Mehmet Topal is a former professional football player who has played for various top-tier clubs in Türkiye and Europe, served for many years at the national team level, and started coaching after ending his playing career. He played as a defensive midfielder, and due to his effectiveness on the field, he was known as "Spider-Man" in public.
Early Life and Start of Football
He was born on March 3, 1986, in Malatya. A member of a family with nine children, Topal started showing interest in football at a young age. He joined the Malatya Belediyespor youth academy under the guidance of physical education teacher Ahmet Açıkgöz. During the tryouts, he kept this process a secret for a while as his family did not support his football career. At the age of 16, he took his first step in his professional football career by transferring to Çanakkale Dardanelspor.
Club Career
He played for Dardanelspor for a total of five seasons at the youth and senior team levels. During this period, he received offers from Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş, and Vestel Manisaspor. In 2006, he transferred to Galatasaray. He made his official debut against Denizlispor. In his initial period at Galatasaray, he had limited playing opportunities due to Champions League matches and positional competition. In 2010, he started his European career by transferring to Spain's Valencia CF club. After playing in La Liga for two seasons, he transferred to Fenerbahçe in 2012. He played for this club for seven seasons and took on the role of team captain. In subsequent periods, he played for Istanbul Başakşehir and Beşiktaş clubs.
He played in nearly 500 professional matches in total. Throughout his club career, he achieved various domestic successes, including the Süper Lig, Turkish Cup, and Super Cup.
National Team Career
Topal first played at the national team level in the U19 category in 2005. Subsequently, he wore the jerseys of the U20, U21, and Senior National Team. Between 2008 and 2018, he played in 81 matches for the Senior National Team and scored 2 goals. He participated in the UEFA Euro 2008 and UEFA Euro 2016 tournaments. While he was part of the squad as a young player during EURO 2008, he was one of the experienced names on the field at EURO 2016. During his time with the national jersey, he played under the management of Fatih Terim.
Playing Style and Nickname
Mehmet Topal played as a defensive midfielder. He stood out with features such as covering large areas on the field, winning possession, and supporting build-up play. Due to his effectiveness in intercepting opponent attacks with his long legs, fans began to refer to him by the nickname "Spider-Man." This nickname gradually became associated with him in public.
Coaching Career
After his playing career ended, he received coaching education. In 2024, he began his coaching career at Romania's Petrolul Ploiești club. After a short departure, he returned to the same club in 2025. Adopting the playing philosophy of Unai Emery, one of the coaches he worked with during his active playing career, he aimed to apply this philosophy to his teams in the future as a coach. He stated that he prioritizes an offensive playing structure and plans to focus on attacking football, contrary to his defensive playing style as a footballer.
Personal Life and Views
He is married and a father of one child. His interest in football began in his childhood through street football. Although the support he received from his family during his journey to become a footballer was limited, he eventually made them accept this career decision. He has an interest in reading books and music, and in his free time, he prefers a calmer and more introverted lifestyle. Noted for his disciplined lifestyle, Topal stated that he emphasized professionalism throughout his playing career.
