Turkey's Hakan Calhanoglu is confident of his sides’ quality and talent going into the FIFA World Cup 2026. | Photo Credit: AP

Turkey is back in the World Cup for the first time since 2002 and, despite the long absence, captain Hakan Calhanoglu has made some bulletin-board worthy comments about his team’s first opponent.

“I think we will dominate (Saturday) the game, because we have more qualities and a more talented team,” Calhanoglu said Friday of Australia, Turkey’s opponent at BC Place. “So, we will see (Saturday) what happens.”

Turkey has had its share of continental success throughout much of this century but did not qualify for the past five World Cups. Australia is playing in its sixth consecutive World Cup and advanced to the knockout stage in Qatar in 2022.

“He’s allowed to have his own opinion,” Australia midfielder Aiden O’Neill said Friday about Calhanoglu’s comments. “We’ve got quality players on our team, too, so we’re ready.”

Calhanoglu, a 32-year-old midfielder who won a Serie A championship this season with Inter Milan, and Turkish manager Vincenzo Montella also complimented the Socceroos.

“I would like to use some of their techniques because I think they are interesting techniques,” Montella said.

Published on Jun 13, 2026