Türkyilmaz made his international debut on 2 February 1988 against France[2] in Toulouse as a 65th-minute substitute for Hans-Peter Zwicker.

His first goals were two against Luxembourg in qualification for the 1990 FIFA World Cup, on 21 September 1988, his seventh match.

He missed the 1994 FIFA World Cup with serious injury, but appeared at Euro 1996, scoring Switzerland's equaliser against England in the opening match of the tournament, a 1–1 draw at Wembley.

He added another hat trick, of three penalty kicks on 7 October 2000 in a 5–1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Zürich against the Faroe Islands.

Türkyilmaz was born in Switzerland to a family of Turkish descent that immigrated from the Yozgat Province;[4] he has said that he would have played for Turkey had they inquired first.