Turkey sets World Cup record with 62 shots and zero goals

Turkey's 2026 World Cup journey has come to an abrupt and disappointing end. Despite being touted as a potential dark horse with a squad featuring talents like Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, and Hakan Calhanoglu, the team failed to deliver on the biggest stage, exiting the tournament without finding the back of the net.

The statistics from their matches against Australia and Paraguay highlight a profound struggle in front of goal. The team registered 62 shots across these two games—a figure that, according to records dating back to 1966, represents the highest number of attempts by a team without scoring in a two-match span at the finals.

An analysis of their play reveals an over-reliance on long-range efforts, with over 50% of their shots originating from outside the box. Their expected goals (xG) total of 3.5 confirms that while they were volume-shooters, they were rarely creating high-quality chances. The persistent reliance on speculative efforts suggested a lack of tactical clarity as the tournament progressed.

Even when faced with a numerical advantage against Paraguay, after Miguel Almiron was sent off, Turkey could not break through. Following this historic underperformance, the future of manager Vincenzo Montella is under intense scrutiny, as the team's inability to convert pressure into goals became the defining narrative of their brief World Cup run.