Hakan Çalhanoğlu

Analysis: Calhanoglu generated some of Turkiye's most dangerous chances of the match, testing the goalkeeper in both halves while racking up five shots, including two on target, and handling half of the team's corner kicks over the full 90 minutes as one of the primary set-piece specialists. Australia's compact midfield unit stayed glued to him throughout the contest, constantly closing space and preventing him from controlling the tempo the way he regularly does for Inter Milan, leaving his distribution far less impactful than Turkiye needed. The captain heads into the World Cup as one of the tournament's most accomplished midfielders after capturing his second Serie A title in three seasons with Inter.

Jun 13, 2026

Starting against Australia

Calhanoglu (calf) is in the starting XI for Saturday's World Cup matchup versus Australia.

Analysis: Calhanoglu has been selected as expected and should feature as one of the most complete contributors for Turkiye. However, coach Vincenzo Montella has said the Inter Milan player is not ready to go the full 90 minutes, so it remains to be seen how long he'll stay on the field, with Salih Ozcan available as a backup option. In any case, Calhanoglu will hold significant all-around value thanks to his offensive talent and heavy involvement in passes and set pieces.

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