Can Erozden
19 March 2021•Update: 19 March 2021
ANKARA
The Turkish national football team on Friday announced the 2022 FIFA World Cup European qualifiers squad for the matches against the Netherlands, Norway and Latvia in March.
Turkey will face the Netherlands in a Group G match on Wednesday, March 24 in Istanbul, then they will play against Norway on Saturday, March 27 in Malaga, Spain.
On March 30, Turkey will host Latvia in Istanbul.
The Turkish national team announced the squad for upcoming matches on Twitter.
Turkey squad:
Goalkeepers: Mert Gunok (Medipol Basaksehir), Ugurcan Cakir (Trabzonspor), Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahce), Gokhan Akkan (Caykur Rizespor)
Defenders: Zeki Celik (Lille), Nazim Sangare, Caner Erkin (Fenerbahce), Merih Demiral (Juventus), Ozan Kabak (Liverpool), Mert Muldur, Kaan Ayhan (Sassuolo), Caglar Soyuncu (Leicester City), Umut Meras (Le Havre)
Midfielders: Okay Yokuslu (West Bromwich Albion), Taylan Antalyali, Emre Kilinc (Galatasaray), Dorukhan Tokoz (Besiktas), Ozan Tufan, Irfan Can Kahveci (Fenerbahce), Orkun Kokcu (Feyenoord), Yusuf Yazici (Lille), Halil Akbunar (Goztepe), Hakan Calhanoglu (AC Milan), Deniz Turuc (Medipol Basaksehir)
Forwards: Burak Yilmaz (Lille), Enes Unal (Getafe), Kenan Karaman (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Cenk Tosun (Besiktas)
2 players to make national team debut
Galatasaray midfielder Taylan Antalyali and Goztepe winger Halil Akbunar will have the chance to play for their nation for the first time.
"I am very excited, happy and proud of representing my country in senior level," 26-year-old Antalyali said and thanked all people around him for their support.
Playing in the center of the park, Antalyali had 31 appearances to score one goal for Galatasaray this season.
Goztepe's Akbunar said that he is also happy to play for Turkey and wants to contribute to the national team in the best way.
He also thanked his family, coaches, teammates, and Goztepe fans for backing him.
Meanwhile Goztepe said on Twitter that the Super Lig club itself is happy and proud of Akbunar as the 27-year-old captain was invited to the Turkey squad.
Akbunar – a Goztepe player since 2012 – scored nine goals and produced 10 assists in 31 matches this season.
