Vincenzo Montella’s Turkiye has successfully qualified for the World Cup play-off final after securing a 1-0 victory over Romania. However, this achievement comes with a significant setback as Inter Milan’s star midfielder, Hakan Calhanoglu, was forced off the field in the closing minutes due to a suspected calf injury.
The incident occurred around the 85th minute when Calhanoglu suffered the injury while attempting a long-range shot, leading to his substitution five minutes later. Initial assessments suggest the problem is with his left calf, the same area that sidelined him for over a month in January following an injury sustained during Inter’s home game against Napoli.
The full extent of Calhanoglu’s new injury remains unclear, putting his participation in Turkiye’s crucial World Cup play-off final in doubt. The team is scheduled to face either Kosovo or Slovakia next Tuesday.
Since the beginning of 2026, the 32-year-old has faced several fitness challenges, limiting him to just five Serie A appearances and causing him to miss six league matches due to various injuries.