerem Aktürkoğlu (Galatasaray)
- Cengiz Ünder (Fenerbahçe)
- Enes Ünal (Bournemouth)
c) Short Range Free Kicks
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter)
- Cengiz Ünder (Fenerbahçe)
- Arda Güler (Real Madrid)
d) Longer Range Set Pieces
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter)
- Orkun Kökçü (Benfica)
- İrfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahçe)
e) Corners
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Inter)
- Cengiz Ünder (Fenerbahçe)
- Ferdi Kadıoğlu (Fenerbahçe)
f) Aerial Threat from Set Pieces
- Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli)
- Çağlar Söyüncü (Fenerbahçe)
- Kaan Ayhan (Galatasaray)
4) Expected formation and line up for EURO 2024
In Turkey’s last three matches, a 4-2-3-1 formation was used
- GK: Ugurcan Cakir (Trabzonspor)
- DF: Mert Müldür (Fenerbahce)
- DF: Çağlar Söyüncü (Fenerbahce)
- DF: Merih Demiral (Al-Ahli)
- DF: Ferdi Kadioglu (Fenerbahce)
- MF: Hakan Calhanoglu (Inter Milan)
- MF: Arda Guler (Real Madrid)
- FW: Irfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahce)
- FW: Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray)
- FW: Yusuf Yazici (Lille)
- FW: Cengiz Under (Fenerbahce)
5) Fixture Analysis in the Group Stage
a) Turkey vs. Georgia (Dortmund, 18 June)
This opening fixture against Georgia presents a good opportunity for Turkey to secure a clean sheet and potentially earn points for their defenders and goalkeepers. Georgia is not considered a strong attacking team, so Turkey’s defense could shine here.
b) Turkey vs. Portugal (Dortmund, 22 June)
Facing Portugal will be a tougher challenge. However, this match could be high-scoring, which means attacking players from both teams might earn points. Keep an eye on players like Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Turkey) and Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal).
c) Turkey vs. Czechia (Hamburg, 26 June)
The final group stage match against Czechia offers another chance for Turkey to secure points. Czechia has a balanced team, but Turkey’s midfielders and forwards could exploit their defense. Look out for Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Yusuf Yazıcı.
6) Best players to pick in the EURO 2024 Fantasy for Turkey
a) The best players to choose
- Hakan Çalhanoğlu (Midfielder): Known for his free-kick ability and long-range shooting, Çalhanoğlu can provide fantasy points through goals and assists. As a set-piece taker, he has the potential to rack up points from assists and possibly direct free-kick goals.
- Cengiz Ünder (Midfielder/Forward): A dynamic winger who can contribute both in terms of goals and assists. He has good dribbling ability and can create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
- Yusuf Yazıcı (Midfielder): An attacking midfielder who is known for his vision and ability to pick out key passes. He can also score goals himself, making him a valuable asset for fantasy teams.
- Çağlar Söyüncü (Defender): A solid defender who is good at intercepting passes and making crucial tackles. He can also contribute points through clean sheets, especially if Turkey’s defense performs well in the tournament.
- Merih Demiral (Defender): Another key defender for Turkey who is strong in aerial duels and can contribute points through clean sheets. He may also pose a threat from set-pieces in the opponent’s box.
b) Budget players
- Samet Akaydin (4 m)
- Çağlar Söyüncü (4.5 m)
- Altay Bayindir (4 m)
c) Young Talents
- Arda Güler (Midfielder): Arda Güler is a promising young midfielder who has the potential to shine on the big stage. If given the opportunity, he could use his skill and creativity to create scoring chances for his team and possibly even score goals himself.
- Kenan Yıldız (Forward): Born in Germany, this 19-year-old talent plays for Juventus. He was Serie A’s youngest foreign scorer at 18. He is known for being a great playmaker and for his shots from outside the box.
- Ferdi Kadıoğlu (Midfielder): Another young talent from Turkey who could make a significant impact during EURO 2024. As an attacking midfielder, Kadıoğlu possesses excellent dribbling ability, vision, and creativity, making him a potent threat in the final third.
- Kerem Akturkoglu (Forward): Known for his pace, dribbling skills, and eye for goal, Aktürkoğlu can be a handful for opposition defenses. He has shown promise at the club level and has earned call-ups to the national team, where he has demonstrated his potential to contribute effectively in attack.
