Key facts
- Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu believes his team is more talented than Australia and will dominate their World Cup match.
- Calhanoglu's comments were made ahead of Turkey's first World Cup appearance since 2002.
- Australia midfielder Aiden O'Neill stated his team is ready and also possesses quality players.
- Turkish manager Vincenzo Montella expressed interest in some of Australia's techniques.
Turkey captain Hakan Calhanoglu expressed strong confidence in his team's abilities ahead of their World Cup match against Australia, stating that Turkey possesses more talent and will dominate the game. This marks Turkey's return to the World Cup for the first time since 2002.
Calhanoglu, a 32-year-old midfielder who recently won a Serie A championship with Inter Milan, commented on Friday that his team's superior qualities would lead to a dominant performance against Australia at BC Place. He added, "So we will see (Saturday) what happens."
Australia, participating in its sixth consecutive World Cup and having reached the knockout stage in 2022, responded to Calhanoglu's remarks. Midfielder Aiden O'Neill stated, "He’s allowed to have his own opinion. We’ve got quality players on our team, too, so we’re ready."