Ozan Kabak facts for kids
Kabak training with VfB Stuttgart in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ozan Muhammed Kabak | ||
| Date of birth | 25 March 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Ankara, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
TSG Hoffenheim | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2017 | Galatasaray | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Galatasaray | 14 | (0) |
| 2019 | VfB Stuttgart | 15 | (3) |
| 2019–2022 | Schalke 04 | 40 | (3) |
| 2021 | → Liverpool (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Norwich City (loan) | 11 | (0) |
| 2022– | TSG Hoffenheim | 58 | (6) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015 | Turkey U15 | 7 | (1) |
| 2015–2016 | Turkey U16 | 15 | (5) |
| 2016–2017 | Turkey U17 | 15 | (3) |
| 2018 | Turkey U18 | 11 | (4) |
| 2019– | Turkey | 26 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 May 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 June 2024 |
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Ozan Muhammed Kabak, born on March 25, 2000, is a talented Turkish professional football player. He plays as a central defender for TSG Hoffenheim, a club in Germany's top league, the Bundesliga. He also represents his home country, Turkey, on their national football team.
Contents
Ozan Kabak's Club Journey
Ozan Kabak has played for several important football clubs throughout his career. He started in Turkey and then moved to Germany and England.
Starting at Galatasaray
Ozan began his football journey in 2011 at the Galatasaray youth academy in Turkey. He signed his first professional contract with the club on July 1, 2017.
He made his first professional appearance for Galatasaray on May 12, 2018. This was in a Süper Lig match where Galatasaray won 2–0 against Yeni Malatyaspor. Ozan was the first player born in the 2000s to play in Turkey's top league. Later, on October 24, 2018, he played his first Champions League game. This was a big step for him, playing against Schalke 04.
Moving to VfB Stuttgart
On January 17, 2019, Ozan moved to Germany to join Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart. He signed a contract that would keep him there until June 2024.
He quickly made an impact, scoring two goals on March 3 in a 5–1 win against Hannover 96. These were his first goals as a professional player. At just 18 years old, he became the youngest Turkish central defender to score twice in a single Bundesliga match. He was also the third-youngest Stuttgart player to achieve this.
Time at Schalke 04
On June 30, 2019, Ozan joined Schalke 04 on a five-year contract. Schalke paid €15 million to sign him. In his first season, he played regularly, appearing in 28 matches and scoring three goals.
In September 2020, Ozan faced a suspension for an incident during a match against Werder Bremen. He apologized afterwards, saying it was an accident.
Loan to Liverpool
On February 1, 2021, Ozan moved to Liverpool in England on a loan deal for the rest of the 2020–21 season. This deal gave Liverpool the option to buy him later.
He made his debut for Liverpool on February 13, 2021, in a Premier League game against Leicester City. A few days later, on February 16, he played in a Champions League match against RB Leipzig. This made him the first Turkish player to play for an English club in the Champions League. After the season ended, Liverpool decided not to sign him permanently.
Loan to Norwich City
On August 30, 2021, Ozan returned to England. He joined Norwich City, a newly promoted team, on a loan for the entire season. Norwich also had the option to sign him permanently.
Joining TSG Hoffenheim
On July 23, 2022, Ozan Kabak made a permanent move back to Germany. He signed a contract with TSG Hoffenheim that lasts until June 30, 2026.
Ozan Kabak's International Career
Ozan has represented Turkey at various youth levels. He was the captain of the Turkey U17 team in the 2017 UEFA European Under-17 Championship. UEFA even listed him as one of the top 10 players to watch in that tournament.
On November 17, 2019, Ozan made his debut for the Turkey senior team. This was during a UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying match against Andorra, which Turkey won 2–0. He scored his first goal for the national team on November 16, 2022, in a friendly match against Scotland, helping Turkey win 2–1.
In May 2024, Ozan was chosen for Turkey's preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. However, he had to withdraw from the team on June 5 due to a knee injury before the tournament began.
Ozan Kabak's Achievements
Ozan Kabak has won some important awards and titles during his career.
Team Honours
- Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2017–18 (This means his team won the top Turkish football league in the 2017-2018 season.)
Individual Awards
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2018–19 (This award is given to the best new young player in the German Bundesliga league.)
See also
In Spanish: Ozan Kabak para niños
