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Gökhan Gönül
Gökhan Gönül - AUT vs. TUR 2016-03-29 (244).jpg
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)
Playing position Right back
Youth career
1999–2002 Bursayolspor
2002–2003 Gençlerbirliği
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2007 Hacettepe 92 (15)
2007–2016 Fenerbahçe 254 (10)
2016–2020 Beşiktaş 113 (8)
2020–2021 Fenerbahçe 21 (2)
2021–2023 Çaykur Rizespor 30 (1)
National team
2007–2019 Turkey 66 (1)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

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

Early life

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.

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.

Career

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.

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". The club reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in club history. 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.

Retirement

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

International career

GökhanGönül
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. He made three more appearances that season, but was not selected in the Euro 2008 squad due to his injury.

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

Honours

Fenerbahçe S.K.
  • Süper Lig: 2010–11, 2013–14
  • Turkish Cup: 2011–12, 2012–13
  • Turkish Super Cup: 2007, 2009, 2014
Beşiktaş J.K.

Individual

  • Süper Lig Defender of the Season: 2010–11
  • Süper Lig Team of the Season: 2015–16, 2016–17

Career statistics

Club

Club Season League Cup 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

International

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

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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Gökhan Gönül para niños

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