Türkiye and Belgium have confirmed their starting lineups for Thursday’s UEFA Nations League League A encounter at Gürsel Aksel Stadium in İzmir. Arda Güler and Kevin De Bruyne headline two attacking teams looking for an important result in Matchday 5.
The November 12 meeting carries significant importance for both sides, particularly Belgium, who are attempting to keep their hopes of reaching the Nations League quarter-finals alive.
Türkiye will have home support behind them, but Belgium arrive with considerable attacking quality and the advantage of winning the previous meeting between the teams. Both managers have selected experienced players for an encounter that could have a major impact on Group A1.
Türkiye vs Belgium Confirmed Lineups
Both teams will use a 4-2-3-1 formation, creating an interesting tactical contest in midfield and across the attacking areas.
Türkiye confirmed starting XI (4-2-3-1):
Uğurcan Çakır; Zeki Çelik, Ozan Kabak, Merih Demiral, Ferdi Kadıoğlu; Salih Özcan, Hakan Çalhanoğlu; Oğuz Aydın, Arda Güler, Barış Alper Yılmaz; Deniz Gül.
Belgium confirmed starting XI (4-2-3-1):
Senne Lammens; Timothy Castagne, Nathan Ngoy, Brandon Mechele, Maxim De Cuyper; Nicolas Raskin, Youri Tielemans; Dodi Lukébakio, Kevin De Bruyne, Jérémy Doku; Charles De Ketelaere.
The selection of Arda Güler in an advanced midfield position gives Türkiye an important creative option. His ability to find spaces between defensive lines could create problems for Belgium’s back four.
Belgium have also selected an experienced attacking combination. De Bruyne will operate behind De Ketelaere, with Doku and Lukébakio providing pace and width.
Türkiye vs Belgium Match Details
- Competition: UEFA Nations League
- Stage: League A, Group 1
- Matchday: 5
- Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026
- Venue: Gürsel Aksel Stadium, İzmir, Türkiye
- Kick-off: 5:00 PM UTC (6:00 PM CET)
- Referee: Sandro Schärer
- Türkiye formation: 4-2-3-1
- Belgium formation: 4-2-3-1
Arda Güler Leads Türkiye’s Attacking Plans
Arda Güler is one of the most important players to watch for Türkiye following his impressive performances at club level.
The Real Madrid midfielder offers creativity, technical ability and an eye for goal. His passing range allows him to create opportunities from central positions, while his movement makes him difficult to track around the penalty area.
Türkiye will expect Güler to connect the midfield with the forward line. His combination with Barış Alper Yılmaz and Oğuz Aydın could be particularly important when the hosts attempt to break through Belgium’s defensive structure.
Hakan Çalhanoğlu also brings valuable experience to the midfield. His passing, long-range shooting and set-piece ability give Türkiye another source of attacking threat.
Deniz Gül has been selected as the central forward, meaning his movement and finishing will be important if Türkiye are to take advantage of the chances created by their attacking midfielders.
Kevin De Bruyne Returns to Belgium’s Starting XI
Kevin De Bruyne is a major addition to Belgium’s starting lineup. The experienced midfielder provides the vision and passing ability required to unlock compact defensive formations.
His partnership with Youri Tielemans should help Belgium control possession and create opportunities through the middle of the pitch.
Jérémy Doku is another important attacking option. His acceleration, dribbling and ability to beat defenders in one-on-one situations could make him a difficult opponent for Türkiye’s full-backs.
Charles De Ketelaere will lead the attacking line, offering intelligent movement and the ability to link up with the players behind him.
Dodi Lukébakio adds another direct attacking threat from the right side. Belgium’s attacking structure gives De Bruyne several options when looking to deliver passes into dangerous areas.
Türkiye Team News: Kenan Yıldız Among Major Absentees
Türkiye have several selection concerns heading into this Nations League encounter.
Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız is unavailable because of a metatarsal fracture. His absence removes an important attacking option who can provide individual creativity and goal-scoring ability.
Defender Abdülkerim Bardakcı is suspended, while Adil Demirbağ has been dealing with a serious knee injury.
The absence of these players makes the selection of Ozan Kabak and Merih Demiral particularly important. Both defenders will be expected to provide defensive stability against Belgium’s attacking movement.
Zeki Çelik and Ferdi Kadıoğlu will also have important responsibilities, especially when dealing with the pace of Doku and Lukébakio.
Belgium Team News: De Bruyne and Tielemans Strengthen Midfield
Belgium have received a significant boost with the return of De Bruyne and Tielemans after their previous suspension.
However, they remain without several important players. Romelu Lukaku is unavailable with a muscle problem, while Amadou Onana is recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.
Roméo Lavia is also suspended for the match.
These absences reduce Belgium’s midfield and attacking depth, but the presence of Raskin, Tielemans and De Bruyne still gives manager Mark van Bommel a technically strong midfield combination.
The selection of Lammens in goal also provides Belgium with an opportunity to continue building experience around their defensive unit.
Türkiye vs Belgium: Recent Form and Previous Meeting
Belgium have enjoyed the better results in their recent meetings with Türkiye.
The Red Devils recorded a convincing 3-0 victory over Türkiye on October 2, 2026, in their earlier Nations League encounter.
That result will give Belgium confidence, although playing away in İzmir presents a different challenge.
Türkiye have struggled defensively during the current group campaign. Their recent defeats against Italy and Belgium exposed problems when opponents attack quickly and exploit spaces behind the defensive line.
Belgium also suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against France on October 5. That result demonstrated that the visitors are not without defensive weaknesses.
Both teams therefore enter this fixture with something to prove.
Why This Match Matters in UEFA Nations League Group A1
The November international window is particularly important because teams are approaching the decisive stage of the League A group campaign.
Belgium need a positive result to improve their position in the race for the quarter-finals. Having already lost ground to France and Italy, another disappointing performance could make qualification considerably more difficult.
Türkiye, meanwhile, are looking to improve their results and finish the group campaign strongly.
The hosts will be encouraged by playing in front of their own supporters, but they must improve their defensive organization to compete against Belgium’s technically gifted attackers.
The result could also influence the battle to avoid relegation from League A, adding further importance to the encounter.
Türkiye vs Belgium Prediction
Belgium enter the match with a stronger recent head-to-head record and considerable attacking experience. De Bruyne’s creativity, Doku’s pace and Tielemans’ midfield quality give the visitors several ways to create scoring opportunities.
Türkiye should not be underestimated, particularly with Güler and Çalhanoğlu available to influence the game. Their home advantage could also help them produce a more competitive performance than they managed in the previous meeting.
However, Belgium’s attacking depth and ability to exploit defensive spaces make them a difficult opponent for the hosts.
Türkiye will need to remain organized and avoid giving De Bruyne too much time on the ball. If Belgium establish control in midfield, they could create enough opportunities to secure another important victory.
Our prediction: Türkiye 1-2 Belgium.
