Lilian Thuram evaluated the chances of the Turkish National Football Team in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, painting a hopeful picture for Turkey. The former French star noted that there are standout young players in the national team and that with the right team structure, they can go very far.
Thuram said he knows Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who plays for Inter, and considers him one of the best midfielders in the world. He also praised Arda Güler from Real Madrid and Kenan Yıldız, who has been prominent at Juventus.
Describing Kenan Yıldız as a very talented and young player, Thuram said players like him can cause problems for any defender. He emphasized that there are truly very good young players in the national team and expressed hope that Turkey will advance much further.
The experienced figure also reminded that it is always difficult to predict how far Turkey can go in the World Cup. Nevertheless, he said a good team can progress far in major tournaments, and Turkey has achieved this in the past.
Thuram pointed out that the third-place finish in the 2002 FIFA World Cup could provide significant confidence to the national team. He stated that this success created a belief among players that they can go even further.
Commenting on the French National Team, Thuram said the generation emerging in recent years is very high quality. He emphasized that coaches in France have done a good job developing new generations but added that having very good players alone does not guarantee winning the World Cup.
