• Turkey enjoy best ever start to World Cup qualifiers
• Sights set on return to biggest stage after 20 years
• We look at some key takeaways from their opening victories

The big question in Turkish football this week: is their national team set to return to the world stage after a 20-year absence? The early signs are certainly promising after the Crescent Stars kicked off their qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ with two wins from two to lead the way in a fiercely competitive Group G.­­

Pitted against three-time World Cup runners-up the Netherlands in their opening game at the Ataturk Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey threw down the gauntlet with a 4-2 win over a strong Oranje team.

Three days later, Senol Gunes’ side underlined their Qatar 2022 credentials with a resounding 3-0 win away to Norway, another of the group’s fancied sides. That victory was especially significant as Turkey had never before won their opening two games in a World Cup qualifying campaign.

Ahead of the team’s third fixture at home to Latvia tomorrow (Tuesday 30 March), hopes of a third World Cup appearance – and first in 20 years – are understandably high among the nation’s famously passionate football fans.

At Korea/Japan 2002, with star turns from the likes of Hasan Sas, Hakan Sukur and Ilhan Mansiz, Turkey stunned everyone by reaching the semi-finals, where they lost to the eventual winners Brazil. In the end, they took home the bronze medal with victory in the third-place game over co-hosts Korea Republic, memorable also for Sukur scoring the fastest goal in World Cup history after 11 seconds.

Gunes, who was also in charge of the team back in 2002, is now trying to shape a new generation of heroes with a mix of home-based and overseas talent. Ahead of the Norway game, his captain Burak Yilmaz showed how confident the team were when asked if they feared Erling Haaland: “We have great defenders and so fear no one. We’ve never been afraid of anyone.”

Key factors

Solidity: In their opening two games, the Turkish rearguard had to contain the offensive threat of players like Memphis Depay and Erling Haaland, two of the finest forwards in world football at present. However, with English Premier League players Ozan Kabak of Liverpool and Caglar Soyuncu of Leicester City alongside Kaan Ayhan of US Sassuolo, the Crescent Stars were able to hold their defensive line.

Ruthlessness: With seven goals in two games from just eight shots on target, Turkey have been ruthlessly effective up front. Gunes has plenty of top international players at his disposal, among them AC Milan’s Hakan Calhanoglu: “Turkish players are highly skilled but of course we can still improve in terms of our play and tactics,” said the coach. “However, it says a lot that only two players – Ozan Tufan and Ugurcan Cakir – from our starting line-up play in the Turkish league.”

Star quality: “I desperately want us to qualify for the World Cup,” captain Yilmaz said of their quest. The skipper clearly believes in leading by example after grabbing three of his side’s four goals against the Dutch. Then against Norway, it was the turn of Tufan to weigh in with two strikes of his own, reminding everyone that Turkey have numerous players who can win games with individual brilliance.

Turkey could not have wished for a better start on the road to Qatar 2022 and have laid the foundations for a return to football’s flagship event. If Yilmaz can continue to inspire and lead as he has been doing, then he and team-mates like Hakan Calhanoglu, Caglar Soyuncu and Tufan stand every chance of following in the footsteps of the heroes of 2002 and earning legendary status themselves.

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• Kyogo Furuhashi finished as Vissel Kobe’s top marksman last season
• Attacker admits that he has drawn inspiration from team-mate Andres Iniesta
• Aims to translate club form to international arena during Qatar 2022 campaign

If Kyogo Furuhashi’s performances with Vissel Kobe last season are anything to go by, it seems that the attacker is set to bloom on the international stage commencing with Japan’s 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar™ qualifier against Mongolia on Tuesday.

The player, deployed either as a winger or attacker, racked up 17 goals in all competitions with Vissel Kobe in 2020 which saw him finish as the team’s top-scorer. Notably, he was on target four times in his AFC Championship League debut helping Vissel storm all the way to last four.

His brilliant displays with Vissel didn’t go unnoticed as he recently received his call-up to the Japan squad from coach Hajime Moriyasu. This marks only his second international cap having joined Samurai Blue in the 2019 edition of the Kirin Cup. Having failed to find the back of the net two years ago, the in-form goal-getter was keen on breaking his international duck this time around.

“I am very happy to be selected into the national team once again,” the 26-year-old told FIFA.com. “I used to watch [the national team] on TV and now I am qualified to play for country [again]. I will try to push myself to score goals if I am given the chance to play. I want to do my best to help my team to a good result by scoring goals [against Mongolia].”

Breakthrough campaign

Born in Ikoma, Furuhashi cut his teeth with Chuo University team before joining FC Gifu in 2017. After spending a season with the then second-division side, he was swooped up by Vissel in 2018. It was with the Kobe-based side that he quickly made a name for himself. 

After a short acclimatisation in his first season, he exploded on to the local scene in 2019 grabbing 12 goals from 36 appearances. Notably, he netted twice in that year’s Emperor’s Cup, including sealing a 3-1 victory against Shimizu S-Pulse in the semi-final encounter. Vissel went on to down Kashima Antlers 2-0 in the final to win their first cup title and thus seal maiden AFC Champions League qualification. 

Despite having never played on the continental scene, the dynamic predator showed little stage fright. He scored in their 5-1 group-opening win against Johor Darul Ta’zim, before bagging the match-winner against Suwon Bluewings and also netting in a 3-1 win against two-time winners Guangzhou Evergrande. 

Furuhashi was done yet. He scored his fourth goal of the campaign by netting the leveller against Suwon in the last-eight clash as the Japanese won on penalties. 

Aside from the goals he accrued, it was the new experiences that Furuhashi cherished most. “It was unique feeling scoring in my AFC Champions League debut. The competition level was high and all the matches were hard-fought. It was learning process for the team, including me. 

“I am grateful for having the chance of playing football so far down the years. I have kept honing skills and accumulating experiences and that has stood me in good stead today. You keep doing what you can and you will earn your chance game after game. I think I have grown mentally in this regard.”

Partnership with Iniesta

Furuhashi’s move to Vissel coincided with the club’s eye-catching signing of Andres Iniesta in 2018. Inspired by the legendry Spanish playmaker and Vissel captain, Furuhashi made rapid progress establishing himself as the key man upfront. 

In fact, he has developed telepathic understanding with the former Barcelona midfield maestro and their partnership has become a familiar routine for Vissel. 

“I feel that I have a very good relationship with him,” he said. “If he moves with the ball, he [often] makes a pass to me. He sees me as a first option [to pass the ball to]. So I think I am trusted and I am confident to do my job well.” 

Looking ahead, Furuhashi voiced his ambitions to move his game to a higher level to repay those supporting him. “I wouldn’t have reached this level had it not been for great help and support from many people. And I also owe big thanks for my team-mates. What I can do is play well, convey courage, confidence and energy to all those watching us.”

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