Türkiye’s national football team made history in Sofia on Saturday night, defeating Bulgaria 6-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers to claim their first-ever away victory over their Balkan neighbors.
The dominant win at Vasil Levski National Stadium marked Türkiye’s biggest triumph under Italian coach Vincenzo Montella and their most lopsided victory over Bulgaria in history.
In their previous 10 meetings – seven friendlies and three official games – Türkiye had never beaten Bulgaria, suffering heavy losses, including two 5-1 defeats. Tuesday’s result ended that streak in emphatic fashion.
The victory lifted Türkiye to second place in Group E of the FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers with six points, overtaking Georgia, who fell 2-0 to Spain in Madrid.
Spain leads the group with three wins from three matches, while Bulgaria remains bottom without a point. Türkiye will next face Georgia in Kocaeli on Oct. 14.
Striker Kenan Yıldız led the charge with two goals, marking his first brace for the national team and bringing his international tally to four goals in 24 appearances.
Rising star Arda Güler added another, scoring his sixth goal in a Turkish shirt. Captain Hakan Çalhanoğlu celebrated a milestone of his own – his 100th appearance for the national team – with a commanding midfield performance and an emotional post-match statement.
“It’s not easy to reach 100 caps,” Çalhanoğlu said after the match. “Before the game, I asked my teammates for one thing – a victory. They didn’t disappoint. I’m so proud of this team. Our goal is the World Cup. It won’t be easy, but if we keep this spirit, we can make it.”
Türkiye’s six-goal outburst was also historic: it was the team’s seventh-largest winning margin ever. Previously, they had recorded 7-0 wins over San Marino, South Korea, and Syria, and 6-0 victories over Lithuania, Gibraltar, and Kazakhstan.
For Montella, the game represented a breakthrough moment. His squad, which had previously beaten Latvia 4-0 in Konya, found another gear in Sofia, combining tactical discipline with relentless attacking play.
“We started well and took an early lead, but we lost rhythm after the first goal,” Montella said in his post-match press conference.
“At halftime, we made tactical adjustments to open up the game. The players responded perfectly. Scoring six goals was crucial – not just for confidence, but also for goal difference in the group.”
The Italian coach also apologized to Bulgarian fans for his team’s enthusiastic celebration after the sixth goal, saying, “We didn’t mean to disrespect anyone, but scoring six was very important for us.”
Montella praised his players for a series of personal milestones. Defender Zeki Çelik scored his first-ever goal in an official match for the national team, while Yıldız recorded his first brace.
“It was also our captain’s 100th match, which makes this victory even more special,” he said. “We achieved many firsts tonight, but the biggest dream remains reaching the World Cup. We haven’t been there in years, and we won’t stop chasing that goal.”
He hinted at possible lineup changes for the next match, citing fatigue and the poor field conditions in Sofia: “The pitch made it hard to keep balance. Some players gave everything and might need rest. But what we showed today is that our depth and competition level are very strong.”
Bulgaria’s coach, Aleksandar Dimitrov, admitted his team was outclassed. “Türkiye played very well and were extremely effective in attack,” he said. “The own goal broke our spirit, and we couldn’t recover. They fully deserved the win.”
The Turkish victory ended a decadeslong drought against Bulgaria and reignited hopes for a long-awaited World Cup return. As Çalhanoğlu summed up, “We have big dreams – and tonight showed we’re on the right path.”
