Hamit Altıntop facts for kids
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Altintop playing for Galatasaray in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Hamit Altıntop | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 December 1982 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Gelsenkirchen, West Germany | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | 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) | ||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000 | Turkey U18 | 5 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2001 | Turkey U20 | 6 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2003 | Turkey U21 | 9 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2004–2014 | Turkey | 82 | (7) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||
Hamit Altıntop (born December 8, 1982) is a former professional footballer from Turkey. He was a very flexible midfielder who could play in many different positions. Hamit was known for his amazing long-range shots and creative play. He is the identical twin brother of another footballer, Halil Altıntop.
Hamit was a key player for the Turkish national team. He helped them reach the semi-finals of the Euro 2008 tournament. After this event, he was chosen as one of the best 23 players in the "Team of the Tournament." In 2010, he won the FIFA Puskás Award for scoring the best goal of the year. This goal was a spectacular shot in a match against Kazakhstan. Today, he is a board member of the Turkish Football Federation.
Contents
Hamit Altıntop's Club Journey
Starting Out at Schalke
Hamit Altıntop began his professional football career in 2000. He started at a German club called Wattenscheid 09, playing alongside his brother. His strong performances quickly caught the eye of bigger teams. In 2003, he moved to Schalke 04. At Schalke, he mostly played as a defensive midfielder. In the 2006–07 season, his brother Halil also joined Schalke. That year, Schalke finished second in the Bundesliga, just missing out on the title.
Playing for Bayern Munich
In 2007, Altıntop joined Bayern Munich on a free transfer from Schalke 04. He made an instant impact, scoring his first goal for Bayern in his very first game against Brazilian champions São Paulo. It was a fantastic free-kick that helped Bayern win 2–1. He continued to impress, scoring another great goal from 30 meters against Werder Bremen.
In 2008, he scored a penalty against Aberdeen in a UEFA Cup match. Even though the goalkeeper saved the first shot, Hamit scored from the rebound. Bayern Munich reached the 2010 UEFA Champions League Final in the 2009–10 season. Hamit started this important match but was later substituted. He signed a new one-year contract in 2010. However, he left Bayern at the end of the 2010–11 season after his contract ended.
Time at Real Madrid
On May 19, 2011, Hamit Altıntop moved to Real Madrid on a free transfer. He signed a four-year contract with the famous Spanish club. He made his first appearance for Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League match against AFC Ajax in September. His first game in La Liga was in October against Real Betis.
He scored his first goal for Real Madrid in December 2011 against Sevilla FC. It was a late goal that helped his team. Hamit made his first start for Real Madrid in January 2012 in a win against Zaragoza. He also started his first Champions League match for the club in April 2012 against APOEL F.C..
Moving to Galatasaray
On July 13, 2012, Altıntop signed a four-year contract with Galatasaray SK in Turkey. He joined the club for €3.5 million from Real Madrid. He made his debut for Galatasaray in the 2012 Turkish Super Cup final against Fenerbahçe. Galatasaray won the match 3–2, securing the title.
His first goal for Galatasaray was a spectacular 30-meter free-kick. This goal came in a Champions League match against his former club, Schalke 04, in March 2013. Unfortunately, Hamit faced many injuries during 2015 and 2016, which kept him from playing regularly. Due to his injuries and some criticism from fans, his contract with Galatasaray was ended.
Final Club: Darmstadt 98
On January 31, 2017, Altıntop signed a contract with Darmstadt 98 for the rest of the season. He quickly made an impact and was even named the best player of the 20th matchday in the Bundesliga. This was after he played a big part in a surprising win against Borussia Dortmund. He left the club on January 4, 2018, for personal reasons and moved back to Turkey with his family.
Hamit Altıntop's International Career
Hamit Altıntop played in all five of Turkey's matches at UEFA Euro 2008. He was a key player in their amazing comeback against the Czech Republic, assisting all three goals. In the quarter-finals against Croatia, he scored a crucial penalty in the shootout, helping Turkey win.
Initially, his coach used him as a right defender, which surprised many. However, after a match against Switzerland, he was moved back to midfield. This change greatly improved both his and Turkey's performance. His strong playing style and important passes made him a dominant force in the Turkish midfield. He was even named the "Man of the Match" after the quarter-final against Croatia. At the end of the tournament, Hamit was recognized as one of the best players and was included in UEFA's official "Team of the Tournament."
In January 2011, Altıntop won the FIFA Puskás Award for the best goal of 2010. This award was for his incredible volley against Kazakhstan in a Euro 2012 qualifier match in September 2010. He also became the captain of the national team for the first time on March 30, 2011, in a 2–0 victory against Austria.
Life After Playing Football
In 2018, one year after he stopped playing professional football, Hamit Altıntop was chosen to be a board member of the Turkish Football Federation. This shows his continued dedication to the sport.
Personal Life
In 2014, Hamit Altıntop married Feyza Veli in a beautiful wedding ceremony in Istanbul. He was also chosen as the ambassador for the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final. This big event was held at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Wattenscheid 09 | 2000–01 | Regionalliga Nord | 11 | 1 | — | — | — | 11 | 1 | |||
| 2001–02 | 31 | 4 | — | — | — | 31 | 4 | |||||
| 2002–03 | 33 | 7 | — | — | — | 33 | 7 | |||||
| Total | 75 | 12 | — | — | — | 75 | 12 | |||||
| Schalke 04 | 2003–04 | Bundesliga | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 33 | 5 | |
| 2004–05 | 30 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 8 | — | 0 | 44 | 1 | |||
| 2005–06 | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 35 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | 31 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||
| Total | 113 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 21 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 148 | 10 | ||
| Bayern Munich | 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 23 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 8 |
| 2008–09 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| 2009–10 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | |||
| 2010–11 | 14 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 2 | ||
| Total | 63 | 7 | 16 | 2 | 26 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 109 | 13 | ||
| Real Madrid | 2011–12 | La Liga | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 |
| Galatasaray | 2012–13 | Süper Lig | 29 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| 2013–14 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | 23 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | |||
| Total | 61 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 89 | 4 | ||
| Darmstadt 98 | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 16 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18 | 2. Bundesliga | 17 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 1 | |||
| Total | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 350 | 30 | 42 | 5 | 66 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 468 | 42 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| Turkey | ||
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 6 | 0 |
| 2005 | 10 | 0 |
| 2006 | 11 | 0 |
| 2007 | 11 | 2 |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 6 | 1 |
| 2010 | 9 | 3 |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 |
| 2012 | 9 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 | 0 |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 |
| Total | 82 | 7 |
Scores and results table. Turkey's goal tally first:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | March 28, 2007 | Commerzbank-Arena, Frankfurt, Germany |  Norway |
1–2 | 2–2 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 2 | 2–2 | |||||
| 3 | August 12, 2009 | Lobanovsky Dynamo Stadium, Kyiv, Ukraine |  Ukraine |
3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | March 3, 2010 | BJK İnönü Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey |  Honduras |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 5 | September 3, 2010 | Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan |  Kazakhstan |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 6 | September 7, 2010 | Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey |  Belgium |
1–1 | 3–2 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 7 | May 24, 2012 | Red Bull Arena, Salzburg, Austria |  Georgia |
1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Club Trophies
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 Achievements
Turkey
- UEFA European Championship bronze medalist: 2008
Individual Awards
- kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2005–06
- FIFA Puskás 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
