Noel Caliskan (Turkish: Çalışkan; born 29 August 2000) is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Real Salt Lake.

Noel Caliskan
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-08-29) 29 August 2000 (age 24)
Place of birth Cologne, Germany
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Real Monarchs
Number 92
Youth career
2012–2017 1. FC Köln
2017–2019 Fortuna Düsseldorf
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2022 Loyola Marymount Lions 65 (9)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 SpVg Frechen 20 5 (2)
2021 Flint City Bucks 4 (1)
2023 Portland Timbers 2 6 (3)
2023 Portland Timbers 4 (0)
2024– Real Monarchs 13 (0)
2024– Real Salt Lake 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 July 2024

Youth, college and amateur career

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At the youth level, Caliskan played with the academy team of 1. FC Köln between 2012 and 2017, before spending two seasons with the youth team of Fortuna Düsseldorf between 2017 and 2019.[1] In 2019, Caliskan moved to the United States to play college soccer at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. In four seasons with the Lions, Caliskan registered nine goals and 13 assists in 65 appearances. He also received numerous honors, including West Coast Conference Midfielder of the Year in back-to-back seasons in 2021 and 2022, WCC Offensive Player of the Year in 2021, WCC Player of the Year in 2020, WCC Freshman of the Year in 2019, and was a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist following his junior season. Caliskan was named to the All-WCC First Team in his last three seasons with the Lions and was honored on the All-WCC Second Team his freshman year.[1]

In the summer of 2020, Caliskan returned to Germany to compete with amateur side SpVG Frechen 20, who played in the Mittelrheinliga.[2][3] During the summer of 2021, Caliskan remained in the United States and made four appearances for USL League Two side Flint City Bucks.[4]

Professional career

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On 21 December 2022, Caliskan was selected 15th overall in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft by Portland Timbers.[5][6] On 2 March 2023, Caliskan signed with Portland's MLS Next Pro side Portland Timbers 2.[7] After netting three goals in four appearances for Timbers 2, Caliskan joined the club's first team roster on a short-term deal.[8] He then subsequently signed a permanent deal with the Major League Soccer side on 28 April 2023.[9][10][11][12] Caliskan was released by Portland following their 2023 season.[13]

On 21 February 2024, Caliskan signed with Real Monarchs of the MLS Next Pro.[14] He was immediately signed on a short-term deal to Real Salt Lake's roster for their fixture against Inter Miami CF on the same day, where he appeared as a 73rd-minute substitute.[15]

Personal life

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Noel's father was Mahmut Caliskan who was a Turkish professional footballer.[16]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Noel Caliskan - Men's Soccer". Loyola Marymount University Athletics.
  2. ^ "Noel Caliskan Spielerprofil". kicker.
  3. ^ "Noel Caliskan - Portland Timbers - Aktuelles Spielerprofil". sport.bild.de.
  4. ^ "Flint City Bucks | uslleaguetwo.com". www.uslleaguetwo.com.
  5. ^ Timbers, Portland. "The 4 players the Timbers selected in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
  6. ^ "Timbers Select Caliskan in First Round". Loyola Marymount University Athletics. 21 December 2022.
  7. ^ Timbers2, Portland. "Portland Timbers2". Portland Timbers2.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers sign three T2 players to short-term loan agreements | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
  9. ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers sign German midfielder Noel Caliskan to a one-year deal | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
  10. ^ "The Portland Timbers signed T2 midfielder Noel Caliskan". 6 May 2018.
  11. ^ Oregonian/OregonLive, Ryan Clarke | The (28 April 2023). "Portland Timbers sign rookie midfielder Noel Caliskan to first team". oregonlive.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "Former LMU soccer player Noel Caliskan to make Portland Timbers debut". BVM Sports. 30 January 2023.
  13. ^ Timbers, Portland. "Timbers announce roster status ahead of 2024 MLS season | PTFC". Portland Timbers.
  14. ^ "RSL Adds MF Noel Caliskan to MLS Roster | Real Salt Lake".
  15. ^ "RSL Drops 2024 MLS Opener at Miami | Real Salt Lake".
  16. ^ intern, Dean Anagnostopoulos, sports (9 September 2020). "Keeping Up with the Lions: WCC Freshman of the Year Noel Caliskan". Los Angeles Loyolan.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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