Table of contents
The birth of Turkish football began with the establishment of the Football Association in 1923.
The Turkish national team made its World Cup debut in 1954.
Reaching the semifinals of the 2008 European Championship became a milestone for Turkish football.
The golden age of Hungary produced legendary stars like Puskás.
The mystery of the \Bern Miracle\ in the 1954 World Cup final.
The three pillars of contemporary Hungarian football revival plans.
Turkey shows signs of an unbalanced offensive and defensive performance in recent matches.
Yılmaz has become an indispensable anchor in the forward line.
Coach Rossi injects an Italian defensive philosophy into the Hungarian team.
Hungary's recent five matches display a capability not to falter against stronger opponents.
The 4-3-3 formation's strategy of parallel wing play in Turkey.
An attacking model combining precise through balls and flank assaults.
Hungary's double-layer defense builds a mobile fortress.
The iron triangle's division of labor in the midfield of the 4-2-3-1 formation.
An analysis of Szoboszlai's role as a magician.
Turkey's defense shows evident vulnerabilities in handling high balls.
In October 1923, The Turkish Football Federation was born amid the reforms of Kemal, and this country spanning Europe and Asia began systematically cultivating a football culture. Little known is that the first president of the federation, Salahaddin Rushdi, was the last Minister of Education of the Ottoman Empire, who infused the team building with the discipline learned from the Prussian military academy, a fierce spirit that still subtly influences the playing style of Turkish players.
The 2008 European Championship was a watershed moment; when Nihat scored a last-minute goal against Czech Republic in the 119th minute, the sound of horns echoed along the Bosporus Strait. This emotional bond that tightly connects football victory with national dignity explains why Turkish players can always unleash extraordinary energy in adversity. Current head coach Kuntz is attempting to integrate this spiritual trait with a modern tactical system, aiming to enhance tactical discipline while retaining passion.
The magical Magyars of the 1950s not only created a myth of 33 unbeaten international matches but also revolutionized football tactics with the WM formation. Puskás concealed passing magic in his seemingly heavy boots, accurate to the centimeter. Little known is that this legendary team trained in the outskirts of Budapest at the Szombathely Castle, where medieval architecture's narrow corridors inadvertently honed the players' small-area coordination skills.
Today, the Hungarian Football Association understands that youth training is the foundation of revival; they have established a 120-hectare football Silicon Valley in Székesfehérvár, adopting the sports science system of the Sports University of Cologne, Germany. Notably, local youth training emphasizes spatial awareness training, where young players must complete passing drills in a moving maze, and this unique training method is bearing fruit — the U21 team’s win rate against traditional strong teams has increased by 47% in the past three years.
Observing Turkey's last five matches, one can find that the defense in the two flanks is frequently exploited by opponents. Especially in the 3-2 defeat against Croatia, Modrić delivered several crucial through balls in this area. Interestingly, when Çalhanoğlu drops back to the defensive midfield position, the team's defensive error rate decreases by 28%, and this adjustment might become a key to breaking the deadlock.
The 38-year-old veteran Yılmaz maintains an impressive statistic of 3.2 touches in the penalty area per 90 minutes, with a successful back-to-goal play rate of 67%. However, young striker Dervişoğlu's growth has fallen below expectations, with a success rate of just 41% in contests, forcing the coach to frequently switch to a 4-4-2 formation to strengthen the connection in the forward line.
Italian coach Rossi brings not only the chain defense philosophy but also precise control of game tempo. Data shows that 38% of Hungary's goals occur in the last 15 minutes of matches, a counter-attacking trait vividly displayed in their 2-1 comeback against Serbia. Notably, when Szoboszlai appears in the right flank area, the team's expected goals increase by 0.42; this golden zone may become the key to breaking Turkey's defense.
The configuration of wing-backs under a three-center-back system is intriguing, where the abilities of Fiola and Nego to fly up and down allow for seamless transitions between 3-4-3 and 5-3-2 formations. However, high ball defense remains a vulnerability, and against Turkey's forward line with an average height of 185 cm, center-back Orban will need more support.
When both wing-backs advance simultaneously, the center Demiral will temporarily take on the role of a sweeper, forming a 3-2-5 attacking formation. This highly aggressive shift proved effective in their 2-1 victory over Wales but requires caution against quick opponent counter-attacks. Yıldız's inward-cutting route and Şenol's overlapping combinations have produced nine different variations, making this multidimensional attack a weapon to breach Hungary's defense.
The set-piece tactics conceal secrets; the 1.92-meter tall Demiral often lurks at the edge of the small box just as he jumps through the wall. This timing tactic has already netted three goals in this season's club matches, paired with Çalhanoğlu's knuckleball technique, it could become the clutch factor to break deadlock.
Faced with Turkey's high pressing, the Hungarian backline showcases remarkable passing ability — Orban's long pass success rate is as high as 81%. They excel at the three-line baiting strategy: first, they attract opponent forwards by passing among the defenders and suddenly use long passes to connect with the withdrawn Szoboszlai, who instantly turns to launch counterattacks. This fishing-style play was successful in creating two goals in a friendly match against France.
The double pivots of Adam Nagy and Kleinheisler form a mobile barrier, presenting a clear scissor-type distribution of intercepting areas. When the opponent advances from the left, Nagy proactively positions himself to create a local numerical advantage; if the attack comes from the right, Kleinheisler transforms into a sweeper role. This dynamic balance mechanism effectively compensates for the flanks' vacancies in the three-center-back system.
Turkey's Kokçu and Hungary's Szoboszlai will stage a post-00s talent derby. Kokçu's coverage of 7.3 kilometers every 90 minutes precisely can suppress Szoboszlai's preferred activity area on the right flank. However, the latter's newly developed skill of sudden stops and changes of direction may cost the Fenerbahçe youngster 2-3 fouls, making free kicks in this area exceptionally dangerous.
Yıldız's confrontation with Fiola is a classic clash of opposites. The Turkish winger's five dribbling techniques will challenge the preemptive interception system of Hungary's iron wall. Interestingly, they were teammates for half a year in Roma; this mutual understanding may result in unexpected tactical duels. When Yıldız uses his signature spin move, Fiola will anticipate and block the inward-cutting route, forcing the opponent to cross from the outside — which is exactly the style of attack that Hungary's defense excels in mitigating.
Kuntz's passionate on-field command will clash with Rossi's tactical adjustments. The German coach's preferred strategy of making three substitutions at the 60-minute mark might face targeted disassembly from the seasoned Italian manager. Of particular note is that Rossi's coaching team includes former Milan lab sports scientists, who bring real-time fitness monitoring systems capable of precisely capturing the physical threshold of Turkish players around the 75-minute mark.