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The Türkiye National Football Team endured a night to forget in Konya, suffering a heavy 6-0 defeat against Spain in their second match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers (Group E).
The loss marked Türkiye’s first in the group stage, while Spain secured their second straight victory.
Spain wasted no time asserting dominance. Pedri opened the scoring in the 6th minute, followed by Mikel Merino doubling the lead in the 22nd.
On the stroke of half-time, Merino struck again to send La Roja into the break with a commanding 3-0 lead.
The second half brought no relief for the hosts. Merino completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute, while Ferran Torres added another goal just minutes later.
Pedri closed the scoring in the 62nd, sealing a comprehensive 6-0 win for the visitors.
Türkiye’s first-choice goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir had a night to forget, conceding six goals against Spain.
Across the opening two qualifiers, he has now conceded eight times (two against Georgia, six against Spain), raising concerns over his form at the international level.
The criticism comes just months after his record-breaking transfer from Trabzonspor to Galatasaray in the summer of 2025. The move made headlines as the most expensive transfer in Super Lig history: €27.5 million ($32,23 million) net fee, rising to €36 million with tax and bonuses. With that price tag, expectations have been immense.
Despite having 49% possession and producing 11 total shots, Türkiye failed to create clear opportunities.
Manager Vincenzo Montella’s tactical setup drew criticism as the home side rarely threatened Spain’s defense and struggled to cope with their relentless tempo.
With this result, Spain climbed to the top of Group E with 6 points from two matches, while Türkiye remained on 3 points. In the third round of fixtures, Spain will host Georgia, while Türkiye faces a crucial trip to Bulgaria.
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