Comments from world-renowned football legends Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız

Christian Karembeu and Pavel Nedved, legendary figures who left their mark on world football, spoke on a range of topics, from the Turkish National Football Team's World Cup journey to the performances of national stars Arda Güler and Kenan Yıldız.

Karembeu, one of the legendary names of French football, and Nedved, the former Czech star who made his mark on European football with Juventus and Lazio, answered questions from an AA correspondent following the draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers play-off stage at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland.

Speaking about 20-year-old national footballer Arda Güler, who plays for Real Madrid, Karembeu said, "Arda Güler is a fantastic player. We know his talent as a young player, and he is showing the world what he can do."

Expressing his admiration for Arda's style, Karembeu said:

"Of course, whenever he takes to the pitch in the Real Madrid shirt, he plays very well and puts in a great performance. Real Madrid are very pleased with him. We need players like Arda Güler."

Commenting on the Turkish national team's draw against Romania in the play-off semi-finals and their potential match against the winner of the Slovakia-Kosovo tie if they reach the final, Karembeu said, "The Turkish national team has very talented players. Turkey can qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and they should be there."

"Kenan Yıldız is a fantastic player."

Czech player Nedved, who transferred to Juventus after his successes with Lazio in Italy and became one of the Italian team's legends, said of the 20-year-old national team footballer wearing the Juventus jersey, "Kenan Yıldız is a fantastic player. In a word, he's brilliant. He is talented and still very young; he will definitely be much better in the future."

Speaking about the Turkish national team's chances of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by passing the play-off stage, Nedved said: "I know the Turkish national team very well. They're fantastic. I know Fatih Terim from his time in Saudi Arabia. I know everything about Turkish football. It's a very good team, and I believe we'll see Turkey in the United States."