Kenan Yildiz is out with an injury: Turkey fears for his World Cup place

Kenan Yildiz Juventus 2025

Kenan Yildiz has sustained a calf injury in Juventus training and will miss the final matchday of the Serie A season.

According to Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, Turkish international Yildiz will miss Juventus's final Serie A match against Torino as the club chases a Champions League spot. 

The winger is reported to have suffered a slight calf tear, though not a full rupture, and could be sidelined for roughly three weeks—an absence that might also affect his chances of featuring at the World Cup. 

With exactly three weeks to go, Turkey will kick off its World Cup campaign against Australia on 14 June. Yildiz is therefore in a race against time to prove his fitness. His inclusion in national coach Vincenzo Montella's final 26-man squad appears all but certain. The Italian coach has so far named 35 players, so he still has to cut nine players from the squad. Alongside Arda Güler, Yildiz is seen as one of Turkey's great hopes; in the World Cup group stage, Turkey will also face Paraguay (20 June) and the hosts, the USA (26 June). 

Kenan Yildiz Juventus DESKTOP

Kenan Yildiz has been honoured by Serie A

Kenan Yildiz has continued to impress in Turin as the season draws to a close. As a result, he has been named the Italian league's "Rising Star of the Season". 

The 21-year-old, born in Regensburg, came through Bayern Munich's youth setup but moved to Juventus's academy after failing to agree a contract extension. He quickly impressed and earned his first-team chance, which he seized. He has now made 28 senior appearances for Turkey, scoring five goals. 

Kenan Yildiz's statistics for the 2025–26 season: