The Anthem
İstiklal Marşı (Independence March)
▶ Listen on YouTube ↗“Korkma! Sönmez bu şafaklarda yüzen al sancak… / Fear not!…”
Written by poet Mehmet Akif Ersoy, who refused payment and dedicated it to the nation.
The Legends
Names that echo
Hakan Şükür
Forward · 1990s–2000s
Türkiye's record scorer; netted the fastest goal in World Cup history in 2002.
Rüştü Reçber
Goalkeeper · 1990s–2000s
The eye-black-wearing keeper who was a wall in 2002.
Arda Turan
Midfielder · 2000s–10s
Atlético and Barcelona playmaker; the artist of his generation.
Fun Facts
Worth knowing
- 01
Hakan Şükür scored just 11 seconds into Türkiye's 2002 third-place match — the fastest goal in World Cup history.
- 02
Türkiye straddles two continents, with Istanbul famously sitting in both Europe and Asia.
- 03
The country officially changed its international name from 'Turkey' to 'Türkiye' in 2022.
At the World Cup
The story so far
Türkiye's World Cup story is concentrated in one golden burst: a stunning run to third place in 2002, bookended by appearances in 1954 and a long-awaited return in 2026.
Bronze and a record
Türkiye finished third — its best-ever result — and scored the fastest goal in World Cup history along the way.
Group Stage