_(cropped).JPG) Emre in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Emre Belözoğlu[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1980-09-07)7 September 1980 (age 45) | ||
| Place of birth | Istanbul, Turkey | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Kasımpaşa (head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1989–1992 | Zeytinburnuspor | ||
| 1992–1996 | Galatasaray | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1996–2001 | Galatasaray | 102 | (14) |
| 2001–2005 | Inter Milan | 79 | (3) |
| 2005–2008 | Newcastle United | 58 | (5) |
| 2008–2012 | Fenerbahçe | 103 | (12) |
| 2012–2013 | Atlético Madrid | 7 | (1) |
| 2013–2015 | Fenerbahçe | 56 | (14) |
| 2015–2019 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 104 | (11) |
| 2019–2020 | Fenerbahçe | 26 | (3) |
| Total | 531 | (60) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–1995 | Turkey U15 | 11 | (7) |
| 1995–1997 | Turkey U16 | 35 | (20) |
| 1996–1997 | Turkey U17 | 7 | (2) |
| 1997–1998 | Turkey U18 | 6 | (0) |
| 1998–1999 | Turkey U21 | 12 | (4) |
| 2000–2019 | Turkey | 101 | (9) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2021 | Fenerbahçe (caretaker) | ||
| 2021–2023 | İstanbul Başakşehir | ||
| 2023–2024 | Ankaragücü | ||
| 2025 | Antalyaspor | ||
| 2025– | Kasımpaşa | ||
Medal record | |||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Emre Belözoğlu (Turkish pronunciation:[emˈɾebeˈlœzoːɫu], born 7 September 1980), simply known asEmre, is a Turkish football manager and former professional footballer who is currently head coach ofKasımpaşa.
A left-footed, tempo-setting midfielder most often used as a central midfielder or advanced playmaker, he came through theGalatasaray academy and debuted for the first team at 16, winning four consecutiveSüper Lig titles, twoTurkish Cups, theUEFA Cup (1999–2000) and theUEFA Super Cup (2000).
In 2001 he moved toInter Milan for £5 million, was voted the club’s Pirata d'Oro (player of the year) in 2002–03 and reached theUEFA Champions League semi-finals. He later played forNewcastle United, had three spells withFenerbahçe (winning theSüper Lig in 2010–11 and 2013–14, the 2012–13Turkish Cup and the 2014Turkish Super Cup), joinedAtlético Madrid briefly in 2012, and captainedİstanbul Başakşehir from 2015 to 2019 before returning toFenerbahçe for a final season and retiring in 2020.
Internationally, Belözoğlu earned 101 caps and scored 9 goals forTurkey between 2000 and 2019. He was part of the squad that finished third at the2002 FIFA World Cup and reached the semi-finals ofUEFA Euro 2008, and is a member of theFIFA 100, the list of the world’s greatest living footballers selected byPelé for FIFA’s centenary.[2]
After retiring, he became Fenerbahçe’s director of football in October 2020 and served as the club’s interim head coach for the final ten league matches of the 2020–21 season. He subsequently managedİstanbul Başakşehir (securing European qualification and reaching theTurkish Cup final),Ankaragücü (relegated on the final day of 2023–24), andAntalyaspor, where he briefly resigned in June 2025 before the decision was reversed and he was confirmed to continue into 2025–26.
Born inIstanbul’sZeytinburnu district, Belözoğlu was introduced to football by his father, Mehmet, an amateur player who took him to theZeytinburnuspor training ground. His mother, Fatma, having witnessed the difficulties her husband faced in the game, initially opposed a professional career, but his father encouraged him to pursue it.[3]
AtZeytinburnuspor, coach Salih Bulgurlu identified his talent, praising his control with his left foot and giving him individual training for four years to refine his technique, fitness and stamina.[3] His progress quickly drew wider attention. FormerGalatasaray player and coachBülent Ünder a close friend of then Galatasaray managerFatih Terim recommended that Belözoğlu be taken intoGalatasaray’s academy, which he duly joined in 1996.[3] Ünder is reported to have told Bulgurlu:
Wait and see. In two years, this teenager will be playing proudly within the battlegrounds of Europe.[3]
Belözoğlu represented Turkey at youth level from under-15 through under-21 before breaking intoGalatasaray’s first team as a 16-year-old during the1996–97.
Belözoğlu came throughGalatasaray’s youth system and was promoted to the senior squad in the1996–97 season at the age of 16. He broke into the first team the following year underFatih Terim, and between 1996 and 2001 made over 100 competitive appearances for the club.
During this period he was part ofGalatasaray’s most successful modern era, winning four consecutiveSüper Lig titles (1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000), twoTurkish Cups (1998–99, 1999–2000), the1999–2000 UEFA Cup, and the2000 UEFA Super Cup againstReal Madrid.[4][5][6]
He also featured in the2000–01 UEFA Champions League, including the quarter-final tie againstReal Madrid in April 2001.[7] Deployed primarily as a left-footed central midfielder, he was noted for his press resistance, intensity out of possession and ability to progress the ball through tight spaces, often forming part of a midfield unit withGheorghe Hagi,Okan Buruk andTugay Kerimoğlu underTerim.
Regarded domestically as one of the leading Turkish prospects of his generation, Belözoğlu leftGalatasaray in the summer of 2001 to joinInter Milan for a reported multi-million euro fee.[8]
Belözoğlu moved toInter Milan in July 2001. Across four seasons he made 115 competitive appearances and scored 5 goals for the Nerazzurri, playing underHéctor Cúper,Alberto Zaccheroni andRoberto Mancini. His standout year came in 2002–03, when he made 37 appearances in all competitions and was voted the Pirata d’Oro(Inter’s player of the year), becoming the 17th recipient of the award. That seasonInter reached theUEFA Champions Leaguesemi-finals, losing toAC Milan on away goals.[9][10][11]
From2003–04 onward, a series of injuries curtailed his minutes and he gradually fell out of favour; in2004–05 he made only 19 appearances before being made available for transfer at season’s end. Despite limited appearances, he was part of theInter squad that won theCoppa Italia in the2004–05 season under managerRoberto Mancini. He left the club in the summer of 2005 and subsequently signed withNewcastle United in thePremier League.
On 19 July 2005, Belözoğlu moved toNewcastle United on a five-year deal for a £3.8 milliontransfer fee.[12] He made his debut on 3 August in a 2–1 home defeat toDeportivo La Coruña in theUEFA Intertoto Cup, and 11 days later started in Newcastle's first game of thePremier League season, a defeat toArsenal. In his fourth game, on 23 October, he assisted the opener forShola Ameobi from a corner and then scored the winner with a free kick in a 3–2 victory overSunderland in theTyne–Wear derby.[13] He finished his first season with 25 appearances in all competitions (20 in the league) and two Premier League goals, adding a second with a long-range strike in a 1–0 win overBirmingham City on 5 November.[14]
Across the following two seasons, persistent injuries limited Belözoğlu to 35 Premier League appearances and three goals. On 17 January 2008, in anFA Cup replay againstStoke City, he was sent off after 29 minutes for retaliating following a foul byJohn Eustace.[15] He left the club at the end of the 2007–08 season.
In July 2008, Belözoğlu joinedFenerbahçe on a free transfer after leavingNewcastle United, and was unveiled at theŞükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in a public signing ceremony.[16] The move caused controversy among sections ofGalatasaray supporters due to his formative years there, though Belözoğlu stated he had supportedFenerbahçe since childhood, a claim later echoed inTurkish media by former teammatesHakan Şükür andHasan Şaş.[17][18]
His first2008–09 season, underLuis Aragonés, was stop–start due to recurring muscle injuries andFenerbahçe finished fourth in theSüper Lig. In 2009–10, withChristoph Daum back in charge, Belözoğlu’s form and availability improved markedly; he became one of the side’s key midfielders as Fenerbahçe finished runners-up in the league and reached theTurkish Cup final.
In 2010–11, under newly appointed head coachAykut Kocaman, Belözoğlu played a central role in Fenerbahçe’s dominant second half of the season as the club won the league title, finishing ahead ofTrabzonspor on goal difference.[19] Fenerbahçe were subsequently withdrawn by theTFF from the following season’sUEFA Champions League amid the2011 Turkish match-fixing investigation, a decision that defined much of the discourse around the squad that summer.[20]
Belözoğlu added the2011–12 Turkish Cup Fenerbahçe’s first since 1982–83 again underKocaman, while the team finished second in the league’s newly introduced play-off format behindGalatasaray.[21][22] Over his first spell with the club, he made over 100 competitive appearances and reached double figures in goals, operating primarily as a left-footed central midfielder noted for his tempo control, pressing intensity and set-piece delivery.
On 1 June 2012, after the expiry of his contract, Belözoğlu signed forAtlético Madrid on a free transfer, ending his first stint at Fenerbahçe.[23]
On 29 May 2012, Belözoğlu joinedAtlético Madrid, then the reigningUEFA Europa League champions, on a two-year contract, reuniting with compatriotArda Turan.[24] He trained with his new teammates on 7 July and was presented at theVicente Calderón Stadium shortly afterwards.[25]
Belözoğlu made his competitive debut on 1 September 2012 in the2012 UEFA Super Cup againstChelsea, coming on for the last minutes in place ofRadamel Falcao asAtlético won 4–1.[26] Used sparingly byDiego Simeone amid competition fromGabi,Mario Suárez,Tiago,Koke andArda Turan, and hindered by minor injuries, he totaled seven competitive appearances (four inLa Liga, two in theCopa del Rey, and one in the Super Cup) without scoring.
On 31 January 2013, midway through the season, he returned toFenerbahçe on a free transfer (undisclosed terms).[27][28]Atlético went on to win the2012–13 Copa del Rey in May 2013, though Belözoğlu had already departed by the time of the final.[29]
On 31 January 2013, Belözoğlu returned toFenerbahçe on a two-and-a-half-year contract.[27] He made his second debut againstSivasspor in theSüper Lig. Fenerbahçe finished 2012–13 as league runners-up but won theTurkish Cup, with Belözoğlu featuring during the run to the final againstTrabzonspor.[30] He also appeared in the club’s run to theUEFA Europa League semi-finals, where Fenerbahçe were eliminated byBenfica.[31]
In 2013–14, under head coachErsun Yanal, he was a regular starter and part of the leadership group as Fenerbahçe won the2013–14 Süper Lig title by nine points.[32] The following season (2014–15), now underİsmail Kartal, he captained the side in stretches of the campaign, won the2014 Turkish Super Cup on penalties againstGalatasaray, and finished second in the league.[33][34]
Across his second spell (2013–2015), Belözoğlu made 73 competitive appearances and scored 10 goals for Fenerbahçe.
On 7 July 2015, Belözoğlu signed a two-year contract withİstanbul Başakşehir ahead of the 2015–16 season, joining on a free transfer after leavingFenerbahçe.[35] He immediately became club captain under head coachAbdullah Avcı.
In his first season, Başakşehir finished fourth in theSüper Lig and qualified for theUEFA Europa League.[36] The following campaign, 2016–17, they finished runners-up behindBeşiktaş and reached theTurkish Cup final, losing toKonyaspor on penalties; Belözoğlu started the match and captained the side.[37][38] In Europe that season, Başakşehir were eliminated byShakhtar Donetsk in theUEFA Europa League play-off round; Belözoğlu played both legs.[39]
Başakşehir finished third in2017–18, narrowly missing the title in a four-way race withGalatasaray,Fenerbahçe andBeşiktaş, with Belözoğlu again a regular starter in central midfield.[40] Before the start of the2018–19 campaign he announced that he planned to retire at the end of the season,[41] but subsequently reversed that decision, stating he wished to play once more forFenerbahçe, his boyhood club.[42] That seasonBaşakşehir led the league for long stretches but finished second, two points behindGalatasaray.[43]
Across four seasons withBaşakşehir, Belözoğlu made 130+ competitive appearances and scored in double figures, serving as the team’s on-field organiser and primary set-piece taker. He left the club on 2 July 2019 and rejoinedFenerbahçe on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal.[44]
On 2 July 2019, Belözoğlu signed a one-year deal withFenerbahçe.[44] He made his first appearance of the season on 19 August 2019, captaining the team and scoring a 24th-minute penalty in a 5–0 home win overGaziantep F.K. in theSüper Lig.[45]
After the league’sCOVID-19 suspension, he returned to score another penalty in the 81st minute of a 1–1 draw away toGençlerbirliği on 7 July 2020, earning Fenerbahçe a point in week 31.[46] On 25 July 2020, he played the final match of his playing career, scoring a 39th-minute penalty in a 3–1 home victory overÇaykur Rizespor atŞükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.[47] Following his final match, he published a farewell letter on Fenerbahçe’s official website, thanking his former clubs, teammates, family and the club’s supporters, writing that “every farewell is certainly a new beginning”.[48]
He finished the2019–20 season with 29 league appearances, 3 goals. On 28 October 2020, Fenerbahçe announced that Belözoğlu had retired from professional football and was appointed the club’s director of football, overseeing the 2020–21 summer transfer window.[49]
Belözoğlu made his senior debut forTurkey in 2000 againstNorway.[50] An injury ruled him out ofUEFA Euro 2000, but he was part of the squad that finished third at the2002 FIFA World Cup underŞenol Güneş.[51] He featured regularly through the 2002–03 cycle before further muscular problems reduced his international minutes during the mid-2000s.
Belözoğlu started Turkey’s opening game ofUEFA Euro 2008 againstPortugal, but a subsequent injury sidelined him for the remainder of the tournament, in which Turkey reached the semi-finals.[52][53] Through the 2010s he was called up intermittently, captaining the side on numerous occasions in qualifiers for the2014 FIFA World Cup,UEFA Euro 2012 andUEFA Euro 2016.[50]
On 7 September 2019, during theUEFA Euro 2020 qualifying campaign, Belözoğlu won his 100th cap in a 1–0 win overAndorra, becoming one of a small group of Turkish players to reach the century mark.[54][55] He had indicated that he would end his international career afterUEFA Euro 2020, but when the tournament was postponed to 2021 because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, he did not return to the squad and effectively finished with 101 caps later in 2019.[56] He played his final internationals later that year and concluded his Turkey career with 101 caps and 9 goals.[50]
After his retirement, on 28 October 2020,Fenerbahçe announced that Belözoğlu had been appointed director of football to the first team, overseeing the 2020–21 summer transfer window from August to October.[57] As sporting director in the 2020–21 season, Belözoğlu rebuilt the squad with a heavy emphasis on free transfers due to budget constraints.[49] During his spell as Fenerbahçe’s director of football, Belözoğlu became the public face of the club’s recruitment drive. Turkish media reported that he personally phoned several transfer targets to persuade them to sign, and the phrase“Alo, ben Emre abin” (“Hello, it’s your big brother Emre”) spread on social media as shorthand for his persuasive style, especially during the signings ofMesut Özil,İrfan Can Kahveci,Attila Szalai and BrightOsayi-Samuel.[58][59][60]
On 25 March 2021, after managerErol Bulut left by mutual consent, Belözoğlu was named interim head coach for the final tenSüper Lig matchdays of the season.[61] On 5 April 2021, his first match as a manager ended in a 1–0 win overDenizlispor in theSüper Lig.[62]Fenerbahçe finished the season third, two points behindBeşiktaş, with Belözoğlu recording 7 wins, 2 draws and 1 loss in his 10 league games in charge. His only defeat came in a 2–1 loss toSivasspor on 11 May 2021; asFenerbahçe finished the season two points behind championsBeşiktaş, a victory in that fixture would have secured the title.[63][64] On 1 June 2021, president Ali Koç announced he would not continue beyond the interim period, and on 2 June the club made his departure official.[65][66]
On 4 October 2021, Emre Belözoğlu signed a two-year contract to take overİstanbul Başakşehir, following the resignation ofAykut Kocaman.[67] Returning to the club he had previously captained for four seasons as a player, Belözoğlu began his managerial tenure with a 3–2 home victory overBeşiktaş on 15 October.[68] When he took charge,Başakşehir were languishing near the bottom of theSüper Lig standings. Under his leadership, the team climbed the table dramatically and finished the2021–22 season in 4th place, thereby securing a spot inEuropean competition.[69] His debut season was widely praised for his tactical clarity and ability to quickly turn around a demoralized squad.
In the2022–23 season, Belözoğlu continued to build on that foundation. He guidedBaşakşehir to the final of theTurkish Cup and achieved a respectable 5th-place finish in the league, maintaining the club’s European ambitions. His team was also praised for its organized midfield structure and dynamic transition play. However, the start of the2023–24 campaign was far from ideal.Başakşehir lost all of their first three league matches and failed to score a single point. Despite the previous success, the pressure quickly mounted. Following another disappointing result in the fourth week, Belözoğlu stepped down as manager. On 6 September 2023, his resignation was officially confirmed.[70]
On 5 October 2023, Belözoğlu was appointed head coach ofAnkaragücü, replacingTolunay Kafkas. He took over after matchday 7, with the team on 6 points (1 win, 3 draws, 3 losses). On 7 October 2023, in his first match in charge,Ankaragücü defeatedKayserispor 3–0, lifting the club to 12th place on 9 points.[71][72] Form remained inconsistent throughout the league campaign, but Belözoğlu guidedAnkaragücü to theTurkish Cup semi-finals, where they were eliminated byBeşiktaş 1–0 on aggregate (0–0, 0–1).[73] In the league run-in,Ankaragücü won only four of their final 19 matches and, despite spending most of the campaign outside the relegation zone, entered the last matchday just a point clear; after leading 2–1 away toTrabzonspor into the closing minutes, they conceded late, dropped to 17th on 40 points and were relegated an outcome widely regarded as unexpected and a major disappointment for the club and its supporters.[74] Belözoğlu left the club on 31 May 2024.[75][76] Across 38 competitive matches, he recorded 12 wins, 14 draws, and 12 defeats.
On 14 January 2025, Belözoğlu was appointed head coach ofAntalyaspor on an 18-month deal, replacingAlex de Souza, who had left the post the previous day.[77] Belözoğlu’s tenure was short and turbulent. In 20 competitive matches (18 in theSüper Lig, 2 in theTurkish Cup), his side recorded 6 wins, 5 draws and 9 defeats, collecting 23 points for an average of 1.15 points per match. The team was eliminated from theTurkish Cup after two defeats, and finished the2024–25 Süper Lig in 15th place. On 25 June 2025, Belözoğlu announced his resignation, stating that the club’s prevailing circumstances had made it impossible for him to continue in the role.[78] On 29 June 2025, it was officially confirmed that Belözoğlu would continue as head coach for the 2025–26 season, with his resignation reversed.[79]
A left-footed and highly versatile midfielder, Belözoğlu was used across the middle of the pitch as acentral midfielder, anadvanced playmaker (no. 10), a deeper-lying regista, and occasionally on theleft side. He was noted for his tight close control under pressure, low centre of gravity, press resistance, short- and long-range passing, and ability to dictate the tempo of games.[80][81]
Combative and intense out of possession, he combined ball-winning aggression with playmaking, regularly acting as the first passer in build-up while also leading the press. Throughout his career he was a primary set-piece taker (corners, free kicks and penalties) and a vocal on-field leader; he captained bothFenerbahçe and theTurkey national team on numerous occasions.[82][83]
Early in his career withGalatasaray andInter Milan, he was typically deployed higher up as a creative midfielder, carrying the ball through tight spaces and linking with forwards. From his late 20s onward—particularly underAykut Kocaman at Fenerbahçe andAbdullah Avcı atİstanbul Başakşehir—he was increasingly fielded deeper, orchestrating play from the base of midfield and managing game rhythm.
Analysts frequently highlighted his tactical intelligence, scanning and body orientation before receiving, and his capacity to progress possession with disguised passes between the lines, while also noting that recurrent muscular injuries reduced his athletic burst and top-end pace after the mid-2000s.[81][84][85]
Belözoğlu married Tuğba Gürevin on 2 January 2009 in Istanbul; the ceremony at Swissotel The Bosphorus was officiated by Istanbul mayorKadir Topbaş, withRecep Tayyip Erdoğan among the witnesses.[86][87] Belözoğlu is reported to speakTurkish,English,Italian andSpanish.[88] On his mother’s side, he is a cousin of Turkish folk singerVolkan Konak; Belözoğlu publicly mourned Konak following his death in 2025.[89][90]
Following the brawl after Turkey’s2006 FIFA World Cup play-off second leg against theSwitzerland on 16 November 2005, Belözoğlu was suspended for six competitive internationals and fined CHF 15,000 plus CHF 1,000 costs. Turkey were also ordered to play three competitive home matches behind closed doors on neutral ground.[91][92] On appeal, FIFA’s Appeal Committee reduced Belözoğlu’s individual ban to four matches.[93]
Belözoğlu’s 2005 transfer fromInter Milan toNewcastle United was among the deals the 2007Stevens (Quest) Inquiry declined to clear, stating it was unable to obtain the cooperation of the lead agent, Ahmet Bulut; the report did not allege proven wrongdoing.[94]
In January 2007 theFA charged Belözoğlu with using racially aggravated language in a match againstEverton on 30 December 2006; he denied the allegation, and in March 2007 an independent FA Commission ruled the charge not proved.[95][96] The FA also looked into further claims made byEl-Hadji Diouf (then ofBolton Wanderers) and laterAlhassan Bangura (Watford); no charge was ultimately sustained.[97][98][99]
On 15 April 2012, after aSüper Lig match betweenTrabzonspor andFenerbahçe,Didier Zokora accused Belözoğlu of using a racist slur; Belözoğlu denied racism. ThePFDK issued a two-match ban for “insult”, not racism, a sanction later adjusted by theTahkim Kurulu.[100][101][102] In June 2014, a Turkish criminal court found him guilty of “insult” over the incident and handed down a suspended prison sentence of two months and 15 days; the announcement of the verdict was deferred, citing his lack of prior conviction and low risk of reoffending.[103][104]
AfterTrabzonspor’s 2–1 win overFenerbahçe on 2 February 2020,John Obi Mikel said Belözoğlu insulted him and his family; Belözoğlu denied the allegation. Trabzonspor later filed a criminal complaint over racist abuse Mikel received on social media from opposition fans.[105][106][107][108]
In 2020, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation into claims that Belözoğlu had links to theFETÖ, but later issued a decision of non-prosecution, ruling that attending sohbet meetings and donating money were insufficient to prove membership of the organisation.[109][110][111] Earlier media reports had alleged he attended movement-linked meetings during his playing career, and quotedFatih Terim as having warned him to cut ties; Belözoğlu has not been convicted of any related offence.[112][113]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Galatasaray | 1996–97 | 1.Lig | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 1997–98 | 1.Lig | 23 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 34 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | 1.Lig | 27 | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | 2[c] | 0 | — | 35 | 4 | |||
| 1999–2000 | 1.Lig | 24 | 5 | 4 | 0 | — | 13[e] | 1 | — | 41 | 6 | |||
| 2000–01 | 1.Lig | 27 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | 10[c] | 0 | 1[f] | 0 | 41 | 10 | ||
| Total | 102 | 14 | 21 | 7 | — | 27 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 152 | 22 | |||
| Inter Milan | 2001–02 | Serie A | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6[g] | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Serie A | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | 12[c] | 1 | — | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2003–04 | Serie A | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6[h] | 0 | — | 30 | 0 | |||
| 2004–05 | Serie A | 19 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| Total | 79 | 3 | 5 | 1 | — | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 114 | 5 | |||
| Newcastle United | 2005–06 | Premier League | 20 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[i] | 0 | — | 25 | 2 | |
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 1 | — | 38 | 3 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Total | 58 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 80 | 6 | |||
| Fenerbahçe | 2008–09 | Süper Lig | 25 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 9[c] | 1 | — | 40 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | Süper Lig | 25 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 8[j] | 1 | 1[d] | 0 | 41 | 2 | ||
| 2010–11 | Süper Lig | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 2 | — | 32 | 6 | |||
| 2011–12 | Süper Lig | 26 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 28 | 6 | |||
| Total | 103 | 12 | 16 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 141 | 16 | |||
| Atlético Madrid | 2012–13 | La Liga | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 6[j] | 1 | 1[f] | 0 | 17 | 2 | |
| Fenerbahçe | 2012–13 | Süper Lig | 10 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 2 | |||
| 2013–14 | Süper Lig | 20 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 23 | 6 | ||
| 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 26 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1[d] | 0 | 28 | 6 | |||
| Total | 56 | 14 | 3 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 63 | 14 | |||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2015–16 | Süper Lig | 26 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[j] | 0 | — | 30 | 3 | ||
| 2016–17 | Süper Lig | 27 | 4 | 5 | 1 | — | 4[j] | 1 | — | 36 | 6 | |||
| 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 27 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[k] | 2 | — | 35 | 5 | |||
| 2018–19 | Süper Lig | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[j] | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| Total | 104 | 11 | 9 | 1 | — | 15 | 3 | — | 128 | 15 | ||||
| Fenerbahçe | 2019–20 | Süper Lig | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 26 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 531 | 60 | 61 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 114 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 717 | 81 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 2000 | 4 | 1 |
| 2001 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 13 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2013 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 101 | 9 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 September 2000 | Istanbul, Turkey |  Moldova | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 9 June 2002 | Incheon, South Korea |  Costa Rica | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2002 FIFA World Cup |
| 3 | 20 November 2002 | Pescara, Italy |  Italy | 1–1 | Friendly | |
| 4 | 17 November 2007 | Oslo, Norway |  Norway | 1–1 | 2–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualification |
| 5 | 10 September 2008 | Istanbul, Turkey |  Belgium | 1–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification | |
| 6 | 9 September 2009 | Zenica, Bosnia Herzegovina |  Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 11 August 2010 | Istanbul, Turkey |  Romania | 2–0 | Friendly | |
| 8 | 10 August 2011 | Istanbul, Turkey |  Estonia | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 11 September 2012 | Istanbul, Turkey | Estonia | 1–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Fenerbahçe (a.i.) |  | 25 March 2021 | 31 May 2021 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 18 | 10 | +8 | 070.00 |
| İstanbul Başakşehir | | 3 October 2021 | 3 September 2023 | 90 | 46 | 23 | 21 | 142 | 90 | +52 | 051.11 |
| Ankaragücü | | 3 October 2023 | 31 May 2024 | 38 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 53 | 46 | +7 | 031.58 |
| Antalyaspor | | 14 January 2025 | 8 October 2025 | 28 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 27 | 43 | −16 | 032.14 |
| Kasımpaşa | | 5 December 2025 | present | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 000.00 |
| Total | 173 | 74 | 48 | 51 | 242 | 197 | +45 | 042.77 | |||
Turkey squads | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
