Turkey, a perennial dark horse sports betting pick at major tournaments, enter the 2026 World Cup with a mix of seasoned veterans and ascendant young talents.
It’s a squad capable of surprising a few people, particularly in the relatively easy Group D - their opponents this summer are the United States, Australia and Paraguay.
What is the average salary for Turkey players?
Only eleven of the 26 players in Turkey World Cup squad are playing overseas. The average wage of starters in the top tier of Turkish football is around £18,000 per week, but there several members of the World Cup squad will be on considerably more.
Then there’s the small matter of the salaries for the players plying their trade abroad. Players at Inter, Real Madrid, and Juventus could drag the squad average up towards £35,000 per week.
Who are the top earning players for Turkey?
Merih Demiral and Hakan Çalhanoğlu are in the £200,000 per week range. Demiral is playing for Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League, while Çalhanoğlu has spent most of his prime with Inter.
Arda Güler is on approximately £90,000 per week. Zeki Çelik was on less than £50,000 per week at Roma, but will be on over £100,000 when he signs a deal as a free agent this summer.
How much does the Turkey manager earn?
Vincenzo Montella earns an average salary of around £2 million as Turkey manager. Previously manager at Fiorentina, Milan, and Sevilla, Montella has won just shy of 60% of his matches since taking on the Turkey job.
The Italian led the Crescent-Stars to their first World Cup appearance since 2002. Expectations are high for this summer’s tournament.
