Halil Dervişoğlu has been named in Turkey’s squad for a pair of vital upcoming qualification matches for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Turkey play Gibraltar on Saturday, 13 November, and then visit Montenegro next Tuesday, 16 November. Halil, who is currently on loan from Brentford to Galatasaray Spor Kulübü - in his home country, is part of the squad and will be looking to continue his record-equalling international form.

Turkey are in Group G of the European section of the World Cup qualifiers. They have taken 15 points from eight games and are third in the group. Netherlands lead the group and are four points ahead of Turkey. Norway are two clear and sit in second place. Each plays two games in the next eight days as they look to reach the tournament, being played in Qatar next year. Netherlands face Norway in the final match in the group.

Halil is starting to establish himself at international level and has earned himself seven caps. He played twice for Turkey in the delayed UEFA 2020 European Championships, held this summer. He has also scored two goals for his country, to earn himself a place in the Brentford FC record books.

Halil is one of only two players to have scored more than one international goal while on the books at Brentford. He scored on his debut against Azerbaijan and then against Gibraltar in September. Only Halil and Dai Hopkins, representing Wales, have scored twice for their countries and hold the joint Club Record.

Halil was a regular for Turkey’s Under-21s before his promotion to the full international squad. He scored five goals in three appearances for them last season and has eight goals in 13 games for his county overall. He can now add to his full international caps.

Halil joined The Bees from Sparta Rotterdam in early 2020. He made seven appearances for The Bees in his first half season in England, starting in two Emirates FA Cup ties against Stoke City and Leicester City. He played twice for The Bees last season between two loan spells – at FC Twente, in the Netherlands, and at Galatasaray– featuring in a Carabao Cup win at Southampton and scoring in an FA Cup win over Middlesbrough. He also played against Forest Green Rovers in the Carabao Cup in August before making another switch to Galatasaray, where he will spend the 2021/22 campaign.