Who is Arda Guler? Meet the 18-year-old star dubbed ‘Turkish Messi’ who joins Gavi and Alejandro Garnacho in top 50 wonderkids list
Fenerbahce wonderkid Arda Guler has been named in GOAL's list of top 50 NXGN Nine. Barcelona superstar Gavi and Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho are also part of the aforementioned list.
Guler has an impeccable dribbling ability along with his eye-catching close control. The 18-year-old is also the youngest goalscorer in Fenebahce's history. Guler made his debut for the senior team in 2019.
Guler's style of play has drawn comparisons with that of Argentina captain Lionel Messi and the youngster is dubbed 'Turkish Messi' in his homeland.
Guler has made 21 appearances for Fenerbahce this season, scoring three goals and providing two assists. He has played 37 matches for Fenerbahce since his senior debut, scoring six goals and providing seven assists. The youngster has already represented the Turkish national team once in his career.
What is the history behind Arda Guler's nickname 'Turkish Messi'?
Arda Guler earned his nickname 'Turkish Messi' from a fan named Max. Speaking about the reason behind the name, Max said (via GOAL):
"I went to Barcelona to watch Messi before and it was really great to see him, So I thought Arda Guler, who is my favorite Fenerbahce player in the biggest game of the season, would deserve this nickname!"
Guler might soon follow in the Argentine legend's footsteps as according to AS, Barcelona are interested in adding the 18-year-old to their ranks. Apart from the Blaugrana, the likes of Arsenal and Bayern Munich are also interested in him.
Turkey has come up with some notable stars in international football over the last two decades. The likes of Hakan Sukur, Burak Yilmaz, Nuri Sahin, Arda Turan, and more are some of the most famous Turkish players. Whether Guler can establish himself in the European circuit and join the elite list of players remains to be seen.
Turkey will next play Armenia on Saturday (March 25) in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers. Whether Arda Guler plays a part remains to be seen.