Turkey's long World Cup wait set to end with Australia showdown

Montella urges calm heads as a long-awaited World Cup return finally becomes reality

FIFA World Cup 2026 - Turkey Training - Killarney Park, Vancouver, Canada - June 12, 2026 Turkey's Orkun Kokcu with teammates during training REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

Turkey coach Vincenzo Montella want his players to keep their emotions in check and make the country proud when they play their first World Cup match in 24 years against Australia in Vancouver on Saturday.

Turkey have not appeared at a World Cup finals since finishing third at the 2002 tournament, and Montella told a media conference on Friday they had to avoid being overwhelmed by the occasion.

"This is the day before something that we have been waiting for 24 years, we are very emotional and we trust we are going to do well," he said.

"We know how many challenges there are in the World Cup, but we want to enjoy it and we want to be proud, and we want to make our nation proud of us.

"The first game is always the more important, even though it's not the one that decides the final results because you can gain points in future games, but of course, I think of this game as a game that is going to be important and that is going to help in the future path of our team."

The 51-year-old said the current crop of players, who will also take on the United States and Paraguay in Group D, were not to blame for the fact that Turkey had failed to reach the finals in more than two decades.

"I like telling my players that our success, it's not their fault that Turkey was not at the World Cup for 24 years, but they can be proud that we can be here again after 24 years and now they need to be playing at their best, give the game their all and just avoid thinking about the other stuff," he added.

For Montella, the key will be in staying focused in the first group game and getting off to a good start.

"There is so much enthusiasm and so much expectation that it (the game) is important for our players. I would like them to go out on the field and play with their own strengths with their own abilities - I don't want them to be under the weight of the emotional part," he said.

"I know that, when they play together but are feeling free and happy and without worrying too much, that's when they give their best."