Hamit Altıntop facts for kids
Altintop playing for Galatasaray in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Hamit Altıntop | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1982 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Gelsenkirchen, West Germany | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1992 | Schwarz-Weiß Gelsenkirchen-Süd | |||||||||||||||
| 1992–1997 | TuS Rotthausen | |||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Wattenscheid 09 | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 2000–2003 | Wattenscheid 09 | 75 | (12) | |||||||||||||
| 2003–2007 | Schalke 04 | 113 | (8) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Bayern Munich | 63 | (7) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Real Madrid | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2012–2017 | Galatasaray | 61 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Darmstadt 98 | 33 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 350 | (30) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Turkey U18 | 5 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2001 | Turkey U20 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2003 | Turkey U21 | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2014 | Turkey | 82 | (7) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Hamit Altıntop, born on December 8, 1982, is a famous former Turkish football player. He was known for being a very flexible midfielder. This means he could play in different positions on the field. He was good at both defending and attacking, and could play on either side of the field.
Hamit was also known for his amazing long-range shots and creative play. He has an identical twin brother, Halil Altıntop, who is also a footballer. Hamit was a key player for the Turkish national team. He helped them reach the semi-finals of Euro 2008. After that tournament, he was even chosen as one of the best 23 players. In 2010, he won the FIFA Puskás Award for scoring the best goal of the year. This incredible goal happened during a game against Kazakhstan.
Contents
Club Career
Hamit Altıntop started his professional football journey in 2000. He played for a local German club called Wattenscheid alongside his brother. His great performances quickly caught the eye of bigger teams.
Playing for Schalke
In 2003, Hamit moved to Schalke 04. Here, he mostly played as a defensive midfielder, helping protect his team's goal. In the 2006–07 season, his brother Halil also joined Schalke. That year, Schalke finished second in the Bundesliga, which is Germany's top football league. They were very close to winning the title!
Time at Bayern Munich
In 2007, Altıntop joined Bayern Munich on a free transfer. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for Bayern in his very first game against the Brazilian team São Paulo. He scored with a fantastic free-kick, helping Bayern win 2–1. He also scored another amazing goal from 30 meters away against Werder Bremen.
In 2010, Hamit played in the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final with Bayern Munich. This was a huge match, but they unfortunately lost. He signed a new one-year contract with Bayern in 2010. However, he left the club in 2011 after his contract ended.
Moving to Real Madrid
On May 19, 2011, Hamit Altıntop joined Real Madrid in Spain. He signed a four-year contract with this famous club. He made his first appearance for Real Madrid in a Champions League game against AFC Ajax in September. He came on as a substitute for Mesut Özil.
He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in December against Sevilla FC. It was an important goal that came in the last minutes of the game. He also made his first full start for the club in January 2012 in a win against Zaragoza.
Joining Galatasaray
In July 2012, Hamit signed a four-year contract with Galatasaray SK in Turkey. He quickly helped Galatasaray win the 2012 Turkish Super Cup in his first game. They beat Fenerbahçe 3–2.
His first goal for Galatasaray was a spectacular 30-meter free kick. This happened in a Champions League match against his former club, Schalke 04, in March 2013. Unfortunately, Hamit faced many injuries during 2015 and 2016. Because of these injuries and some criticism, his contract with Galatasaray was ended.
Last Club: Darmstadt 98
On January 31, 2017, Altıntop signed a contract with Darmstadt 98 in Germany. He was even named the best player of the 20th matchday in the Bundesliga after a surprise win against Borussia Dortmund. He left the club in January 2018 for personal reasons and moved back to Turkey with his family.
International Career
Hamit Altıntop played a big role for the Turkish national team. He played in all five of Turkey's matches at UEFA Euro 2008. He was amazing in the comeback game against the Czech Republic, helping with all three goals. In the quarter-finals against Croatia, he scored a crucial penalty in the shootout, which helped Turkey reach the semi-finals.
At the start of the tournament, his coach used him as a right defender, which surprised many. But later, he was moved back to midfield, where he really shined. His strong playing style and smart passes made him a dominant player. He was even named the "Man of the Match" against Croatia. At the end of Euro 2008, Hamit was recognized as one of the tournament's best players.
In January 2011, Hamit won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of 2010. This was for his incredible volley goal against Kazakhstan in a Euro 2012 qualifying match. He also became the captain of the national team for the first time in March 2011.
Life After Football
In 2018, a year after he stopped playing professional football, Hamit Altıntop was chosen as a board member of the Turkish Football Federation. This means he now helps make important decisions about football in Turkey.
Personal Life
In 2014, Hamit Altıntop married Feyza Veli in a beautiful ceremony in Istanbul. Hamit was also chosen as an ambassador for the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final. This big event was held in Istanbul, his home country.
Honours
Hamit Altıntop won many awards and championships during his career:
Club Honours
Schalke 04
- DFL-Ligapokal: 2005
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003, 2004
Bayern Munich
- Bundesliga: 2007–08, 2009–10
- DFB-Pokal: 2007–08, 2009–10
- DFL-Ligapokal: 2007
- DFL-Supercup: 2010
- UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2009–10
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2011–12
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2012–13, 2014–15
- Turkish Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15
- Turkish Super Cup: 2012, 2013, 2016
International Honours
Turkey
- UEFA European Championship bronze medalist: 2008
Individual Awards
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2005–06
- FIFA Puskas Award: 2010
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2008
- UEFA European Championship top assist provider: 2008
See also
In Spanish: Hamit Altıntop para niños
