Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born on September 7, 1994, in Konya, Abdülkerim Bardakcı started his football journey in the youth academy of Zonguldakspor. In 2009, he moved with his family to Konya and joined the Konyaspor academy. In 2011, due to UEFA’s transfer ban on Konyaspor, the club promoted young players to the first team, allowing Bardakcı to join the professional squad. He made his professional debut the same year in a match against Sakaryaspor.
Loan Spells
In the early stages of his career, Bardakcı played for several clubs on loan. During this period, he represented:
- Anadolu Selçukluspor (2013/14 season)
- Adana Demirspor (2014-2016)
- Samsunspor (2017)
- Giresunspor (2018)
- Denizlispor (2018-2019)
- Altay (2019-2020)
While playing for Denizlispor in the 2018-19 season, he helped the team win the TFF 1st League Championship, securing promotion to the Süper Lig.
Konyaspor Period
During the 2020/21 season, Bardakcı became a regular starter for Konyaspor, playing in 70 league matches over two seasons and scoring 7 goals. His strong performances earned him a transfer to Galatasaray.
Galatasaray Period
On June 24, 2022, Bardakcı signed a four-year contract with Galatasaray. He made his debut for the club on August 7, 2022, in a match against Antalyaspor. He scored his first goal for Galatasaray on November 12, 2022, in a game against İstanbul Başakşehir FK.
In his first season at Galatasaray, Bardakcı played 33 matches, recording 3 goals and 3 assists. During the 2023-2024 season, he appeared in 44 games and scored 7 goals. On December 22, 2024, he reached a milestone by making his 100th official appearance for Galatasaray.
National Team
Bardakcı was called up to the Turkey national football team on March 24, 2021. He has since earned 17 caps and scored his first international goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers against Latvia.
Achievements
- TFF 1st League Championship: 2018-19 (Denizlispor)
- 2 Süper Lig Championship: 2022-23, 2023-24 (Galatasaray)
- Turkish Super Cup: 2023-24 (Galatasaray)
