Players born in 2005 appear to represent a golden generation for the Turkish national team. Kenan Yildiz has already become a star at Juventus, Arda Guler has taken on major responsibility at Real Madrid, and Can Uzun has made a flying start to the season with Eintracht Frankfurt. While these No10s seem tailor-made for head coach Vincenzo Montella’s system, there is also a No9 from the same generation ready to convert their assists into goals: Semih Kilicsoy.
The last time Türkiye featured at a FIFA World Cup™, in 2002, none of these four players were even born. That tournament remains historic for the nation, claiming third place after defeating co-hosts Korea Republic in the play-off. Now, in their bid to return to the global stage, Montella’s side must navigate UEFA Play-off Path C. They will face Romania at Besiktas Park in Istanbul on 26 March, with a potential final against the winner of Slovakia versus Kosovo.
A rapid rise
Since late December, Kilicsoy has been impossible to ignore. Having joined Cagliari on loan from Besiktas in August 2025, he began starting regularly in Serie A less than two months ago after initially appearing from the bench. Already captain of Türkiye’s U-21 side and widely regarded as a prodigious talent, the striker quickly seized his opportunity.
A stunning, curling effort from outside the area against Pisa secured his place in the starting line-up, and he followed it up with a goal against Torino that could contend for the FIFA Puskas Award. Collecting the ball in his own half, he surged forward on a remarkable solo run, showcasing his full repertoire. Combining composed dribbling with a natural striker’s instinct, Kilicsoy pairs close control in tight areas with physical strength and powerful finishing off either foot.
His strike against Torino was voted Serie A Goal of the Month for December, but the young Turkish forward was far from finished. During Cagliari’s run of three consecutive victories, including a win over Yildiz’s Juventus, he scored with a header against Fiorentina before producing a spectacular acrobatic effort against Hellas Verona that quickly became known as the “Semih-rovesciata”, which is far from its “generous” meaning in Turkish.
Cagliari sporting director Guido Angelozzi has even compared him to German legend Gerd Muller for his playing style and powerful build. “We would be crazy not to buy him – his potential is extraordinary. Montella told us he is a very interesting player,” Angelozzi said ahead of a clash with Roma.
Montella’s faith
At 18 years, nine months and 20 days, Kilicsoy made his senior international debut against Italy under Montella, who later included him in the squad for UEFA EURO 2024, where he made a brief appearance in the round of 16. Since then, the forward has focused on leading the U-21 side as captain while awaiting further opportunities. This week, Montella travelled to Cagliari to watch him closely, revealing that he has maintained regular contact with head coach Fabio Pisacane to monitor his development in Italy.
“He has made incredible improvements in the last two months,” Montella told Italian newspaper Il Messaggero. “Now he must maintain that balance to continue improving. He’s very technical, and he has a goalscoring instinct. He needs greater consistency throughout matches, but I’ve seen him focused and motivated.” Montella previously brought the best out of a striker with a similar profile in Mario Balotelli at Adana Demirspor.
While Balotelli stands significantly taller than the 1.78m Kilicsoy, both share physical presence with their back to goal, as well as an extraordinary shot and the ability to outrun opponents at their own pace. With creative talents such as Yildiz, Guler and Uzun supplying ammunition, Montella’s Türkiye are nurturing a generation brimming with promise – and facing equally high expectations. The mission to return to the World Cup appears tailor-made for them.
