Degenek: Pressure on Turkey in World Cup Opener

Australian defender Milos Degenek believes the weight of expectation will rest squarely on Turkey's shoulders in their opening Group D match, as the nation returns to the World Cup stage after a 24-year absence.

While the Turkish national team is a regular fixture at European Championships, they have only participated in the World Cup twice – making their debut in 1954 and famously securing bronze medals in 2002. Australia, in contrast, boasts five consecutive World Cup appearances, reaching the Round of 16 in two of those tournaments.

"I think there's a lot of pressure within the Turkish camp because they haven't been to a World Cup since 2002. There's a lot of hope and a lot of pressure on them, but we are certainly ready for that," stated the Apoel Nicosia defender.

Milos Degenek, who was part of Australia's squads in 2018 and 2022, believes accumulated experience could be a decisive factor. "I think these are 26 players who have never played in a World Cup for Turkey. In our squad, we have nine players with World Cup experience, so we have a slight advantage in that regard... They obviously have experienced players who play at a top level for the best teams in the world... I'm saying we have a bit more experience in terms of tournament football with the national team," Degenek explained.

Australia will kick off their Group D campaign against Turkey on Sunday in Vancouver, with Paraguay and hosts USA completing their group stage opponents.