Arda Güler
League: La Liga
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Age: 21
Country: Turkey
Club: Real Madrid
Major Honours: 1 X UEFA Champions League (Real Madrid), 1 X La Liga (Real Madrid), UEFA Supercup (Real Madrid), 1 X Turkish Cup (Fenerbahçe SK)
Club History: Fenerbahçe SK, Real Madrid
"He was only 11 years old when I first saw him play. He didn't run on the pitch, he seemed to be dancing. His football intelligence was already beyond that of adult players."
-Ilkan Canbulat (Arda's first coach)
The Turkish Messi
When Arda was a little boy, his father noticed that the boy was using his right foot more actively. Umit wanted his son to be a good left footed (because good left footed are always in short supply in football). His father placed balls on the left side of Arda's bed so that the child would subconsciously kick with his left foot.
Arda Güler was born on February 25, 2005 in Ankara, the capital of Turkey. His football career started in an unusual way, and his father, Umit Güler, played a major role in it.
"We didn't had a left-footed in our family. I would put balls and balloons in front of Arda's left foot so he could use it. I wanted his left foot to stand out."
From Ankara to Istanbul
At the age of 9, Arda joined the Gençlerbirliği academy in Ankara. He was so talented that he was often played in older age groups.
"I trained in Portugal, where I saw James Rodriguez and other talents, but Arda is special. He has the charisma and composure with the ball that only great champions have."
Vitor Pereira (coach who gave Arda his debut)
In 2019, 14-year-old Arda was spotted by Istanbul giants Fenerbahçe. It was a big risk for the family — moving from Ankara to Istanbul and radically changing their lives. Despite the coronavirus pandemic, Arda has made phenomenal progress in the academy. In 2021, at the age of just 16, he made his debut for Fenerbahçe first team in the Europa League qualifying round.
At Fenerbahçe, the number 10 shirt is sacred — it was worn by club legend, Brazilian Alexis. When the club gave it to 17-year-old Arda, it was a signal to all of Turkey: the country has a new hero.
Arda played 51 games for Fenerbahçe, scoring 9 goals and providing 9 assists
His vision of the pitch, his control of the ball in tight spaces and his amazing passing skills quickly earned him the nickname "Turkish Messi" in Turkey.
"When they gave him the number 10, I wrote it to him. I knew it was a heavy burden, but Arda has everything to write a bigger history than me at this club."
Alex de Souza (Fenerbahçe legend)
"People see him as my successor, but I'll tell you: Arda Güler will become a better player than me. He has everything to become a world star."
The summer of 2023 was a turning point in Arda's career. His release clause in the contract was just €17.5 million, which was a pittance for such a talent. All the big European clubs were hunting for him.
Drama between the Spanish giants: Barcelona were confident that the transfer had been closed. The club's sporting director Deco even flew to Turkey for negotiations.
Mesut Ozil (his teammate at Fenerbahce):
The big move
However, at the last moment, Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti personally got involved in the process. Ancelotti called Arda and promised that he would give him a chance in the first team and would not send him on loan elsewhere. Arda chose Madrid. Real Madrid paid more than the buyout price — €20 million (plus bonuses) — out of respect for Fenerbahçe.
A move to Madrid in July 2023 should have been a dream come true, but it turned out to be a nightmare — at least at first. A series of injuries: Arda injured his knee during pre-season training. After returning from surgery, he suffered two more muscle injuries in a row. He was out of action for almost six months. The press and fans began to draw parallels with Eden Hazard, and it seemed that he would break down psychologically.
Arda did not complain. He gained physical strength, transformed his body in the gym (increased muscle mass) and at the end of the season, when he got the chance, he did wonders. Efficiency record: In the last matches of the 2023/24 season (spring 2024), he scored a goal with almost every shot in La Liga (6 goals in just a few starting matches). He showed the highest football intelligence.
"He's a great guy, humble and hardworking. When people ask me about my future, I always say: Relax, Real Madrid already have Arda Guler, he's my successor."
— Luka Modric.
Euro 2024 and global recognition.
It was after such an impressive end to the Madrid season that the European Championship in Germany came in June 2024, where Arda Güler finally proved his mettle at the international level. In his first match against Georgia, he scored a fantastic goal with a long-range shot, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's record - becoming the youngest player to score a goal on his European Championship debut. He led the Turkish team to the quarterfinals and became one of the main discoveries of the tournament.
When Umit Güler was sorting balls by little Arda's bed, he probably couldn't have imagined that years later that left foot would set the Santiago Bernabeu and the European Championship ablaze. Today, he is already a star on the big stage, but his story is only just beginning.
Written by Nini Giorgadze