Arda Turan was born on January 30, 1987, in the Bayrampaşa district of Istanbul. He began playing football in Altıntepsi Makelspor, an amateur team in the Altıntepsi neighborhood where he grew up. In 2000, at the age of 12, he joined Galatasaray's youth academy. He continued his football development in Galatasaray's youth system until 2005, after which he took his first steps into professional football.

Career

Arda Turan's professional football career began in 2004 at Galatasaray. In 2005, he was promoted to the first team and played for the club for many years. Arda played his first official match for Galatasaray in 2005 in a Turkish Cup game against Bursaspor and scored his first goal in the Süper Lig in 2006. After spending years at Galatasaray, he transferred to the Spanish football club Atlético Madrid in 2011. With a transfer fee of 12 million euros, Arda became the most expensive Turkish player to transfer abroad at that time.

During his early seasons at Atlético Madrid, he achieved significant success, winning the La Liga title, the UEFA Europa League, the Spanish Super Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup. Additionally, in 2014, he played a crucial role in helping his team reach the Champions League final by scoring in the semi-final match.

In 2015, Arda Turan transferred to Barcelona. He had a successful period there, further developing his career. Although he faced challenges such as injuries and difficulties in securing a place in the starting lineup, he experienced the prestige of being part of one of Spain’s biggest football clubs. After his contract with Barcelona ended in 2018, Arda entered a new phase in his career.

National Team Career

Arda also achieved significant success with the Turkish national team. He was one of the key players of the national team in the 2008 UEFA European Championship, scoring two goals during the tournament. Arda Turan made his debut for the Turkish national team in 2006 in a match against Luxembourg.

As one of Turkey's most important footballers, Arda has won numerous national and international awards. He was named Footballer of the Year at the Milliyet Sports Awards in 2008 and 2009, and he won the Athlete of the Year award in 2013. Additionally, in 2014, he won the European Footballer of the Year award. Having achieved numerous successes at both club and national team levels, Arda Turan has become one of the icons of Turkish football.

⁽^Photo^{: Arda Turan, Mutlu Demirtaştan, Anadolu Agency)}

Current Situation

On September 12, 2022, Arda Turan announced his retirement from professional football and later pursued a career in coaching. On April 15, 2023, he was appointed as the head coach of Eyüpspor, a team in the Turkish First League. Since taking on this role, he has been working towards promoting the team to the Süper Lig. In his coaching career, Arda applies the experiences he gained from his former coaches, such as Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique.

Club Achievements

Galatasaray:

Süper Lig Champion: 2007-2008, 2011-2012, 2012-2013, 2014-2015
Turkish Cup: 2004-2005, 2013-2014
Turkish Super Cup: 2008, 2013, 2016
TSYD Cup: 2011, 2012

Atlético Madrid:

La Liga Champion: 2013-2014
UEFA Europa League: 2011-2012
UEFA Super Cup: 2012
Spanish Super Cup: 2014

Barcelona:

La Liga Champion: 2015-2016, 2017-2018
Copa del Rey: 2015-2016
Spanish Super Cup: 2016

Individual Achievements

Süper Lig Footballer of the Year: 2010-2011
Atlético Madrid Player of the Year: 2012
UEFA Europa League Team of the Year: 2012
Best Turkish Footballer (Milliyet Sports Awards): 2011, 2013
Turkey’s Best Player (FIFA Puskás Award Nominee): 2016