World Cup Willys…
#40
Turkey
Football had been played in Turkey since at least the start of the 20thCentury mostly among British merchants & sailors, the Turks themselves, by laws of the old Ottoman Empire, were forbidden from participation…
“…An illustration of how seriously this was taken can be seen in an incident from 1901 - A group of Turkish would-be players founded a Club, which they gave an English name, ‘The Black-Stockings’ -Their very first Game was halted by the Police & a number of players were arrested…”
Before the ‘D’
By 1923, however, it’s all mercifully O.K & the Turkish National Team is finally ready for their initial taste of International Football…
Legendary Skipper…
Zeki
—GOL !!
…registering the Turks very first International Goal ever in a terrific Two-All-Draw with Romania in Istanbul…
(…Oh, he goes & registers their second as well…)
*—O da gidip bir tane daha almis !!
5
*—’ee’s only gone & got another !!
Turkey’s
World Cup Report…
Tournaments: 3
13 6 1 6 23 22 19
P W D L G+ G- Pts
( 2002 )
Finest Finish: 3rd
World Cup Rating…
B+
While much is remembered about the Country’s famous run to the Semi-Finals a number of tournaments ago, less is known of their tumultuous debut campaign of ‘54 in which the Turks most unfortunately find themselves in the same group as the soon to-be Finalists, Hungary & West Germany giving both a run for their monies whilst stuffing 7 past sorry old South Korea…
