Who is Arda Güler? The Turkish Messi who lit up Euro 2024 with wonder strike

Türkiye started their Euro 2024 campaign with a dramatic 3-1 win over Georgia in what fans described as the most thrilling match of the tournament so far. Despite several ballers showing their class on the biggest stage, it was 19-year-old Arda Güler who stole the limelight with his gameplay and a wonderful outside-of-the-box goal that secured three points for the Turkish side. 

Güler, often referred to as the Turkish Messi has seen his stocks rise rapidly in recent months. The boy from the capital city of Ankara started playing football early but joined the local club Gençlerbirliği at the tender age of nine. 

At the age of 14 in 2019, Türkiyeish side Fenerbahçe came calling for Güler and brought him to the club. The youngster's capability of dribbling in tight spaces coupled with his tendency to cut inside from the right wing onto his left foot naturally drew comparisons to Messi.

The teenager quickly delighted the first-team manager at the club while still being with the U19. Impressed with his performances, Güler was given his Fenerbahçe senior debut when just 16 years and 174 days old in a Europa League qualification match.

At Fenerbahçe, Güler also got to learn the ropes from legendary German midfielder Mesut Ozil who arrived at the club in the final essay of a storied footballing career. Notably, after Ozil left Fenerbahçe, it was Güler who received the No. 10 jersey worn by the German. 

After a productive stint with one of the biggest clubs in Türkiye, Real Madrid came calling for Güler who recognised that the youngster had the potential to become a Galactico. 

Subsequently, Güler joined the Spanish giants in July 2023 for $21.5 million plus $11 million in incentives. The transition though was not as smooth as Güler would have hoped. Injuries and a stacked bench meant that Güler struggled to get minutes in the Los Blancos jersey and only played 31 La Liga minutes by the end of April. 

However, it changed in the final weeks of the season as manager Carlo Ancelotti gave the opportunity to the youngster who returned the favour by scoring five goals in five top-flight games and becoming the first player from Türkiye to win the Champions League. 

The first match of Euro 2024 has shown that Güler has what it takes to be successful on the biggest stage. If Türkiye are to go deep into the continental championship, Güler's form will be critical.