Turkey stunned after World Cup exit sparks blame game

Turkey’s early elimination from the 2026 World Cup has triggered a wave of anger and soul-searching at home. One day after the national team went out, the country’s media and social networks were still processing the collapse, following a 1-0 loss to Paraguay in the second group-stage match that left Turkey with no chance to reach the knockout round.

Coach Vincenzo Montella has taken much of the criticism, after arriving with high expectations. Veteran commentator Ahmet Cakar said, “From this moment on, nothing in Turkish football will be the same. We said we would reach the final, and in the end we did not even score a goal. I would send Vincenzo Montella home to Italy today on the first flight. But the important thing is what happens next. This is a trauma, a severe trauma.”

Not everyone called for a purge. Former coach Senol Gunes, who led Turkey to its best World Cup finish in 2002, backed Montella and said the coach tried to do his best. “He is responsible and he is the one who will give the answers,” Gunes said. “We know the players are sad, but there is nothing to do. We need to learn lessons and do better. We should not beheading or blaming anyone, but find the right way with different and new ideas.” He also said the team had done enough to earn higher expectations, but its level was not sufficient.

The biggest individual target has also been Arda Guler. The Real Madrid forward arrived under huge pressure, but finished Turkey’s two matches without a goal or assist, drawing sharp criticism. On Fotospor, one headline asked, “Where did Arda Guler go? Did a double replace him?” Turkish fans also highlighted the scale of the failure, saying they could not believe the team returned home empty-handed. One disturbing statistic has become a symbol of the collapse: Turkey took 62 shots in its first two matches and scored none.