By Bosphorus News Sports Desk
Türkiye head coach Sergen Yalçın announced his first 26-man squad on November 6, leaving out Kerem Aktürkoğlu and İrfan Can Kahveci while recalling Berke Özer, Hakan Çalhanoğlu and Enes Ünal for the UEFA Nations League matches against Belgium and France.
Appointed on October 20, Yalçın has retained 19 players from September's 29-man squad under Vincenzo Montella. Ten previous selections are absent and seven players have been added. Türkiye enter the final two group matches without a point after four consecutive defeats in League A Group 1.
Kerem Left Out, Berke Returns
Aktürkoğlu is the most prominent omission. The forward had made 54 international appearances and scored 15 goals when the September squad was announced. Yalçın gave no individual explanation for leaving him out.
Other absentees include Samet Akaydin, Altay Bayındır, Okan Kocuk, Adil Demirbağ, Bartuğ Elmaz, Demir Ege Tıknaz and Melih Kabasakal. Goalkeeper Muhammed Şengezer was ruled out by injury.
Berke Özer returns alongside fellow goalkeepers Ersin Destanoğlu and Serhat Öztaşdelen. Defenders Ahmetcan Kaplan and Mustafa Eskihellaç are also among the additions.
Speaking at the Turkish Football Federation's (TFF) facilities in Riva, Yalçın said he had contacted Özer personally following earlier problems involving the national team. Those issues had been resolved, he said, and the goalkeeper was eager to represent Türkiye.
Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız will miss the fixtures through injury. According to Yalçın, the player wanted to join the squad despite his condition, but Juventus asked to continue his treatment in Italy. The Turkish coaching staff agreed.
Yalçın Plans a Different Attacking System
Yalçın confirmed that Türkiye will play with a recognised centre-forward and adopt a different system for the remaining Nations League fixtures.
Enes Ünal and Deniz Gül provide options in central attack. Aral Şimşir, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Oğuz Aydın and Yunus Akgün are also available in the forward line.
Yalçın said Arda Güler could play in his preferred position. The Real Madrid midfielder has been among Türkiye's regular selections throughout the campaign.
The coach also outlined a new artificial intelligence-supported player scouting and performance analysis system. Nine scouts watched 43 matches and produced 64 reports covering a pool of 50 players. Yalçın said the coaching staff would retain final control over selection.
He wants to develop a squad capable of qualifying for future European Championships and World Cups, with younger players gradually introduced alongside established internationals.
Four Defeats Leave Türkiye Facing Relegation
Türkiye have lost all four matches in the 2026/27 Nations League, scoring twice and conceding 11 goals.
France won 1-0 in Kocaeli before Italy secured a 4-1 victory in Bursa. Türkiye then lost 3-0 away to Belgium on October 2 and 3-1 to Italy in Bologna three days later.
Belgium visit İzmir's Gürsel Aksel Stadium on November 12, with France hosting Türkiye in Bordeaux on November 15.
UEFA's revised 2026/27 regulations provide for the two lowest-ranked fourth-placed teams across League A to be relegated directly to League B. The other two fourth-placed teams enter promotion and relegation play-offs against League B opponents.
Türkiye can still avoid direct relegation, but their minus-nine goal difference leaves them at a disadvantage in the overall rankings used to determine which fourth-placed teams survive.
Yalçın identified Belgium as the immediate priority and said he intends to start with physically fit players.
The squad will assemble at the TFF's Hasan Doğan National Teams Training and Education Facilities in Riva on November 9, with the first training session scheduled for that evening.
Türkiye's 26-Man Squad
Goalkeepers (4): Berke Özer, Ersin Destanoğlu, Serhat Öztaşdelen, Uğurcan Çakır.
Defenders (9): Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Ahmetcan Kaplan, Emirhan Topçu, Eren Elmalı, Ferdi Kadıoğlu, Merih Demiral, Mustafa Eskihellaç, Ozan Kabak, Zeki Çelik.
Midfielders (6): Arda Güler, Can Uzun, Hakan Çalhanoğlu, İsmail Yüksek, Orkun Kökçü, Salih Özcan.
Forwards (7): Aral Şimşir, Barış Alper Yılmaz, Deniz Gül, Enes Ünal, İlhan Fakılı, Oğuz Aydın, Yunus Akgün.
Sources: Turkish Football Federation, UEFA, Bosphorus News review and reporting.