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

Career

Arda Turan’s professional football career began in 2004 at Galatasaray. He was promoted to the first team in 2005 and wore the club’s jersey for many years. Arda made his first official appearance for Galatasaray in 2005 against Bursaspor in the Turkey Cup, and scored his first goal in the Süper Lig in 2006. After several years at Galatasaray, he transferred to Spanish club Atlético Madrid in 2011. With a transfer fee of 12 million euros, Arda became the most expensive Turkish player to move abroad at that time. During his early seasons at Atlético Madrid, he won numerous titles including the La Liga championship, the UEFA Europa League, the Spanish Super Cup and the UEFA Super Cup. Additionally, he played a key role in helping his team reach the Champions League final in 2014 by scoring a crucial goal in the semifinal.

In 2015, Arda Turan transferred to Barcelona. He spent a successful period there, further developing his career. Although he faced occasional injuries and difficulties securing a regular place in the team, he experienced the prestige of playing for one of Spain’s major clubs over the course of his tenure. Following the expiration of his contract with Barcelona in 2018, a new chapter began in Arda’s career.

National Team Career

Arda also achieved significant success with the Türkiye national team, becoming one of its most important players during the 2008 UEFA European Championship, where he scored two goals. Arda Turan made his debut for the Türkiye national team in 2006 in a match against Luxembourg. As one of Turkish football’s key players, he won countless national and international awards, including Footballer of the Year at the Milliyet Sports Awards in 2008 and 2009, and Sportsman of the Year in 2013. He also won the European Footballer of the Year award in 2014. Arda Turan, who has achieved numerous successes at both club and international levels, has become one of the icons of Turkish football.

Current Status

After announcing the end of his professional football career on 12 September 2022, Arda Turan took his first step into coaching. On 15 April 2023, he began his role as head coach of Eyüpspor, a team in the Türkiye 1. Lig. Upon assuming the position, he worked with the goal of promoting the team to the Süper Lig and successfully achieved this on 7 April 2024. On 27 May 2025, Turan signed a two-year contract with Shakhtar Donetsk, concluding his tenure at Eyüpspor. In his coaching career, Arda Turan is applying the experience he gained from former mentors such as Diego Simeone and Luis Enrique.

Club Achievements

Galatasaray

• Süper Lig Championship: 2007–2008, 2011–2012, 2012–2013, 2014–2015
• Turkey Cup: 2004–2005, 2013–2014
• Turkish Super Cup: 2008, 2013, 2016
• TSYD Cup: 2011, 2012

Atlético Madrid

• La Liga Championship: 2013–2014
• UEFA Europa League: 2011–2012
• UEFA Super Cup: 2012
• Spanish Super Cup: 2014

Barcelona

• La Liga Championship: 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 Season: 2012
• Best Footballer in Turkish Football (Milliyet Sports Awards): 2011, 2013
• Turkey’s Best Player (FIFA Puskás Award Nominee): 2016

Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Conference League

Under Arda Turan’s management, Shakhtar Donetsk faced AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Conference League quarterfinals and advanced to the semifinals after two legs. The Ukrainian side secured a 3–0 advantage at home in the first match and drew 2–2 away in the return leg, progressing to the next round with a 5–2 aggregate score.

In the away leg, Shakhtar Donetsk’s goals were scored by Alisson Santana in the 58th minute and Luca Meirelles in the 83rd minute. AZ Alkmaar’s goals came from Isak Jensen in the 73rd minute and Matej Sin in the 80th minute. With this result, Shakhtar Donetsk qualified for the final four of the UEFA Conference League.

In the semifinals, Shakhtar Donetsk’s opponent was Crystal Palace, who had eliminated Fiorentina 4–2.

This achievement holds historic significance for Arda Turan’s coaching career. Turan became the first Turkish head coach to reach the semifinals of a European competition with a foreign club. He is also recorded as the first Turkish coach to lead a team to the semifinals of the UEFA Conference League.

In a statement following the match, Turan dedicated the achievement to the people of Ukraine and highlighted the difficult conditions they face. He expressed respect for AZ Alkmaar for their competitive performance and acknowledged the challenges posed by the upcoming semifinal opponents.

With this milestone, Arda Turan joins the ranks of Turkish head coaches such as Adnan Süvari, Mustafa Denizli, Fatih Terim and Aykut Kocaman who have reached the semifinal stage of European competitions.