Ozan Kabak facts for kids
Kabak training with VfB Stuttgart in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 March 2000 | ||
| Place of birth | Ankara, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | 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) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 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) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Ozan Muhammed Kabak, born on March 25, 2000, is a talented Turkish football player. He plays as a central defender for Bundesliga club TSG Hoffenheim in Germany. Ozan also proudly represents the Turkey national team.
Contents
Ozan's Club Journey
Starting at Galatasaray
Ozan began his football journey at the Galatasaray youth academy in 2011. He worked hard and signed his first professional contract with the club on July 1, 2017.
Ozan made his first professional appearance for Galatasaray on May 12, 2018. This was in a 2–0 win against Yeni Malatyaspor in the Süper Lig, which is Turkey's top football league. He was the first player born in the 2000s to play in the Süper Lig.
On October 24, 2018, Ozan played his first Champions League match. This is a very important European club competition. His team had a 0–0 draw against Schalke 04.
Moving to VfB Stuttgart
On January 17, 2019, Ozan moved to VfB Stuttgart, a club in the Bundesliga, Germany's top football league. He signed a contract to play for them until June 2024.
On March 3, Ozan scored his first two goals as a professional player. This happened in a big 5–1 win against Hannover 96. At just 18 years old, he became the youngest Turkish central defender to score twice in a Bundesliga match. He was also the third-youngest Stuttgart player to do this.
Playing for Schalke 04
On June 30, 2019, Ozan joined Schalke 04. He signed a five-year contract with them. He became a regular player in his first season, playing in 28 matches and scoring three goals.
Loan to Liverpool
On February 1, 2021, Ozan joined Liverpool on a temporary loan deal. This meant he would play for Liverpool for the rest of the 2020–21 season.
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 that competition. At the end of the season, Liverpool decided not to sign Ozan permanently.
Loan to Norwich City
On August 30, 2021, Ozan returned to England to play for Norwich City. He joined them on a loan deal for the whole season. Norwich City had just been promoted to the Premier League.
Joining TSG Hoffenheim
On July 23, 2022, Ozan made a permanent move to TSG Hoffenheim in Germany. He signed a contract that will keep him with the club until June 30, 2026.
International Career
Ozan has played for Turkey at different 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.
Ozan scored his first goal for the national team on November 16, 2022. It was in a friendly match against Scotland, which Turkey won 2–1. He scored another goal on September 12, 2023, against Japan.
In May 2024, Ozan was chosen for the preliminary squad for UEFA Euro 2024. However, he had to withdraw from the tournament on June 5 due to a knee injury.
Honours and Awards
Ozan has won some important titles and awards in his career:
Galatasaray
- Süper Lig: 2017–18 (This means his team won the top Turkish league title.)
Individual
- Bundesliga Rookie of the Season: 2018–19 (This award is given to the best new player in the German Bundesliga league.)
See also
In Spanish: Ozan Kabak para niños
