Arda Güler leads Türkiye's generation to return to the World Cup

Young attacking midfielder Arda Güler will be Türkiye's main reference in its return to the World Cup after more than two decades. The team debuts in Group D this Saturday, against Australia, at BC Place, in Vancouver.

Despite good recent campaigns in European competitions, Turkey has not played in a World Cup since 2002, when it reached the semi-finals. At that time, Güler wasn't even born, but now, at 21 years old, he takes on the responsibility of commanding the offensive sector of one of the most football-loving teams on the planet.

Coach Vincenzo Montella does not hide his admiration for the talent of his number 10.

"He has talent, intuition and great reading of the game. He knows when to slow down, when to speed up his actions and he also knows how to score goals. He has an innocent face, but he is very intelligent", said the coach.

"He is a high-level player and knows how to deal with pressure."

Physical concern
Despite the trust placed in Güler, there is concern regarding his physical condition. The midfielder suffered a muscle injury in the final part of the season with Real Madrid, a problem that kept him away from the Spanish team's crucial commitments.

His participation in the friendlies against North Macedonia and Venezuela helped to reduce fears, but the challenge promises to be complicated. Turkey will face a World Cup-experienced Australia, who reached the round of 16 at Qatar 2022 before being eliminated by champions Argentina.

In addition, the Australians arrive fueled by the experience accumulated in consecutive participations in the tournament, while the Turks return to the biggest stage in world football for the first time in 24 years.

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Source: CNN