Player Profile #1: Tuncay Sanli

In the final leadup to the tournament, I’ve decided to bring you more info on the players themselves.

Our first player, for no particular reason, will be Tuncay Sanli.

Tuncay grew up in the Turkish town of Sakarya, hometown of Turkish legend Hakan Sukur. After being spotted by scouts, he was signed on to Sakaryaspor and made his league debut at the age of 18. After scoring 32 goals in 66 matches, he was signed on by Turkish “big club” Fenerbahce and was brought to Istanbul at the age of 20.

Indeed it was at Fenerbahce that Tuncay really shined. He managed to avoid the Istanbul nightlife that is known for destroying many young starlets and put his entire mind and body on the pitch. He quickly became a fan favorite with his incessant desire for victory and putting his team ahead of himself. Tuncay first caught the attention of European eyes after a 2004 champions league match against Manchester United in which he scored a marvelous hat-trick, being the only player other than Ronaldo to do so. In 154 matches for Fenerbahce, Tuncay Sanli scored 59 matches.

In the summer of 2007, Tuncay moved on a free transfer to English side Middlesbrough. In his first season in the premier league, Tuncay scored 8 goals in 34 appearences, including a game winner against Arsenal. Not bad for his first season.

Coach Fatih Terim has already stated that Tuncay is a vital part of the Turkish team. In 51 appearences for the national side, Tuncay has scored 14 goals. He has the potential to get even better, which can only be great for the national side.