Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Turkey will look to retain top position in Group G when they face Montenegro in a highly-anticipated World Cup qualifier. The Turks have been playing above expectations in the qualifiers for the showpiece tournament, but they need to keep on making progress if they are to secure a top-two finish. A man to watch in the home team will be new Inter ace Hakan Calhanoglu, while Lille veteran Buruk Yilmaz is widely expected to lead the line for the hosts.
The Montenegrins are eyeing their third win of the process as well, but seeing that they are not regarded as good travelers, we are tempted to put our money on Senol Gunes’ troops. Vukan Savicevic, Dino Islamovic, and Denis Hocko are all out of contention with injuries for the visiting team, while Vladimir Jovovic, Marko Bakic, and Aleksandar Boljevic have been left out of the squad.
Highlighted Player (Hakan Calhanoglu):
Hakan Calhanoglu is another one in the long line of Turkish footballers who were born in Germany, so it is hardly surprising he came to prominence thanks to his performances in Bundesliga. The attacking midfielder with great vision and very good goalscoring record started his professional career at Karlsruher, scoring impressive 17 goals in 50 league outings to earn a move to Bundesliga side Hamburg.
The spell at Imtech Arena was merely a stepping stone for bigger things as 11 goals in his debut top flight campaign persuaded Bayer Leverkusen to splash nearly €15 million on his services. That proved a very good investment as Calhanoglu continued the rich vein of form, and it is now a matter of time before he joins one of European powerhouses.
The midfield maestro had a bright start to his career in the Turkey national team, scoring 5 goals in first 16 caps, and chances are he will become a leader for Milli Takim in the foreseeable future.
Highlighted Team (Montenegro):
Montenegro is yet another former Yugoslavian republic. The Montenegrins declared their independence in 2006 and they played their first official match under the name of Montenegro in March, 2007. The Hrabri sokoli defeated Hungary in their first official game, with the team coming from behind to beat the Hungarians.
Serie A superstar Mirko Vucinic and Igor Burzanovic scored for Montenegro in the 2-1 triumph over Hungary. Montenegro national football team participated in the UEFA Euro 2012 playoffs and that is regarded as the team’s biggest success. The Hrabri sokoli faced Czech Republic in the double-header, but they eventually failed to book their place at the showpiece tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
Aforementioned attacker Mirko Vucinic is seen as one of the most famous footballers who played for the Montenegro national team, but we should mention former Manchester City ace Stevan Jovetic as well. Montenegro play their home games at Stadion Pod Goricom and they recorded their biggest win against San Marino (6-0) in September, 2012.