Turkiye's World Cup struggles continue with record 62 shots without a goal
Summary
Turkey (now Turkiye) has a historically poor World Cup record, with 2026 projected as only their third finals appearance since 2002. The team was eliminated after two defeats to Australia and Paraguay, producing a staggering 62 shots without scoring a single goal — the most fruitless attempts in any two-match World Cup span. The article also touches on the country's 2022 rebranding from Turkey to Turkiye, partly motivated by annoyance at the association with the bird.
Source
Key quotes
· 3 pulledTurkiye produced 32 attempts versus Paraguay and 30 fruitless shots versus Australia, totaling 62 shots without a goal, the most in any two-match World Cup span.
In 2022, Turkey adopted the name Turkiye after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said it best represents Turkish culture, civilization, and values.
A separate motive involved annoyance at the association with a bird, acknowledged even by state broadcaster TRT.
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