The Turkish national football team made headlines in 2024 with a historic performance in the European Football Championship (EURO 2024) and a solid campaign in the UEFA Nations League B.
Rising through FIFA ranks
Türkiye climbed nine spots in the FIFA world rankings, leaping from 37th at the end of 2023 to 28th in 2024 with 1,537.24 points.
The team played 15 matches throughout the year – 11 competitive and 4 friendlies – recording six wins, three draws, and six losses.
Vincenzo Montella’s squad scored 19 goals but conceded 23, with three matches ending in goalless draws.
Aktürkoğlu: Goal machine
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, currently at Benfica, emerged as Türkiye’s top scorer in 2024 with five goals.
Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu followed with three, while Arda Güler, İrfan Can Kahveci, and Merih Demiral each netted twice.
Other contributors included Barış Alper Yılmaz, Kenan Yıldız, Mert Müldür, Cenk Tosun, and Samet Akaydın with one goal apiece.
Across tournaments, Türkiye scored eight goals in EURO 2024, nine in the Nations League, and two in friendlies.
Rocky start to year
Türkiye kicked off 2024 with four friendlies in March, struggling to find form.
They lost 1-0 to Hungary and suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat against Austria.
Subsequent matches against Italy and Poland ended in a 0-0 draw and a 2-1 loss, respectively.
In these games, Türkiye conceded nine goals while scoring only twice.
Journey to remember
Türkiye achieved a historic quarterfinal finish in EURO 2024.
Competing in Group F, they began with a 3-1 win over Georgia but lost 3-0 to Portugal.
A 2-1 victory against the Czech Republic secured their place in the knockout stage.
In the round of 16, Türkiye defeated Austria 2-1 in a thrilling encounter.
However, their journey ended in the quarterfinals with a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands in Berlin.
With an average squad age of 25.8, Türkiye was the tournament’s second-youngest team, earning admiration for their dynamic play and spirited support.
Notably, Türkiye registered three wins in EURO 2024 – their best record in a single European Championship.
In comparison, they managed one win in EURO 2000 and two in EURO 2008, where they reached the semifinals.
Offensive prowess
Türkiye ended EURO 2024 as the fourth-highest scoring team with eight goals from five matches.
Seven different players contributed to this tally: Merih Demiral (2), Mert Müldür, Arda Güler, Kerem Aktürkoğlu, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Cenk Tosun, and Samet Akaydın.
Key players shine
Barış Alper Yılmaz and Ferdi Kadıoğlu stood out as the most reliable players, featuring in all five EURO 2024 matches and logging 450 minutes each.
Other key contributors included Kaan Ayhan (361 minutes) and Mert Günok (360 minutes).
Nations League near-miss
Türkiye’s UEFA Nations League journey began two months after EURO 2024.
Competing in Group 4 of League B alongside Wales, Iceland, and Montenegro, Türkiye secured notable victories over Iceland (3-1, 4-2) and Montenegro (1-0).
However, draws against Wales (0-0) and a 3-1 loss to Montenegro in the final match saw them finish second, missing direct promotion to League A.
Türkiye will now face Hungary in a playoff for a spot in League A.
The first leg is scheduled for March 20 at RAMS Park, with the return leg on March 23 in Budapest’s Puskas Arena.
Road to 2026
Türkiye’s path to the 2026 FIFA World Cup was set during the December draw in Zurich.
Placed in Group E, they will face formidable opponents, including the winner of the Nations League quarterfinal clash between the Netherlands and Spain, as well as Georgia and Bulgaria.
Emerging talent
In 2024, 14 players earned their first call-ups to the national team, highlighting a focus on youth development.
This group included Semih Kılıçsoy, Can Uzun, Ahmetcan Kaplan, and others poised to shape Türkiye’s football future.
Leadership change
The Turkish Football Federation (TFF) underwent a significant transition in 2024, with a new president elected during the July general assembly.
The change marks a fresh chapter in Turkish football governance.