Türkiye moved to the brink of ending their long World Cup absence on Thursday as Ferdi Kadıoğlu struck in the second half to seal a 1-0 playoff win over Romania, following a moment of brilliance from Arda Güler.
In a high-stakes encounter at Beşiktaş Park, the deadlock was broken in the 53rd minute when Real Madrid midfielder Güler produced a superb defense-splitting pass to pick out Kadıoğlu, who controlled and finished calmly to give the hosts the lead.
That proved decisive in a tight contest between two sides seeking a return to the World Cup after long absences, with Türkiye last appearing in 2002 and Romania in 1998.
Güler said the move had been discussed in the dressing room at halftime as Türkiye looked to break down Romania’s defensive block.
"We discussed the goal at the halftime break. I would get the ball and Ferdi would make a run into the penalty box. It happened exactly how we planned it," he told Turkish broadcaster TV8.
Türkiye grew in confidence after going ahead and came close to doubling their advantage shortly afterwards, with Juventus' Kenan Yıldız cutting in from the left and striking the crossbar with a superb curling effort.
Romania, who had kept the hosts at bay in a cautious first half, pushed forward in search of an equalizer but were unable to break through as Türkiye held firm to see out the victory.
The win sends Türkiye into the playoff final on March 31, where they will face Slovakia or Kosovo for a place at the 2026 World Cup.
Türkiye and Romania share long absences from the FIFA World Cup, with neither side having qualified since 2002 – a tournament that still defines Türkiye’s football identity after their historic third-place finish in Japan and South Korea ended a 48-year wait. That achievement, once seen as the beginning of a new era, instead became a distant reference point.
Now under Vincenzo Montella, Türkiye have rebuilt with clear intent, producing a strong qualifying campaign that saw them finish second behind Spain with 13 points. The team combines attacking quality with occasional defensive fragility, with key contributions from Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Arda Güler, Kenan Yıldız and Kerem Aktürkoğlu shaping their offensive threat.
