Turkey National Team to Play 635th Match
The Turkish National Football Team will play its 635th match in a UEFA Nations League B Group clash against Iceland. Throughout its 101-year history, Turkey has played 634 matches, winning 247, drawing 149, and losing 238 (with one victory awarded by forfeit).
Turkey’s 635th match will take place tomorrow against Iceland, away from home. Out of the 634 matches, 349 were official and 285 were friendly. The team has scored 865 goals, conceding 906 in the process. Turkey has faced 91 different national teams in its history, playing 550 matches against European teams, 34 against Asian teams, 24 against African sides, 23 against American teams, and 3 against Oceanian teams.
Forfeited Win Against Greece and Kosovo Match
Turkey’s sole forfeit victory came against Greece in a match played on November 17, 2015. Initially, the match ended 0-0, but six months later, FIFA ruled in Turkey’s favor, awarding them a 3-0 win due to Greece fielding an ineligible player.
In a friendly match on May 21, 2014, Turkey defeated Kosovo 6-1, but this result was not officially recognized since Kosovo was not a member of UEFA or FIFA at the time.
17th Match Under Montella’s Management
Turkey will play its 17th match under Italian coach Vincenzo Montella in the upcoming game against Iceland. Montella’s tenure began with three consecutive wins, but the team went on a five-game winless streak. Turkey eventually ended this streak with a win over Georgia in their first EURO 2024 match.
Montella has led the team in 16 matches (11 official, 5 friendly), achieving 8 wins, 3 draws, and 5 losses. The team has scored 23 goals and conceded 21 under his guidance. Montella’s debut match was a 1-0 away win against Croatia, followed by a 4-0 victory over Latvia and a 3-2 win against Germany. However, Turkey then drew 1-1 with Wales, before suffering their first defeat under Montella, losing 1-0 to Hungary. They later experienced a heavy 6-1 loss to Austria.
In preparation matches in June, Turkey played out a 0-0 draw against Italy and lost 2-1 to Poland. They began their EURO 2024 campaign with a 3-1 win over Georgia, but lost 3-0 to Portugal in their second group match. Turkey won their third match, defeating the Czech Republic 2-1, and advanced to the round of 16, where they beat Austria 2-1 to reach the quarterfinals. However, Turkey was knocked out after a 2-1 loss to the Netherlands.
In the 2024-2025 UEFA Nations League, Turkey drew 0-0 away against Wales in their opening match, then beat Iceland 3-1 in Izmir. Their most recent match saw them secure a 1-0 win against Montenegro in Samsun.
