The Blancos teenager could give Carlo Ancelotti a selection headache if he continues to light up Euro 2024 for his country
"He is becoming a great player before our eyes," former Turkey and Barcelona winger Arda Turan told when quizzed on Arda Guler's meteoric rise to prominence in May. "He makes us see a wonderful story, like a Hollywood movie."
Guler wrote another memorable chapter in that story on Tuesday, as he inspired Turkey to victory in their Euro 2024 opener against Georgia, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's record as the youngest player to score on their tournament debut in the process. Georgia were also making their Euros bow, and put up an impressive fight, but in the end, they had no answer to the brilliance of Real Madrid's so-called 'Turkish Messi'.
With the scoreline locked at 1-1 heading towards the final 20 minutes, the ball popped up to Guler out wide some 40-yards from goal, and he proceeded to turn effortlessly before gliding towards the edge of the box and unleashing a wicked, curling strike that flew into the top right corner of the net. It was a special goal from a special talent, and it capped a majestic display, with Turkey eventually running out 3-1 winners.
When Guler returns to Madrid for pre-season in July, he will face an uphill battle to force his way into Carlo Ancelotti's starting XI, as the Italian coach is blessed with a host of world-class attackers. But he must find a role for Guler. The 19-year-old is simply too good to warm the bench, and there is no need to take a cautious approach with his development because he's already proven he can perform under the brightest of spotlights.
Getty ImagesFalse start
Madrid fought off a lot of competition to secure Guler's signature. Arch-rivals Barcelona were also in the running, along with Premier League duo Arsenal and Aston Villa, as well as German giants Borussia Dortmund, but Los Blancos went the extra mile.
They agreed to a €30 million (£25m/$32m) deal with Fenerbahce for Guler in July last year, almost double his original release clause, and handed the youngster a bumper six-year contract. Madrid went all in on Guler, who had wowed audiences in his homeland during his breakthrough 2022-23 season, most notably producing a Man-of-the-Match display in Fenerbahce's Turkish Cup final win over Istanbul Basaksehir.
Guler was very much a viral sensation, with clips of his dazzling footwork drawing thousands of views on social media, but he had the end product to match his flair, and Madrid recognised his immense potential. He's never lacked for confidence either, and name-dropped Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil, Zinedine Zidane and Guti when outlining his desire to become a club legend at his unveiling in the Spanish capital.
But the hype surrounding Guler soon turned into frustration. He suffered a knee injury on Madrid's pre-season tour of the United States, which kicked off a nightmare run of fitness problems that significantly delayed his start to life in La Liga.
AdvertisementGetty Images'Important player for the future'
Guler didn't make his debut for Madrid until January, in a Copa del Rey tie against Arandina. He was forced to alter his posture after damaging his meniscus, and persistent muscle issues followed, with Ancelotti happy to take a patient approach with his return to the pitch due to his team's strong form on domestic and European fronts.
The teenager's dream in Madrid was turning into a nightmare, and it would have been easy for him to seek a loan escape route. But Guler is made of stronger stuff. He kept his head down over the next four months with a view to proving his fitness and mental strength to Ancelotti, who has always insisted that Guler "will be an important player for the future".
His hard work paid off on April 26, as Ancelotti handed him his first Liga start against Real Sociedad, and he marked the occasion with a goal. Guler went on to score another five goals in his next four appearances, including a stunning brace in a 4-4 draw against Villarreal. He would then become the first Turkish player to ever win the Champions League, albeit without seeing any action in Madrid's final victory over Borussia Dortmund. Considering where he was at the turn of the year, it was a quite remarkable turnaround, and he left Madristas thirsty to see more.
The Turkey national team is a completely different environment for Guler, who is now learning what it means to a big fish in a small pond too, and unsurprisingly, he's embracing the extra responsibility. The experience will make him any even better player, one fully capable of having a starring role at club level in 2024-25.
Getty/InstagramMake way for Mbappe
Unfortunately for Guler, competition for places in the Madrid squad will be higher than ever. That's mainly due to the impending arrival of Kylian Mbappe, who will officially complete his long-awaited free transfer to Santiago Bernabeu after the European Championship.
Prising Mbappe away from Paris Saint-Germain has taken up a lot of resources and time, with club president Florentino Perez central to that pursuit, and making sure he settles into his new surroundings quickly will be Ancelotti's No.1 priority ahead of the new campaign. Then there's the small matter of deciding on where he should play.
There is a spot open at central striker, which former Stoke City man Joselu filled only sporadically last term. PSG regularly used Mbappe in the same role, and he will have no problem playing through the middle again, even though few would dispute the notion that he is at his most deadly when cutting in from the left.
Unless a crazy turn of events leads to Vinicius Jr's exit later this summer, it's unlikely Mbappe will have the option to play in his favoured position, so at least to start with, it seems the Frenchman will have to get used to playing upfront week in, week out. But the question of who sits behind Mbappe and on the opposite wing is a far more complex one, and Guler's inclusion may risk upsetting Ancelotti's balance.
Getty'Ball is in love with him'
Guler's path to the starting XI has so far been blocked by Rodrygo, the second half of Madrid's Brazilian strike duo who can't quite match Vinicius for substance in the final third, but presses relentlessly and stretches the opposition with his intelligent runs in behind.
Rodrygo can operate as an orthodox right winger or more centrally in a split-striker capacity, as he did to great effect with Vinicius in the Champions League final. He's a quick, intelligent dribbler who rarely underperforms for Ancelotti's team, but there's no escaping the fact his goals and assists numbers are still relatively modest.
Vinicius carries Madrid's biggest threat, and Rodrygo is his link-man. Guler, though, can offer something different. The Turkish ace always wants the ball and drives forward at every opportunity, dancing round defenders with his low centre of gravity while always looking out for a killer pass. Guler also has ice in his veins in front of goal. He's a little too reliant on his left foot, but it's a real weapon, and he only needs the smallest opening to pick his spot.
Ancelotti has said "the ball is in love with him", and it certainly looks that way whenever Guler is racing up the pitch. He has an elegance about him that cannot be taught. Rodrygo is a fine footballer in his own right, but Guler has a higher ceiling.