Mehmet Topal

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Mehmet Topal

Topal before a game with Turkey in 2011
Personal information
Full nameMehmet Topal
Date of birth (1986-03-03) 3 March 1986
Place of birthMalatya, Turkey
Height1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing positionDefensive midfielder
Club information
Current clubFenerbahçe
Number5
Youth career
1999–2002Malatyaspor
2002–2004Dardanelspor
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2006Dardanelspor41(4)
2006–2010Galatasaray82(3)
2010–2012Valencia43(1)
2012–Fenerbahçe34(3)
National team‡
2006–2007Turkey U2113(1)
2008–Turkey40(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 3 November 2013 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:00, 16 October 2013 (UTC)

Mehmet Topal (born 3 March 1986 in Malatya) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays for Fenerbahçe SK in the Süper Lig, as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Early years

Topal started his football career at local Malatya B.S. at the age of 13. He made his senior debuts with lowly Dardanel Spor A.Ş. in the third division.

In September 2006 Topal joined Süper Lig powerhouse Galatasaray SK, moving to the club alongside Japanese Junichi Inamoto.

Galatasaray

Topal appeared in only 11 games in his first season in Istanbul. However, due to an injury to Swedish international Tobias Linderoth, he was handed his chance in the starting XI, later commenting on his teammate: "He helped me a lot, told me about the areas I should improve and how to do so. Sadly, I got my chance through his injury but I want him to recover in the shortest time possible."[1]

In April 2008 Topal extended his contract with Gala for five years, having played 26 matches during the campaign to help the team win the national championship, and reaching the Turkish national team during the campaign. In the 2008 summer transfer window, there were rumours surrounding a move to Everton in the Premier League, with David Moyes apparently keen to bring the player to Goodison Park.[2][3][4]

Topal eventually stayed put, appearing in an average of 22 games in the following seasons but also having to deal with injury early into 2009–10.

Valencia

Topal signed for Valencia CF on 12 May 2010, for a fee believed to be in the region of €5.5 million.[5] On 14 September he made he first UEFA Champions League appearance with his new club, playing the full 90 minutes against Turkish side Bursaspor in a 4–0 group stage win.[6]

Topal scored his first goal with the Che at Sporting de Gijón on 25 September 2010 (2–0).[7] On 17 February 2012, he netted the game's only goal away against Stoke City for the season's UEFA Europa League round-of-32 (2–0 on aggregate): the 30-yard strike was widely regarded as one of the best goals of that tournament;[8] he contributed with six games to help his team reach the semifinals of the latter competition, but overall played second-fiddle to legendary David Albelda during his stint.

Fenerbahçe

On 1 July 2012, Topal moved to Fenerbahçe SK for a reported fee of €4.5 million. He signed a four-year contract with a €2 million annually salary, plus bonuses.[9][10][11]

International career

Shortly after making his first appearance for Turkey, Topal was selected by manager Fatih Terim for his UEFA Euro 2008 squad. In Austria and Switzerland, he played all the games but one for the eventual semifinalists.

Honours

Galatasaray
Fenerbahçe

Statistics

Club

As of 21 June 2012[12]
Club Season League Cup[nb 1] Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dardanelspor 2004–05 91----91
2005–06 30310--313
Total 3941000404
Galatasaray
2006–07 1102040170
2007–08 2618150392
2008–09 2115060321
2009–10 2404081361
Total 8221812311244
Valencia
2010–11 2311050291
2011–12 2001092302
Total 43120142593
Fenerbahçe
2012–13 203003040
Total 00000000
Career total 164721137322211

International

[13]

Turkey national team
YearAppsGoals
2008120
200920
201030
201160
201250
Total280

Personal

Topal was nicknamed Örümcek (Spider), due to his ability to use his long legs to win loose balls or cut passes.[14]

Notes

  1. ↑ Includes Turkish Super Cup

References

  1. ↑ "Mehmet Topal GS TV’ye Konuştu" (in Turkish). Galatasaray SK. 19 May 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  2. ↑ "Everton line up Topal as fall-back if Sporting rebuff Moutinho bid". The Guardian. 29 August 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Everton may go for Turkey star Mehmet Topal". Liverpool Echo. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  4. ↑ "Everton FC are priced out of Mehmet Topal deal". Liverpool Daily Post. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  5. ↑ "Topal se suma al Valencia de Champions" [Champions' Valencia adds with Topal] (in Spanish). Las Provincias. 13 May 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  6. ↑ "El Valencia sale líder del infierno turco" [Valencia emerges leader from Turkish hell] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 14 September 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2012. 
  7. ↑ "El Valencia se gusta" [Valencia enjoying itself] (in Spanish). Marca. 25 September 2010. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  8. ↑ "Potters undone at home". ESPN Soccernet. 16 February 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012. 
  9. ↑ "Topal signs four-year contract with Fenerbahçe". Hürriyet Daily News. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012. 
  10. ↑ "Mehmet Topal Fenerbahçe’de" (in Turkish). Fenerbahçe SK. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012. 
  11. ↑ 's-mehmet-topal?cc=5739 "Fenerbahce swoop for Valencia's Topal". ESPN Star Sports. 1 July 2012. Retrieved 1 July 2012. 
  12. ↑ "Mehmet Topal" (in Turkish). Mackolik. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  13. ↑ "Mehmet Topal". National Football Teams. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 
  14. ↑ "Mehmet Topal". Galatasaray SK. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 21 June 2012. 

External links

Fenerbahçe S.K. – current squad
Turkey squad – UEFA Euro 2008 semi-finalists
Turkey
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