.jpg) Inler withBeşiktaş in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gökhan Inler[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1984-06-27)27 June 1984 (age 40)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Olten, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Central midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Udinese (technical director) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1992–1998 | Olten | ||
| 1998–2002 | FC Solothurn | ||
| 2002–2005 | FC Basel | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2006 | FC Aarau | 25 | (3) |
| 2006–2007 | FC Zürich | 52 | (3) |
| 2007–2011 | Udinese | 141 | (6) |
| 2011–2015 | Napoli | 118 | (9) |
| 2015–2016 | Leicester City | 5 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Beşiktaş | 14 | (0) |
| 2017–2020 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 44 | (1) |
| 2020–2023 | Adana Demirspor | 62 | (3) |
| 2023–2024 | Beşiktaş | 0 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2005 | Switzerland U21 | 3 | (0) |
| 2006 | Turkey U21 | 1 | (0) |
| 2006–2015 | Switzerland | 89 | (7) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 July 2024 | |||
Gökhan Inler (Turkish:İnler, born 27 June 1984) is a Swiss former professionalfootballer who played as acentral midfielder. He is currently in charge as a technical director of Italian football clubUdinese.
Inler began his professional career withFC Basel and later joinedFC Aarau andFC Zürich, winning theSwiss Super League in both of his seasons with the latter. After four seasons withUdinese in the ItalianSerie A, he joinedNapoli in 2011, where he twice won theCoppa Italia.
Inler played under-21 football for bothSwitzerland andTurkey. He made his debut for theSwitzerland senior team in 2006 and has since earned 89 caps, scoring seven goals, making him the nation's fifth-most capped player of all time. He represented the squad atUEFA Euro 2008 and twoFIFA World Cups, captaining the Swiss in Brazil in2014.
Born inOlten in theCanton of Solothurn, Inler began his career atFC Basel, laterFC Aarau. On 20 March 2005, he made hisSwiss Super League debut in a 2–3 home defeat againstGrasshoppers. In January 2006, he was signed byFC Zürich and was part of the2005–06 and2007–08 Swiss championship-winning teams.
Inler joinedUdinese of the ItalianSerie A in July 2007 after theUdine-based club met a buy-out clause in his Zürich contract, joining for an undisclosed fee and signing a five-year contract.[3] He scored his first goal for Udinese in a 2–1 win overTorino, netting in the 52nd minute to make the score 2–0 for Udinese.[4] On 30 March 2008, Inler scored his second Serie A goal, opening the scoring in an eventual 3–1 win overFiorentina. Inler also set-up strikerAntonio Di Natale for the winning goal later in the match.[5] In Inler's first season in Italy, he started all domestic games for Udinese, scoring two goals and providing two assists.[6] Inler and Udinese had a successful season, finishing seventh in Serie A and thus earning a berth in the first round of next season'sUEFA Cup.[7]
On the opening day of the2008–09 Serie A season, Inler scored the third goal of a 3–1 win overPalermo and provided an assist for one of Antonio Di Natale's two goals.[8] On 18 September, Inler then scored in the first leg of a UEFA Cup qualifying round game away againstBorussia Dortmund, a game Udinese won 0–2.[9] Despite then losing the home leg 2–0 courtesy of two goals fromTamás Hajnal, Udinese progressed after winning 4–3 on penalties, with Inler converting his kick.[10] Inler featured in all four of Udinese's group stage games as they finished first in their group with nine points.[11][12][13][14] In the round of 16, Inler started both legs againstreigning championsZenit Saint Petersburg, as Udinese won 2–1 on aggregate against the Russians.[15] In the quarterfinal round againstWerder Bremen, Udinese lost the first leg 3–1 away from home, but in the second leg, Inler struck early on for the hosts, netting a dipping shot from over 25 yards (23 m) out.[citation needed]Diego equalised for the Germans beforeFabio Quagliarella netted twice before the break to bring the aggregate score to 4–4. Two second-half goals for Bremen, however, meant that the hosts were knocked out at the quarterfinal stage.[16]
Inler's goal against Palermo proved to be his only league goal of the season, but he provided three more assists, including one helper in a stunning 6–2 victory overCagliari on the final matchday of the season.[17] The win assured that Udinese once again finished seventh in Serie A, this time five points behindRoma for the last European spot.[18]
Udinese and Inler found the next season much more difficult. The playmaker did not have a successful season following his breakout campaign in the UEFA Cup from the previous year. He failed to score in 33 Serie A appearances and only provided one assist to Antonio Di Natale in a 2–1 loss to eventual championsInter Milan.[19] Udinese only secured their Serie A safety on the penultimate day of the season after a 2–2 draw at Cagliari, which also saw the hosts confirm their Serie A place for the next season.[20] Four days later, Inler scored forSwitzerland in a 1–1 draw againstItaly in an international friendly in preparation for the2010 FIFA World Cup, with former teammate Fabio Quagliarella scoring for the reigning world champions.[21]
Inler and Udinese continued their poor form from the previous year to begin the2010–11 Serie A campaign, losing four of their first five games,[6] though fortunes quickly started to turn around for each. Udinese went on a streak of six-straight games without a loss, winning four in a row; in one game, Inler set upAntonio Floro Flores to level for the hosts against Cagliari, a game ending in a 1–1 draw on 7 November 2010.[22] Following the winter break, Inler grabbed an assist in Udinese's 2–0 win overChievo on 6 January 2011.[23] In an enthralling game at theSan Siro the next Sunday, Inler provided Antonio Di Natale with one of his goals in a 4–4 draw against eventual championsMilan.[24] Inler then scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 win overCesena. The result meant that Udinese had not lost in 2011, a span of eight games, and moved up to sixth in the league table.[25] Udinese drew their next game againstBrescia before winning their next four, including a 7–0 thrashing of Palermo away from home.[26] In the 13th and final game of their unbeaten streak, Inler scored againstCatania in a 2–0 win.[27] After finally losing, a 2–0 defeat toLecce, Inler continued his fine run of form, scoring in a 2–1 win over title-chasersNapoli.[28] Udinese drew with Milan on 22 May, confirming the former's fourth-place finish and Italy's finalUEFA Champions League berth with one game remaining in the season.[29]
Because of his good form in Udinese, helping them finish fourth in the2010–11 Serie A table and securing a Champions League playoff spot, transfer speculation was rife that Inler would be on the move. In May 2011, Udinese agreed a deal with Napoli in a deal for the player worth €13 million.[30] In July, Inler agreed personal terms with Napoli and was unveiled on 11 July, being presented in an unconventional manner, wearing a lion mask to hide his identity and sporting the jersey number 88.[31] He made his Napoli debut in their 3–1 away win at Cesena on 10 September.[32] Inler provided an assist forFederico Fernández in a 3–2 defeat toBayern Munich in the group stages of the Champions League on 2 November.[33] In the same game, he was involved in a challenge withBastian Schweinsteiger that resulted in theGerman international requiring surgery for a broken collarbone.[34] On 7 December, Inler scored his first goal for both his new club and in the Champions League; he opened the scoring with a left-footed drive in a 0–2 away win overVillarreal CF in the final game of the group stage phase, a win that took Napoli through to the knockout stages of the competition.[35]
In Napoli's Round of 16 tie againstChelsea, Inler scored a long-range drive in the second leg atStamford Bridge to send the game into extra-time. A late goal fromBranislav Ivanović, however, ensured Chelsea progressed to the quarterfinals 5–4 on aggregate.[36] On 25 April 2012, Napoli headed to theStadio Via del Mare to face Lecce, where Inler provided both assists for goals byMarek Hamšík andEdinson Cavani, helping Napoli climb to fourth in Serie A standings.[37] Later on in the season, Inler played in theCoppa Italia Final againstScudetto winnersJuventus, winning his first piece of silverware with thePartenopei after they defeated league-champions Juve 2–0.[38]
On 3 May 2014, Inler was sent off in Napoli's victory over Fiorentina in the2014 Coppa Italia Final.[39]
On 19 August 2015, Inler signed forPremier League clubLeicester City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[40] He made his debut three days later, replacingDanny Drinkwater for the final ten minutes of a 1–1 draw withTottenham Hotspur atKing Power Stadium.[41] Due to the good performances of Drinkwater andN'Golo Kanté, Inler totalled only seven Leicester appearances by the end of the calendar year.[42] As a result, Inler was not called up to the Switzerland squad forEuro 2016.[43] Nevertheless, he played the minimum five league games required to be eligible for awinner's medal when Leicester became2015–16 Premier League champions.[44]
On 31 August 2016, Inler signed a three-year contract withSüper Lig clubBeşiktaş.[45]
In the summer of 2017, after spending one season at Beşiktaş, Inler moved to league rivalsİstanbul Başakşehir on a free transfer.[citation needed] He was released at the end of his contract on 19 August 2020.[46]
Inler played for theSwiss andTurkish national under-21 teams before debuting for theSwiss senior team[47] on 2 September 2006 in anexhibition game againstVenezuela inBasel.[48] Inler played all of Switzerland's matches atUEFA Euro 2008 in which they were eliminated at the group stage on home soil.[49]
Due to the absence of regular captainAlexander Frei on 16 June 2010, Inler captained Switzerland in a 1–0 victory againstSpain in the group stage of the2010 FIFA World Cup.[50] Frei returned for the second group game, but Inler was again the captain in the third, a goalless draw withHonduras.[49] After Frei's retirement in 2011, Inler became the Swiss captain,[51] and played all four matches as they reached the last 16 of the2014 FIFA World Cup.[49] He was left out of the Swiss squad forUEFA Euro 2016 due to his lack of game time at Leicester City during the 2015–16 season.[43]
A hard-working, tenacious, and tactically versatilemidfielder, Inler is capable of aiding his team both defensively and offensively; an intelligent player, he is known both for his stamina and his movements off the ball, although his most prominent trait is his powerful and accurate striking ability from distance with both feet, and also from set pieces, which enables him to contribute to his team's offensive play with goals from midfield. Primarily a ball-winner, Inler is usually deployed as acentral ordefensive midfielder, where he is also capable of functioning creatively as adeep-lying playmaker in front of the defensive line, due to his vision, passing range, and ability to control the tempo of his team's play; his long passing accuracy allows him to effectively switch the play and create chances for teammates after winning back possession. Due to his height and physical attributes, he is also effective in the air.[52][53][54]
On 13 June 2024, Inler has been appointed as a Technical Director toUdinese.[55][56]
Inler, born and brought up in Switzerland, has parents of Turkish origin.[57] He is a lifelong fan ofBeşiktaş. In an interview, he stated that when he was young he used to go to Beşiktaş's training camps, which were close to the house he grew up in Switzerland.[58]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Aarau | 2004–05 | Swiss Super League | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 3 | ||
| 2005–06 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 25 | 3 | ||||
| FC Zürich | 2005–06 | Swiss Super League | 17 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | — | 37 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 52 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 54 | 3 | ||||
| Udinese | 2007–08 | Serie A | 37 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 40 | 2 | |||
| 2008–09 | 36 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 12[b] | 2 | — | 49 | 3 | ||||
| 2009–10 | 33 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | 37 | 1 | |||||
| 2010–11 | 35 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 3 | |||||
| Total | 141 | 6 | 9 | 1 | — | 12 | 2 | — | 162 | 9 | ||||
| Napoli | 2011–12 | Serie A | 36 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 8[a] | 2 | — | 49 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | 6[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 39 | 6 | |||
| 2013–14 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 0 | — | 8[e] | 2 | — | 45 | 4 | ||||
| 2014–15 | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 11[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 33 | 1 | |||
| Total | 118 | 9 | 13 | 0 | — | 33 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 166 | 13 | |||
| Leicester City | 2015–16 | Premier League | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| Beşiktaş | 2016–17 | Süper Lig | 14 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 10[f] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | ||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 10[g] | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2018–19 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 44 | 1 | 9 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | — | 64 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 400 | 22 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 68 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 512 | 29 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 2006 | 3 | 0 |
| 2007 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 12 | 3 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2013 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 8 | 1 | |
| Total | 89 | 7 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 March 2007 | Lockhart Stadium,Fort Lauderdale, USA |  Jamaica | 2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 3 March 2010 | AFG Arena,St. Gallen, Switzerland |  Uruguay | 1–0 | 1–3 | Friendly |
| 3 | 5 June 2010 | Stade de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland |  Italy | 1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
| 4 | 12 October 2010 | St. Jakob-Park,Basel, Switzerland |  Wales | 3–1 | 4–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying |
| 5 | 7 September 2012 | Stožice Stadium,Ljubljana, Slovenia |  Slovenia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification |
| 6 | 11 September 2012 | Swisspor Arena,Lucerne, Switzerland |  Albania | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification |
| 7 | 9 October 2015 | AFG Arena,St. Gallen, Switzerland |  San Marino | 2–0 | 7–0 | UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying |
FC Zürich
Napoli
Leicester City
Beşiktaş J.K.
İstanbul Başakşehir
Adana Demirspor
Switzerland squads | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||||||||
