Arda Guler, the 19-year-old Real Madrid player lighting up Turkish football, has the spotlight in Turkey’s 2024 Euro campaign in Germany, with two assists and one (absolutely superb) goal in the tournament so far. His precocious ability is one of the biggest factors to Turkey being part of the eight teams left in the competition, heading into the quarter finals where they will play the Netherlands in the Olympiastadion on July 6. Despite his young age, Guler has played with incredible confidence and talent but – also been faced with injury issues and setbacks.
But who is he? Who is Arda Guler? At just nine years old, Guler began his career at Ankara-based club Genclerbirligi in 2014, before joining Fenerbahce , in the youth ranks in 2019. After two years at the club, was deemed to be a big prospect for the future to be offered a two-and-a-half-year professional contract in 2021. His first ever professional game of his football career was made on the 19th of August 2021 where Fenerbahce faced Finnish club HJK : although not making a massive impact in this game Fenerbahce ended the bout with a 1-0 victory and a few days later, in his first Turkish Super League match, Guler assisted Miha Zajc in a 2-0 win over Antalyaspor .
He gained increased playing time gradually and eventually became the team's youngest-ever goal-scorer In March 2022, having turned 17 only 3 weeks prior. By May 2022, he had scored three goals and registered assists, which made him a key talking point for.
