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.jpg) Gökhan Gönül withTurkey in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1985-01-04)4 January 1985 (age 40) | ||
| Place of birth | Samsun, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft9+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Right back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1999–2002 | Bursayolspor | ||
| 2002–2003 | Gençlerbirliği | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2007 | Gençlerbirliği | 0 | (0) |
| 2003–2007 | →Hacettepe (loan) | 92 | (15) |
| 2007–2016 | Fenerbahçe | 254 | (10) |
| 2016–2020 | Beşiktaş | 113 | (8) |
| 2020–2021 | Fenerbahçe | 21 | (2) |
| 2021–2023 | Çaykur Rizespor | 30 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2007–2019 | Turkey | 66 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2024–2025 | Turkey U-21 | ||
| 2025– | Fenerbahçe (assistant) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Gökhan Gönül (born 4 January 1985) is a Turkish former professionalfootballer who played as aright back.
Gönül was born inBafra,Samsun, where he and his family lived before moving toBursa when Gönül was six years old. His uncle signed him up with Bursayolspor's youth squad in 1999, and Gönül began his footballing career as agoalkeeper. However, after several other young goalkeepers signed with the club, Gönül was moved to the outfield. After putting in several performances, Gönül was told he would not playgoalkeeper again. At first, Gönül played football as a hobby and something to play when there was nothing else to do. He began taking the sport more seriously when his coach at the time, Mehmet Kirazoğlu, took him under his wing and trained him individually. Soon after, Gönül played in a senior match against 30-year-olds; Gönül was 13 at the time.[1]
Gönül played several positions before he could find his spot, lacing up as alibero,midfielder, andforward at various levels. Gönül was the captain of the 14-16 team at Bursayolspor, and helped the club to a 3–3 draw withBursaspor, scoring three goals while playing libero. Hasan Bora, a staff member atBursaspor at the time, was interested in signing Gönül after his performance. However, after seeing several of his peers join the club and fail to progress, Gönül took it as a sign and decided against joining the club.Fatih Terim, then coach ofGalatasaray, also expressed interest in Gönül. He invited the youngster toIstanbul, but Gönül ultimately did not agree to join the team. Instead, he signed withGençlerbirliği on 9 August 2002.[2]
Gönül began his career with theAnkara-based club in theA2 league. In his first season, he scored two goals in 19A2 league appearances. The following season, Gönül was loaned out tofeeder clubHacettepe. He spent the 2003–04 season on loan, before joining the club on a full transfer at the end of the season. In his first two seasons with the club, Gönül scored eight goals in 48 appearances and helped the club to back-to-back promotions.Gençlerbirliği transferred him back to the club at the start of the 2005–06. However, an injury kept him sidelined for several months and he was unable to make his debut for the club. Instead, he was loaned out once more toHacettepe at the winter break. Gönül helped the club to another promotion, completing three promotions in four years. He also won the award for Best Player of theTFF First League.[1]
Fenerbahçe transferred him before the start of the2007–08 season, where he flourished under then-coachZico. After putting in performances during the2007–08 UEFA Champions League, he earned the nickname "TurkishCafu".[3] The club reached thequarter-finals of theUEFA Champions League for the first time in club history.[4] Gökhan Gönül extended to his contract in June 2012. The new deal will see him at the club until the 2015–16 and take home €1.7 million per season.[5]
On 19 June 2023, Gönül announced on his social media account that he ended his football career at the age of 38.[6]
Gönül was never capped at youth international level. He made his senior debut againstNorway on 27 November 2007.[7] He made three more appearances that season, but was not selected in theEuro 2008 squad due to his injury.[2]
Gönül was called up to the Turkey squad forEuro 2016.[8]
Gönül was appointed as the assistant coach of theTurkey national under-21 football team on 19 March 2024. After serving as the assistant coach for 5 matches, he became the head coach of the Turkey U-21 on 26 September 2024.[9]
| Club | Season | League | Cup[nb 1] | Europe | Total | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||||||||||
| Hacettepe | 2003–04 | TFF First League | 27 | 5 | - | - | — | 27 | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2004–05 | 21 | 3 | - | - | — | 21 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 17 | 3 | - | - | —- | 17 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | — | 29 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 92 | 15 | 2 | 0 | — | 94 | 15 | ||||||||||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2007–08 | Süper Lig | 24 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 36 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2008–09 | 29 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 46 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2009–10 | 30 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 2010–11 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 2011–12 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2012–13 | 27 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 42 | 4 | |||||||||||
| 2013–14 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2014–15 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2015–16 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Total | 254 | 10 | 27 | 2 | 50 | 0 | 331 | 12 | |||||||||||
| Beşiktaş | 2016–17 | Süper Lig | 29 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 38 | 1 | |||||||||
| 2017–18 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2018–19 | 29 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 38 | 4 | |||||||||||
| 2019–20 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 4 | |||||||||||
| Total | 113 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 140 | 9 | |||||||||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 21 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 22 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Çaykur Rizespor | 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 2022–23 | TFF First League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | |||||||||||
| Total | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | ||||||||||||
| Career total | 510 | 36 | 37 | 2 | 70 | 1 | 617 | 39 | |||||||||||
| Last Update: 17 September 2022[11] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Turkey national team | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | 9 | 0 |
| 2010 | 5 | 0 |
| 2011 | 5 | 1 |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 | 9 | 0 |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 |
| 2015 | 5 | 0 |
| 2016 | 8 | 0 |
| 2017 | 3 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 |
| 2019 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 66 | 1 |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 March 2011 | Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium,Istanbul, Turkey |  Austria | 2–0 | 2–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
