| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (2006-01-25)25 January 2006 (age 19) | ||
| Place of birth | Bakırköy, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Centre back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Hilal | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016–2019 | Galatasaray | ||
| 2019–2023 | Fenerbahçe | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2025 | Fenerbahçe | 11 | (0) |
| 2025– | Al-Hilal | 4 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023 | Turkey U17 | 8 | (0) |
| 2023 | Turkey U18 | 13 | (0) |
| 2024– | Turkey U19 | 6 | (1) |
| 2025– | Turkey | 3 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 7 November 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025 | |||
Yusuf Akçiçek (born 25 January 2006) is a Turkish professionalfootballer who plays as acentre back forSaudi Pro League clubAl-Hilal and theTurkey national team.[1]
After starting his youth career atGalatasaray Academy between 2016 and 2019, then moved toFenerbahçe Academy and played there between 2019 and 2023.[citation needed]
He signed professional contract withFenerbahçe senior team on 7 July 2023.[2]
On 9 November 2023, he made his professional debut with the team in a continental match againstLudogorets inUEFA Europa Conference League away game, Fenerbahçe lost 2–0.[3][4] On 26 May 2024, he made hisSüper Lig debut in a late 89th mins substitute againstİstanbulspor inŞükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, Fenerbahçe won 6–0.[5]
On 29 November 2024, he made hisUEFA Europa League debut in a 1-2 away win againstSlavia Prague inFortuna Arena.[6]
On 9 January 2025, he scored his first professional career goal with the team againstKasımpaşa in a 3-0 wonTurkish Cup away game.[7]
On 23 January 2025, his performance was appreciated in theUEFA Europa League match in which Fenerbahçe drew 0-0 withOlympique Lyonnais inŞükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium.[8] On 20 February 2025, he scored his first continental goal in an away 2-2 tie againstAnderlecht inUEFA Europa League knockout phase match.[9]
On 1 September 2025, Akçiçek joined Saudi Pro League clubAl-Hilal until the end of 2028–29 season.[10][11]
On 16 September 2025, he made his debut in a continental match againstAl-Duhail in2025–26 AFC Champions League Elite league stage first week 2-1 home win as a starter.[12]
On 19 September 2025, he made hisSaudi Pro League debut againstAl-Ahli, in a 3-3 draw.
Akçiçek is a youth international for Turkey, having represented 8 matches for theU17s and 13 matches for theU18s in 2023 and having represented theU19s since 2024.
On 14 March 2025, Akçiçek was called up byVincenzo Montella to theTurkey national team for the2024–25 UEFA Nations League promotion play-offs againstHungary.[13] On 23 March 2025, he made his senior national debut againstHungary as 82nd mins substitute in 3-0 away win.[14]
A hard-tackling and physically imposing left-footed defender, with good technique and ball-playing ability on the ground, Akçiçek is complete, elegant, dominant centre-back and also suitable to play as a left-sided centre-back in a three-man defence system and even as a left-back if needed.[15]
On 13 February 2025, after the 3-0 home winUEFA Europa League knockout phase first match againstAnderlecht, Fenerbahçe coachJose Mourinho said about him:[16]
I said it before. I said it at the beginning of the season, before Yusuf even played. I said I wanted to coach and train this player. I know that players who have reached a higher level culturally in Turkey are valued more, but Yusuf is a very talented player. He had a great season, but he needs to keep his feet on the ground. He is a very hard-working and intelligent player.
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Fenerbahçe | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 11[c] | 3 | 15 | 3 |
| 2024–25 | Süper Lig | 9 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 7[d] | 1 | 1[e] | 0 | 21 | 2 | |
| 2025–26 | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Total | 11 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 12 | 3 | 38 | 5 | ||
| Al-Hilal | 2025–26 | Saudi Pro League | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[g] | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | |
| Career total | 14 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 3 | 45 | 6 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | |||
| 2025 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | |