With Kylian Mbappe poised to join the ranks of attacking superstars at Real Madrid, Arda Guler faces a formidable challenge to break through at Europe’s elite club. The Turkey teenager might just succeed, judging by his impressive debut in international tournament soccer on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Guler solidified his status as one of Europe’s brightest young talents by scoring a brilliant second-half goal, helping Turkey secure a 3-1 victory over tournament debutant Georgia in a European Championship match.
Guler concluded his first season at Real Madrid by delivering a strong performance at the Euros. Cutting in from the right, he unleashed a fierce shot into the top corner in the 65th minute, restoring Turkey's lead at 2-1. This goal made Guler the youngest debut scorer at the Euros, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo's record from 2004.
Kerem Aktürkoğlu, a substitute, added Turkey’s third goal in the final seconds of stoppage time, sealing a back-and-forth Group F match in Dortmund, marked by fan disorder before kickoff and an intense atmosphere.
This was a significant moment for Georgia, a South Caucasus country with a population of 3.7 million, making its debut in an international tournament since gaining independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, amidst protests and political turmoil at home.
Georgia’s players handled the intimidating atmosphere created by Turkey’s fans and responded to Mert Muldur’s 25th-minute volleyed finish with an equalizer by Georges Mikautadze in the 32nd minute.
Guler’s goal was crucial, adding to a series of long-range strikes at these Euros. His talent was evident when he scored five goals in five games to finish a Spanish league season he mostly missed due to injury. He was an unused substitute in the Champions League final that Real Madrid won.
With the arrival of Mbappé and Brazilian forward Endrick, Guler's game time might become even more limited next season. However, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is aware of Guler’s potential. After the game, Guler mentioned, “Ancelotti is motivating me a lot. Of course, I’m happy to have scored my first goal for Turkey — I hope this first match shows us the way forward.”
Ranked No. 75 and the lowest-ranked team at Euro 2024, Georgia nearly secured a point in a frenetic game. In stoppage time, with goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili upfield seeking a goal, Georgia hit the post with a free kick and had a rebound shot cleared off the line.
The ensuing corner, with Mamardashvili still in the box, was cleared, allowing Aktürkoğlu to run unchallenged to score into an empty net. The final whistle blew shortly after, and Turkey’s players celebrated in front of their jubilant fans. In the previous Euros in 2021, Turkey lost all three of its group games despite high expectations.
This time, under Italian coach Vincenzo Montella, Turkey has a young and exciting squad, with the second-youngest average age at the tournament.
Guler is the standout player among them, with his goal highlighting a performance that included setting up five chances and showcasing his technical skill and creativity.
Georgia’s star player, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, was kept relatively quiet until the last few minutes, when he became involved in several attacks. Georgia hit the goal frame twice in the closing moments — Giorgi Kochorashvili also struck the post after a solo run — leaving the players dejected at the final whistle.
