Hakan Çalhanoğlu facts for kids
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Çalhanoğlu with Turkey in 2016
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 February 1994 | ||
| Place of birth | Mannheim, Germany | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Inter Milan | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1. FC Turanspor Mannheim | |||
| Polizei SV Mannheim | |||
| 2001–2009 | Waldhof Mannheim | ||
| 2009–2011 | Karlsruher SC II | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2013 | Karlsruher SC | 50 | (17) |
| 2013–2014 | Hamburger SV | 32 | (11) |
| 2014–2017 | Bayer Leverkusen | 79 | (17) |
| 2017–2021 | AC Milan | 135 | (22) |
| 2021– | Inter Milan | 128 | (28) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010 | Turkey U16 | 6 | (1) |
| 2010–2011 | Turkey U17 | 11 | (1) |
| 2011–2013 | Turkey U19 | 15 | (5) |
| 2012–2013 | Turkey U20 | 9 | (1) |
| 2012–2014 | Turkey U21 | 2 | (0) |
| 2013– | Turkey | 97 | (21) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23 March 2025 |
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Hakan Çalhanoğlu (born February 8, 1994) is a professional footballer from Turkey. He plays as a midfielder for the Italian club Inter Milan. He is also the captain of the Turkey national team.
Hakan started his football journey in Germany with Karlsruher SC in 2010. Two years later, he moved to Hamburger SV. After playing well there, he joined Bayer Leverkusen in 2014. In 2017, he signed with AC Milan. Then, in 2021, he moved to their city rivals, Inter Milan.
Even though he was born in Germany, Hakan plays for Turkey internationally. He has represented Turkey at different youth levels and made his senior team debut in 2013. He has played for Turkey in major tournaments like the UEFA European Championship in 2016, 2020, and 2024.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Karlsruher SC
Hakan Çalhanoğlu was born in Mannheim, Germany. He began his professional career with Karlsruher SC in Germany's second division in 2012. Even though his team was relegated in his first season, he was loaned back to Karlsruhe for another year. During that season, he helped the team win the third division and get promoted back to the second tier.
Time with Hamburger SV
Hakan made his debut in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga, with Hamburger SV on August 11, 2013. He scored his first goals for the club on August 31, including a fantastic free kick.
On February 20, 2014, he scored a memorable goal from 41 yards away against Borussia Dortmund. He said he practiced free kicks like that all the time. In his only full season with Hamburg, the team finished 16th. They won a play-off to stay in the top league.
Moving to Bayer Leverkusen
On July 4, 2014, Hakan joined Bayer Leverkusen. He signed a five-year contract. He made his debut for Leverkusen in a UEFA Champions League qualification match. A few days later, he played his first league game for his new club.
On August 27, he scored his first goal for Leverkusen in a Champions League play-off game. He scored his first league goal on September 12. In October 2014, Hakan was nominated for the Golden Boy Award, which recognizes the best young player in Europe.
In February 2015, he scored the only goal as Leverkusen beat Atlético Madrid in the Champions League. He also scored against Bayern Munich with a free kick in May.
He started his second season by scoring a penalty in a cup game. He also scored a free kick in a league win against Hannover 96. In the Champions League, Hakan scored twice against BATE Borisov. In September 2016, he scored his 50th goal in his senior club career.
In February 2017, Hakan received a four-month ban from FIFA. This was because of an old contract issue from his time at Karlsruher SC.
Joining AC Milan
On July 3, 2017, Hakan Çalhanoğlu signed a four-year contract with the Italian club AC Milan. The transfer fee was about €20 million. He was given the famous number 10 jersey, which many great players had worn before him.
He made his first competitive appearance for Milan in a Europa League qualifying match. He scored his first goal for Milan in a 5–1 win against Austria Wien in the group stage. He also provided two assists in that game. He scored his first league goal in October, becoming the first Turkish player to score in Serie A since 2003.
Playing for Inter Milan
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On June 22, 2021, Hakan signed a three-year contract with Inter Milan. This was a free transfer to the city rivals of his previous club, AC Milan. Hakan scored and assisted a goal in his Inter Milan debut, a 4–0 win over Genoa.
He scored seven goals and made twelve assists in the league that season. He also scored in the Coppa Italia final victory against Juventus. On October 4, 2022, he scored his first Champions League goal for Inter against Barcelona.
In March 2023, he was named Player of the Match in a Champions League game against Porto. Inter Milan qualified for the quarter-finals for the first time in twelve years. On June 5, 2023, he extended his contract with Inter Milan until 2027.
On November 4, 2023, he scored his tenth penalty in a row. He also equaled a record for the most goals scored by a Turkish player in Serie A with 36 goals. He had a personal best season in 2023–24, scoring 13 goals in Serie A.
In the 2024–25 season, he scored four goals in the Champions League. This included a penalty in the semifinal against Barcelona, helping his club reach the final. He became the first Turkish player to reach the Champions League final twice.
International Career
Hakan Çalhanoğlu chose to play for Turkey, as his family is from Trabzon. He played for Turkey's youth teams, including the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Turkey reached the last 16 in that tournament. Hakan scored Turkey's equalizer in a 2–1 win over Australia.
He made his senior international debut on September 6, 2013, in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra. He made his first start in a friendly win against the Republic of Ireland in May 2014.
In October 2013, there was an incident involving Hakan and a teammate, Ömer Toprak. Hakan later spoke about this incident. In June 2015, Hakan and the other player resolved their differences.
On March 31, 2015, Hakan scored his first international goal for Turkey against Luxembourg. He scored two more goals in a friendly win over Bulgaria in June. His first goal in a competitive match came in October, helping Turkey win against the Czech Republic.
Hakan became the first Turkish player to score against England in May 2016. Later that month, he was chosen for Turkey's squad for the UEFA Euro 2016.
In March 2019, Hakan scored in Turkey's 2–0 victory over Albania in a Euro 2020 qualifier. In June 2021, he was named in the Turkish squad for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020. In March 2022, he became the captain of the Turkish national team.
On June 7, 2024, he was called up for the UEFA Euro 2024. He became only the second Turkish player to play in three European tournaments.
Playing Style
Hakan Çalhanoğlu is often compared to Mesut Özil, another German-born midfielder with Turkish roots. Hakan is known as a specialist in free kicks. He has studied the "knuckleball" free kick technique used by players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Juninho Pernambucano. He can score with power and accuracy from direct free kicks. He is also good at bending the ball and delivering set pieces.
In 2013, Talksport called him a "playmaker destined for the top." They praised his dedication and passing skills. Former England player Owen Hargreaves said in 2015 that Hakan's style would fit clubs like Liverpool or Tottenham Hotspur.
While he received much praise when he was younger, some people have criticized his pace for a winger. He sometimes played as a winger when his natural attacking midfield role wasn't used. Some also noted his physical strength and how consistent his performances were. However, his dribbling, technique, passing (both short and long), crossing, and vision are considered his strengths. He is also good at striking the ball from far away.
Hakan has also played in deeper midfield positions. He can play as a deep-lying playmaker or an offensive central midfielder. Sometimes, he even plays in more attacking roles, like a second striker.
Personal Life
Hakan Çalhanoğlu was born in Mannheim, Germany. His parents are Turkish, originally from Bayburt, Turkey. Hakan married his childhood sweetheart, Sinem Gündoğdu, in 2017. They have a daughter named Liya, born in March 2019, and two sons, Ayaz and Asil Can, born in November 2023.
Hakan's younger brother, Muhammed, is also a professional footballer. His cousin, Kerim Çalhanoğlu, also plays football. Hakan is a supporter of Galatasaray. He has said he hopes to play for them someday.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Karlsruher SC | 2011–12 | 2. Bundesliga | 14 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | 3. Liga | 36 | 17 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 39 | 17 | |||
| Total | 50 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 55 | 17 | ||
| Hamburger SV | 2013–14 | Bundesliga | 32 | 11 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 38 | 11 | |
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2014–15 | Bundesliga | 33 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 3 | — | 47 | 13 | |
| 2015–16 | Bundesliga | 31 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 4 | — | 46 | 8 | ||
| 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 15 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | — | 22 | 7 | ||
| Total | 79 | 17 | 8 | 3 | 28 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 115 | 28 | ||
| AC Milan | 2017–18 | Serie A | 31 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 2 | — | 45 | 8 | |
| 2018–19 | Serie A | 36 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 4 | |
| 2019–20 | Serie A | 35 | 9 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 38 | 11 | |||
| 2020–21 | Serie A | 33 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | — | 43 | 9 | ||
| Total | 135 | 22 | 12 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 172 | 32 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2021–22 | Serie A | 34 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 8 |
| 2022–23 | Serie A | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 4 | |
| 2023–24 | Serie A | 32 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 15 | |
| 2024–25 | Serie A | 29 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 47 | 11 | |
| Total | 128 | 28 | 12 | 3 | 36 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 182 | 38 | ||
| Career total | 423 | 95 | 39 | 8 | 88 | 22 | 11 | 1 | 562 | 126 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 2013 | 1 | 0 |
| 2014 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 4 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 14 | 3 | |
| 2022 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | |
| Total | 97 | 21 | |
- As of match played 15 October 2024. Turkey score listed first, score column indicates score after each Çalhanoğlu goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 March 2015 | Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | 7 |  Luxembourg |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 June 2015 | Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Stadium, Kasımpaşa, Turkey | 8 |  Bulgaria |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 2–0 | ||||||
| 4 | 10 October 2015 | Generali Arena, Prague, Czech Republic | 12 |  Czech Republic |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
| 5 | 29 March 2016 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | 16 |  Austria |
1–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 6 | 22 May 2016 | City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England | 17 |  England |
1–1 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 7 | 5 September 2016 | Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia | 23 |  Croatia |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 6 October 2016 | Konya Metropolitan Municipality Stadium, Konya, Turkey | 24 |  Ukraine |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 10 September 2018 | Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden | 35 |  Sweden |
1–2 | 3–2 | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League B |
| 10 | 22 March 2019 | Loro Boriçi Stadium, Shkodër, Albania | 39 |  Albania |
2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying |
| 11 | 14 October 2020 | Türk Telekom Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | 50 |  Serbia |
1–2 | 2–2 | 2020–21 UEFA Nations League B |
| 12 | 24 March 2021 | Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | 53 |  Netherlands |
3–0 | 4–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 30 March 2021 | Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey | 55 |  Latvia |
2–0 | 3–3 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 4 September 2021 | Victoria Stadium, Gibraltar | 61 |  Gibraltar |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 11 June 2022 | Stade de Luxembourg, Luxembourg City, Luxembourg | 71 | Luxembourg |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C |
| 16 | 14 June 2022 | Gürsel Aksel Stadium, İzmir, Turkey | 72 |  Lithuania |
2–0 | 2–0 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League C |
| 17 | 19 November 2022 | Gaziantep Stadium, Gaziantep, Turkey | 74 | Czech Republic |
2–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 18 | 26 March 2024 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | 84 | Austria |
1–1 | 1–6 | Friendly |
| 19 | 26 June 2024 | Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany | 89 | Czech Republic |
1–0 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2024 |
| 20 | 15 October 2024 | Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík, Iceland | 94 |  Iceland |
2–1 | 4–2 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League B |
| 21 | 23 March 2025 | Puskás Aréna, Budapest, Hungary | 97 |  Hungary |
1–0 | 3–0 | 2024–25 UEFA Nations League promotion/relegation play-offs |
Honours and Awards
Karlsruher SC
- 3. Liga: 2012–13 (Third Division Champion)
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2023–24 (Italian League Champion)
- Coppa Italia: 2021–22, 2022–23 (Italian Cup Winner)
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2021, 2022, 2023 (Italian Super Cup Winner)
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2022–23, 2024–25 (Reached the Final)
Individual Awards
- 3. Liga Player of the Season: 2012–13
- Turkish Footballer of the Year: 2021
- Serie A Player of the Month: December 2020, November 2021
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2022–23, 2023–24
- Serie A Team of the Season: 2023–24
- Serie A Best Midfielder: 2023–24
See also
In Spanish: Hakan Çalhanoğlu para niños
