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Turkey last appeared at a World Cup in 2002, current stars Arda Guler and Kenan Yildiz had not yet been born. Twenty-four years later, they are carrying the hopes of a nation, alongside another player born in the same year, Can Uzun. All three were born in 2005 and now play for some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Arda Guler: Real Madrid’s Rising Star

In just two years, Guler has become the most recognisable player of his generation. Born on 25 February 2005 in Ankara, he joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2023 from Fenerbahce for around twenty million euros (£17.2m). Several major European clubs, including Barcelona, Arsenal, and Dortmund, had also been interested in signing him.

The 2025/26 season at the Bernabeu has been the most successful of his career so far. In 51 appearances across all competitions, he scored 6 goals and recorded 12 assists.

In La Liga, he finished as the team’s leading assist provider, ahead of Federico Valverde and Brahim Diaz. He was also named the 2025/26 Champions League Breakthrough Player of the Season.

Carlo Ancelotti was one of Guler’s earliest supporters. Following an impressive display against Leganés during his first season in Spain, the Real Madrid coach said in a press conference: "Arda Güler has shown his potential, his excellent ball control. He reads the game brilliantly and I’m pleased with his impact."

A few weeks later, Ancelotti praised him again.

"Arda Güler has made enormous progress. He’s showing his quality and becoming more consistent.

"I believe he can become an exceptional midfielder, because there are very few at his level. He will be very important for the future of Real Madrid."

These comments reflected the promise Ancelotti had made during a FaceTime conversation that helped convince Guler to join the club. Guler later recalled in The Players’ Tribune that Ancelotti told him he would have "a great future" in Madrid and could one day take over the midfield role left by Modric and Kroos.

"The Guler of September is no longer the same as today. His physical profile has changed, but his quality remains. I see him much improved, under less pressure this season," the coach later admitted.