Turkey’s disappointing exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup has highlighted one painful reality: the absence of Victor Osimhen’s goalscoring influence proved costly for a side packed with his Galatasaray teammates.
Vincenzo Montella’s men were eliminated after just two matches following a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay, despite enjoying overwhelming possession and creating numerous chances.
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Turkey’s inability to convert opportunities into goals became the defining story of their campaign, as they registered an astonishing 62 shots without scoring once across their opening two matches.
The unwanted record underlined how much the Turkish champions benefited from Osimhen’s presence during the domestic season.
A total of seven players linked to Galatasaray featured in Turkey’s World Cup squad, including Uğurcan Çakır, Abdülkerim Bardakcı, Eren Elmalı, Kaan Ayhan, Yunus Akgün and Barış Alper Yılmaz, while several members of the squad had spent the season operating alongside Osimhen in one of Europe’s most productive attacks.
However, when the pressure intensified on football’s biggest stage, Turkey lacked the clinical finisher capable of turning dominance into goals.
Against Australia in their opening match and Paraguay in their second outing, Turkey controlled possession for long periods, recording more than 70 percent possession in both games.
They also generated a higher expected goals figure than their opponents but failed to score.
The statistics became even more remarkable against Paraguay.
After Matias Galarza scored inside 64 seconds, Turkey spent most of the match camped in the Paraguayan half.
Their task appeared to become easier when Miguel Almiron was sent off before halftime, leaving Paraguay to play the entire second half with ten men.
Yet Turkey still could not find a breakthrough.
Mert Muldur struck the woodwork, Deniz Gül squandered a golden opportunity and several other efforts were denied by goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
By the final whistle, Turkey had accumulated 32 attempts in the match, adding to the 30 efforts they managed against Australia.
The result established the highest number of shots without a goal over any two-match World Cup span since records began in 1966.
For Galatasaray supporters, the numbers may reinforce the value Osimhen brought during his time in Istanbul.
The Nigerian striker built a reputation for converting difficult chances, attacking crosses aggressively and providing a constant penalty-box presence.
His movement often created space for teammates such as Barış Alper Yılmaz and Yunus Akgün, while his finishing regularly transformed dominant performances into victories.
Turkey’s World Cup campaign offered the opposite picture. The team controlled games, created opportunities and won territorial battles but lacked the ruthless edge required at elite international level.
Montella’s side arrived in North America with hopes of marking their first World Cup appearance in 24 years with a memorable run.
Instead, they became the first team eliminated from Group D, the second team in the competition after suffering consecutive defeats.
While Paraguay celebrated a dramatic victory that revived their qualification hopes, Turkey were left to reflect on a tournament where possession, chances and statistics counted for little without goals.
As the dust settles on their early exit, many observers will wonder whether the influence of a striker like Victor Osimhen was exactly what this talented Turkish side was missing when it mattered most.
