Gökhan Gönül (born 4 January 1985) is a Turkish former professional footballer who played as a right back.

Gökhan Gönül
Gökhan Gönül with Turkey in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1985-01-04) 4 January 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Samsun, Turkey
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 9+12 in)
Position(s) Right back
Youth career
1999–2002 Bursayolspor
2002–2003 Gençlerbirliği
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2007 Gençlerbirliği 0 (0)
2003–2007Hacettepe (loan) 92 (15)
2007–2016 Fenerbahçe 254 (10)
2016–2020 Beşiktaş 113 (8)
2020–2021 Fenerbahçe 21 (2)
2021–2023 Çaykur Rizespor 30 (1)
International career
2007–2019 Turkey 66 (1)
Managerial career
2024- Turkey U-21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Early life

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Gönül was born in Bafra, Samsun, where he and his family lived before moving to Bursa when Gönül was six years old. His uncle signed him up with Bursayolspor's youth squad in 1999, and Gönül began his footballing career as a goalkeeper. However, after several other young goalkeepers signed with the club, Gönül was moved to the outfield. After putting in several performances, Gönül was told he would not play goalkeeper again. At first, Gönül played football as a hobby and something to play when there was nothing else to do. He began taking the sport more seriously when his coach at the time, Mehmet Kirazoğlu, took him under his wing and trained him individually. Soon after, Gönül played in a senior match against 30-year-olds; Gönül was 13 at the time.[1]

Gönül played several positions before he could find his spot, lacing up as a libero, midfielder, and forward at various levels. Gönül was the captain of the 14-16 team at Bursayolspor, and helped the club to a 3–3 draw with Bursaspor, scoring three goals while playing libero. Hasan Bora, a staff member at Bursaspor at the time, was interested in signing Gönül after his performance. However, after seeing several of his peers join the club and fail to progress, Gönül took it as a sign and decided against joining the club. Fatih Terim, then coach of Galatasaray, also expressed interest in Gönül. He invited the youngster to Istanbul, but Gönül ultimately did not agree to join the team. Instead, he signed with Gençlerbirliği on 9 August 2002.[2]

Club career

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Gönül began his career with the Ankara-based club in the A2 league. In his first season, he scored two goals in 19 A2 league appearances. The following season, Gönül was loaned out to feeder club Hacettepe. He spent the 2003–04 season on loan, before joining the club on a full transfer at the end of the season. In his first two seasons with the club, Gönül scored eight goals in 48 appearances and helped the club to back-to-back promotions. Gençlerbirliği transferred him back to the club at the start of the 2005–06. However, an injury kept him sidelined for several months and he was unable to make his debut for the club. Instead, he was loaned out once more to Hacettepe at the winter break. Gönül helped the club to another promotion, completing three promotions in four years. He also won the award for Best Player of the TFF First League.[1]

Fenerbahçe transferred him before the start of the 2007–08 season, where he flourished under then-coach Zico. After putting in performances during the 2007–08 UEFA Champions League, he earned the nickname "Turkish Cafu".[3] The club reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in club history.[4] Gökhan Gönül extended to his contract in June 2012. The new deal will see him at the club until the 2015–16 and take home €1.7 million per season.[5]

Retirement

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On 19 June 2023, Gönül announced on his social media account that he ended his football career at the age of 38.[6]

International caeer

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Gökhan Gönül with Turkey in November 2011

Gönül was never capped at youth international level. He made his senior debut against Norway on 27 November 2007.[7] He made three more appearances that season, but was not selected in the Euro 2008 squad due to his injury.[2]

Gönül was called up to the Turkey squad for Euro 2016.[8]

Managerial career

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Gönül was appointed as the assistant coach of the Turkey national under-21 football team on 19 March 2024. After serving as the assistant coach for 5 matches, he became the head coach of the Turkey U-21 on 26 September 2024.[9]

Honours

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Fenerbahçe S.K.
Beşiktaş J.K.

Individual

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Career statistics

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Club

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Club Season League Cup[nb 1] Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Hacettepe 2003–04 TFF First League 27 5 - - 27 5
2004–05 21 3 - - 21 3
2005–06 17 3 - - —- 17 3
2006–07 27 4 2 0 29 4
Total 92 15 2 0 94 15
Fenerbahçe 2007–08 Süper Lig 24 0 4 1 8 0 36 1
2008–09 29 0 7 0 10 0 46 0
2009–10 30 2 6 0 8 0 44 2
2010–11 30 3 2 0 3 0 35 3
2011–12 31 1 2 0 33 1
2012–13 27 3 2 1 13 0 42 4
2013–14 29 0 0 0 2 0 31 0
2014–15 32 0 3 0 0 0 35 0
2015–16 22 1 1 0 6 0 29 1
Total 254 10 27 2 50 0 331 12
Beşiktaş 2016–17 Süper Lig 29 1 2 0 7 0 38 1
2017–18 25 0 4 0 3 0 32 0
2018–19 29 3 0 0 9 1 38 4
2019–20 30 4 1 0 1 0 32 4
Total 113 8 7 0 20 1 140 9
Fenerbahçe 2020–21 Süper Lig 21 2 1 0 22 2
Çaykur Rizespor 2021–22 Süper Lig 25 1 0 0 25 1
2022–23 TFF First League 5 0 0 0 5 0
Total 30 1 0 0 30 1
Career total 510 36 37 2 70 1 617 39
Last Update: 17 September 2022[11]

International

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Turkey national team
Year Apps Goals
2007 2 0
2008 6 0
2009 9 0
2010 5 0
2011 5 1
2012 4 0
2013 9 0
2014 8 0
2015 5 0
2016 8 0
2017 3 0
2018 1 0
2019 1 0
Total 66 1

International goals

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Scores and results list Turkey's goal tally first.[12]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 29 March 2011 Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey   Austria 2–0 2–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualification

Notes

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  1. ^ Includes Turkish Super Cup

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gönül adamı; Gökhan Gönül" (in Turkish). tff.org. 3 September 2007. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  2. ^ a b "GÖKHAN GÖNÜL" (in Turkish). tff.org. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  3. ^ Türker Tozar (17 April 2008). "Turkish Cafu coming to the boil". UEFA. Archived from the original on 5 October 2011. Retrieved 14 October 2010.
  4. ^ "Champions League: What Country Has Been the Most Successful". Bleacher Report. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Fenerbahçe extend Cristian Baroni & Gökhan Gönül's contract". turkish-football.com. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  6. ^ "Gökhan Gönül'den emeklilik kararı". Ntv Spor. 19 June 2023. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  7. ^ "His First Match in His International Career, Norway 1-2 Turkey". whoscored.com. 17 November 2007. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
  8. ^ "UEFA EURO 2016". UEFA. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  9. ^ "Gökhan Gönül, Ümit Millî Takım'ın Yeni Teknik Direktörü Oldu". www.tff.org. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 6 October 2024.
  10. ^ 2010-2011 sezonunun "Yılın Futbol Oscarları" ödülleri verildi[dead link]
  11. ^ "GÖKHAN GÖNÜL". Turkish Football Federation. 18 March 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  12. ^ "Gökhan Gönül". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 14 December 2012.
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