Kerem Aktürkoğlu

Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu (; born 21 October 1998) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Primeira Liga club Benfica and the Turkey national team.

Coming through Başakşehir's youth academy, he made his debut in 2016, representing various club in the amateur Turkish TFF Third League, before moving to Süper Lig club Galatasaray in 2020 on a free transfer, where he made his professional debut and won two back-to-back league titles in 2023 and 2024. In September 2024, he joined Benfica for a transfer fee of €12 million.

Aktürkoğlu is a former Turkey youth international, representing his country at various levels. He made his senior international debut in 2021, being chosen in Turkey's squads for two UEFA European Championships (2020 and 2024).

Early life

Aktürkoğlu was born on 21 October 1998 in İzmit, Turkey. At ten months old, he survived the 1999 İzmit earthquake.

Club career

Early career

Aktürkoğlu began his football career at Başakşehir's youth academy, signing his first professional contract with the club in 2015 at the age of 16. Despite his potential, he did not feature in any matches for Başakşehir during his four-year contract.

In 2016, he was loaned to Bodrumspor in the amateur TFF Third League to gain playing experience. Reflecting on his time at Başakşehir in a later interview, Aktürkoğlu expressed deep frustration, claiming that "four years of his life were stolen" due to a rigid hierarchy under Abdullah Avcı and Emre Belözoğlu, where senior players exercised significant authority over younger talents. This lack of opportunities brought him to the brink of quitting football, but encouragement from his family convinced him to persevere.

In 2017, Aktürkoğlu sought a fresh start and joined fellow Turkish TFF Third League side Karacabey on a free transfer in search of regular playing time. He became a key player for his new club, featuring in 35 matches over the season and contributing three goals and two assists. His efforts helped Karacabey reach the promotion play-offs, but the team was eliminated by Serik Belediyespor on July 15, 2019, following a narrow 4–3 aggregate loss.

After several seasons in the amateur leagues, Aktürkoğlu signed with 24 Erzincanspor ahead of the 2019–20 season, another free transfer that would prove pivotal in his career. His performances during the season improved, with a notable highlight being Erzincanspor's 2–0 victory over Beşiktaş in the fifth round of the Turkish Cup on 5 December 2019. Over the season, Aktürkoğlu scored an impressive 20 goals in 34 matches, playing a crucial role in his team's success. In the promotion play-offs, he scored his first career hat-trick in a 4–2 semi-final win against Artvin Hopaspor on 21 July 2020, and contributed to Erzincanspor's 2–1 victory against Aksaray Bld in the final four days later, securing promotion to the TFF 1. Lig.

Galatasaray

2020–2022: Record-breaking individual success and Süper Lig's Player of the Season

On 2 September, Aktürkoğlu signed for Süper Lig club Galatasaray on a four-year contract on a free transfer. He made his professional debut with Galatasaray in a 1–1 league draw against Kayserispor on 23 November 2020, and scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 win against Hatayspor on 5 December.

On 12 January 2021, having taken nearly three weeks to recover from COVID-19, he returned to action against Antalyaspor; he came off the bench in the late in second half in an eventual 0–0 home draw. On 17 April, Aktürkoğlu scored all three goals in a 3–1 league away draw win against Göztepe, becoming the third Turkish player to score a hat-trick for Galatasaray since Yasin Öztekin in December 2016.

On 16 August, Aktürkoğlu was involved in a physical altercation with teammate Marcão during a game against Giresunspor. The fight was broken up by their teammates, before the referee of the match, Erkan Özdamar, who watched the situation after the warning of the video assistant referee, sent-off Marcão. Unable to continue playing three minutes after the incident, Aktürkoğlu was taken off the field by manager Fatih Terim. Two days later, the club announced that Marcão had been suspended from the squad indefinitely and he was later fined and suspended for eight-matches by the Turkish Football Federation. Before Galatasaray training started on 9 September, Marcão publicly apologized to Aktürkoğlu in front of the entire team, with the two solving their issues.

On 21 October, he scored his first goal in European competitions, starting and scoring in a 1–0 victory away at Lokomotiv Moscow, in the UEFA Europa League group stage. On 14 March 2022, Aktürkoğlu scored a brace in a 2–1 win against rivals Beşiktaş. He finished the season, with 13 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, being named the Süper Lig Player of the Season, as he missed only one match due to a yellow card suspension, making him the player that feature the most matches in a season in Galatasaray's history, with 52 matches played. However, Galatasaray ended the season in a disappointing 13th place, failing to qualify to any European competition.

2022–2023: Super Lig title and rise to leadership

On 15 December, Aktürkoğlu was named Galatasaray's third captain, alongside Fernando Muslera and Bafétimbi Gomis. During the league break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, he established a strong partnership with the club's new signing, Mauro Icardi. This collaboration was highlighted on 12 November when Aktürkoğlu scored a hat-trick in a 7–0 away win against his former club Başakşehir, with Icardi providing two assists for his goals. His prolific form continued into January 2023, he scored the second goal, assisted by Icardi, in a 3–0 victory over crosstown rivals Fenerbahçe in the '' Intercontinental Derby'' on 8 January. This was followed by a goal in a 4–0 win against Hatayspor on 13 January and an assist in a 2–1 home win against Antalyaspor on 21 January.

After the league resumed in the aftermath of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake, Aktürkoğlu picked up where he left off. On 14 April, he scored a goal and delivered two assists in a 6–0 win over Kayserispor. Four days later, he provided two more assists in a 4–1 victory against Alanyaspor. On 30 May, he recorded his first career hat-trick of assists in a 4–1 away win over Ankaragücü, securing Galatasaray's 23rd Süper Lig title. The following week, he added another assist in a 3–0 away win against rivals Fenerbahçe in the reverse fixture. Aktürkoğlu finished the season with nine goals and 12 assists, earning recognition as the Süper Lig's top assist provider and a place in the league's Best XI.

2023–2024: Back-to-back league titles, vice-captaincy and departure

The following season, with Bafétimbi Gomis' departure, Aktürkoğlu was promoted to vice-captain. The arrival of Wilfried Zaha saw him transition to an attacking midfield role to accommodate Zaha on the left-wing. This positional shift led to competition with Dries Mertens for playing time, indirectly affecting his performances. Nevertheless, on 8 August, he scored his first goal of the season in a 3–0 away win against Olimpija Ljubljana in a 2022–23 Champions League third qualifying round. On 16 August, he netted twice and assisted another goal in a 4–2 home win over Samsunspor. By 26 September, he had accumulated eight goal contributions — three goals and five assists — in his first six league matches, the highest in the league at the time.

On 3 October, he scored his first UEFA Champions League goal during a 3–2 group stage victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He dedicated the goal to Palestinian children affected by the Gaza–Israel conflict. In the return fixture on 29 November, he came off the bench to score a crucial equalizer in a 3–3 home draw against Manchester United, a strike later awarded Goal of the Week for the fifth matchday of the Champions League. On 20 December, Aktürkoğlu captained Galatasaray for the first time, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 home win over Fatih Karagümrük.

On 11 January 2024, he was sent off for the first time in his career, during a league match against Sivasspor for dissent after shouting at the referee, resulting in a two-match suspension. Upon his return, he scored consecutive braces against Trabzonspor on 21 January and Istanbulspor on 25 January. Aktürkoğlu finished the season, with 12 goals and seven assists, playing a pivotal role as Galatasaray clinched their second consecutive Süper Lig title, setting a league record of 102 points.

Benfica

On 3 September 2024, Aktürkoğlu joined Benfica on a five-year deal for a reported fee of €12 million, with the club also receiving 10% of a future transfer, and the release clause was set at €60 million.

On 14 September, Aktürkoğlu scored on his debut for the club, netting the opener in a 4–1 home league victory over Santa Clara. He scored again in Benfica's opening game of their 2024–25 Champions League campaign, his first goal in the competition for them, opening their 2–1 win away over Red Star Belgrade. On 27 October, he scored his first Primeira Liga hat-trick, netting three goals in the first half of a 5–0 victory over Rio Ave. In the process, he registered the most goals and assists (eight) for the club in his first seven matches reaching Félix Guerreiro's previous record set in the 1964–65 season. At the end of the month, he was named the league's Player of the Month and Forward of the Month for the months of September and October.

On 11 January 2025, Aktürkoğlu won his first trophy with Benfica, as they defeated crosstown rivals Sporting CP in the Taça da Liga final on penalties, converting Benfica's fourth penalty in the shoot-out; following a 1–1 draw in normal time. On 18 February, in the second leg of the Champions League knockout phase play-offs, he ended his two-month goal drought, scoring the first goal in a 3–3 home draw over Monaco, helping his side secure a 4–3 aggregate victory to advance to the Champions League round of 16.

International career

Aktürkoğlu represented Turkey at under-18 and under-19 levels, for a total of four caps. He made his senior international debut on 27 May 2021 in a friendly against Azerbaijan. On 1 June 2021, he was named in the Turkish squad for the postponed UEFA Euro 2020, but did not make an appearance in an eventual group stage exit. He scored his first international goal on 5 September 2020 in a 1–1 home draw against Norway in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match.

On 7 June 2024, he was named in Turkey's 26-man squad for the UEFA Euro 2024. On 18 June, he scored Turkey's third goal in a 3–1 victory against Georgia in the opening match of the European competition. He made a further four appearances for the quarter-finalists.

On 9 September 2024, Aktürkoğlu scored his first international hat-trick against Iceland in a 3–1 win in the UEFA Nations League.

Player profile

Style of play

Primarily a left winger, he has adapted to other roles, including attacking midfielder or second striker. His dribbling, agility, and ball control enable him to outmaneuver defenders and create chances in tight spaces. He cuts inside to shoot or delivers incisive passes, exploiting defensive gaps. His pace and precision make him a counterattacking threat, stretching defenses and delivering accurate crosses with both feet.

Goal celebration

Aktürkoğlu adopted his ''Expelliarmus'' goal celebration in response to the nickname "Kerem Potter," given by fans in July 2021 after he shared an Instagram photo wearing round glasses and Galatasaray's red and yellow kit, resembling Harry Potter's Gryffindor uniform. Fans flooded the post with wand and lightning emojis, inspiring Aktürkoğlu to embrace the persona. He debuted the celebration on 25 December 2021, during a match against Fenerbahçe, mimicking a spell-casting motion from the Harry Potter series. The gesture delighted fans and reinforced his "Kerem Potter" identity, earning him the nickname "the magician" in during matches.

Personal life

Aktürkoğlu is a practicing Muslim, and made the Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca. In September 2024, Aktürkoğlu started his own Kick channel, under his surname Akturkoglu, uploading gaming streams and fan Q&As.

He provided both financial and moral support to victims of the 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake. Actively participating in the "We Are Together" campaign, he encouraged citizens to host displaced individuals, especially in Hatay, one of the hardest-hit Turkish regions. He also donated the match ball from his hat-trick against Başakşehir to an auction, with the proceeds aiding earthquake recovery efforts in his home country.

Career statistics

Club

International

:''Scores and results list Turkey's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Aktürkoğlu goal.''

Honours

Galatasaray
* Süper Lig: 2022–23, 2023–24
* Turkish Super Cup: 2023

Benfica
* Taça da Liga: 2024–25

Individual
* Süper Lig Player of the Season: 2021–22
* Süper Lig top assist provider: 2022–23
* Süper Lig Team of the Season: 2022–23
* Primeira Liga Player of the Month: September/October 2024

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akturkoglu, Kerem
1998 births
Living people
Footballers from İzmit
Turkish men's footballers
Men's association football wingers
Men's association football midfielders
İstanbul Başakşehir F.K. players
Karacabey Belediyespor footballers
24 Erzincanspor footballers
Galatasaray S.K. footballers
Bodrum F.K. footballers
S.L. Benfica footballers
TFF Third League players
Süper Lig players
Primeira Liga players
Turkey men's youth international footballers
Turkey men's international footballers
UEFA Euro 2020 players
UEFA Euro 2024 players
Turkish expatriate men's footballers
Turkish expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
21st-century Turkish sportsmen