--- title: Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu slug: muhammed-kerem-akturkoglu-8aadf url: /detay/muhammed-kerem-akturkoglu-8aadf type: biography language: English entity: primary: Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu type: biography disambiguation: Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu: Football star's biography, from earthquake survivor to Benfica player. categories: - name: General Knowledge slug: genel-kultur url: /kategori/genel-kultur - name: Sport slug: spor url: /kategori/spor tags: - 24Erzincanspor - Kerem Potter - KA7 - Kerem Aktürkoğlu - national team - Benfica - Harry Potter - Galatasaray author: Doğan Eşkinat created_at: 2025-04-13T20:20:22.375000+03:00 updated_at: 2025-10-13T10:45:14.097182+03:00 image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/04/13/B0TJkZtWj7e2alOCmJFijxaBdI7OHJyo.jpg --- # Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu > Muhammed Kerem Aktürkoğlu (October 21, 1998, in Kocaeli) is a renowned Turkish footballer. ## KURE Information Cards ### KURE Information Card: Kerem Aktürkoğlu ![photo_6014791601865475328_y.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/10/13/GaKE4GicTHdV4nhaECe4FRCxV5WN4ZWT.jpg) *A Spor* | Field | Value | |-------|-------| | Club(s) | Fenerbahçe | | Jersey Number(Text) | 9 | | Height(s)(Text) | 1.73 m | | Position(s) | Forward - Left Wing | | Date of Birth(Text) | October 21, 1998 | | Market Value | 23 mil. € | | Birthplace | Kocaeli | | Foot | Right foot | ## Article Content Kerem Aktürkoğlu, whose full name is [Muhammed](/en/detay/muhammed-2/llms.txt) Kerem Aktürkoğlu, was born on [October](/en/detay/october/llms.txt) 21, 1998, in Kocaeli, Turkey. On [August](/en/detay/august/llms.txt) 17, 1999, when he was just nine months old, he was rescued from under the rubble after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake centered in Gölcük. His football career began in 2011 in Kocaeli with the youth team of Gölcükspor. In 2013, he transferred to Hisareynspor. He later played for Başakşehir, Bodrumspor, Karacabey [Belediye](/en/detay/belediye-4/llms.txt) [Spor](/en/detay/spor/llms.txt), Erzincanspor, and Galatasaray. After celebrating a goal against Antalyaspor with a "Potter" gesture, he earned the nickname "Kerem Potter" due to his resemblance to Harry Potter. Since [September](/en/detay/september-748435/llms.txt) 3, 2024, he [has](/en/detay/has-3/llms.txt) been playing for Benfica. ### **Professional Career** #### **RAMS Başakşehir Football Club** He transferred to Başakşehir on September 5, 2014. This was his first step into professional football. However, things did not go as Kerem [had](/en/detay/had/llms.txt) hoped [at](/en/detay/at-3/llms.txt) Başakşehir. Reflecting on his time there in [an](/en/detay/an-2/llms.txt) interview with Vole, Aktürkoğlu expressed his struggles with the following words: > *“At that time, whenever I went out to train, I would pray, ‘God, please don't let the ball come to my feet today. If it does, I will mess up...’”* > *“I feel like I lost four years of my life. I even considered quitting football.”* Kerem's time at Başakşehir, which began in 2014, came to an end in 2018. #### **BB Bodrumspor** In the 2016–2017 season, Kerem Aktürkoğlu was loaned from Başakşehir to Bodrumspor. He scored his first goal in the Spor Toto 3rd League while playing for Bodrumspor against TM Kırıkkalespor. Aktürkoğlu spent 1,383 minutes on the field and received 2 yellow cards. He scored 4 goals in 28 matches and experienced his first championship with Bodrumspor, winning the 2016–2017 TFF 3rd League title. #### **Karacabey Belediye Spor** In the 2018–2019 season, Kerem Aktürkoğlu joined Karacabey Belediye Spor. He contributed with 3 goals and 2 assists in 35 matches and received 3 yellow cards. He played a total of 2,530 minutes during the season. #### **Anagold 24Erzincanspor** Kerem Aktürkoğlu transferred to Erzincanspor following an invitation from his former youth coach at Başakşehir, Mustafa Sarıgül. Continuing his career with Erzincanspor in the 2019–2020 season, Kerem’s outstanding performances began paving the way for his move to Galatasaray. He recorded his first career [hat](/en/detay/hat/llms.txt)-trick while playing for Erzincanspor against Artvin Hopaspor. He appeared in 34 matches, scoring 20 goals and providing 1 assist, with a total of 2,845 minutes on the pitch. #### **Galatasaray** In 2020, upon the request of Fatih Terim, Kerem Aktürkoğlu transferred to Galatasaray. He made his Süper Lig debut on [November](/en/detay/november/llms.txt) 23, 2020, in the Galatasaray–Kayserispor match, coming on as a substitute for Sofiane Feghouli. He scored his first Süper Lig goal during the Galatasaray–Hatayspor match in the 90+3rd minute with an assist from [Ömer](/en/detay/omer-2/llms.txt) [Bayram](/en/detay/bayram-2/llms.txt). He made his first appearances in the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Champions League with Galatasaray. Aktürkoğlu scored his first hat-trick for the club on November 12, 2022, against Başakşehir. Wearing the number 7 jersey and serving as team captain, he contributed 46 goals and 42 assists in 179 matches. He received 16 yellow cards and 1 [red](/en/detay/red-4/llms.txt) card and played a total of 11,830 minutes. Aktürkoğlu won the Süper Lig title with Galatasaray in the 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 seasons, as well as the Turkish Super Cup in the 2023–2024 season. In 2022, he was awarded **“Galatasaray Athlete of the Year.”** #### **SL Benfica** After starting the season strongly at Galatasaray with goals and assists, Aktürkoğlu transferred to Benfica on September 3, 2024, for €12 million. He made his debut for Benfica on September 14, 2024, against CD Santa Clara, scoring his first goal in the 27th minute with an assist from [Orkun Kökçü](/en/detay/orkun-kokcu-fdd99/llms.txt). He left the pitch in the 73rd minute to a standing ovation from the fans. He recorded his first hat-trick for Benfica on October 27, 2024, in a match against Rio Ave, scoring in the 12th, 16th, and 47th minutes. In November 2024, he was named both “Player of the Month” and “Forward of the Month.” On January 12, 2025, Aktürkoğlu helped Benfica win the Portuguese League Cup by defeating Sporting 7–6. He currently continues his career at SL Benfica, wearing the number 17 jersey. ### **Fenerbahçe** Kerem Aktürkoğlu started the 2025-2026 season with SL Benfica and scored against Fenerbahçe in the Champions League Playoff fixture on 27 August 2025. Four days later, he signed a four-year contract[^1]  with the Turkish side for a transfer fee of 22.5 million Euros. ### **National Team Career** Kerem Aktürkoğlu represented Turkey at the U18 and U19 levels, earning two caps in each category. He scored his first international goal in a U19 match against Greece. In 2021, [Şenol Güneş](/en/detay/senol-gunes-748402/llms.txt) called him up to the Turkish senior national team. Aktürkoğlu made his senior debut on [May](/en/detay/may-748395/llms.txt) 27, 2021, coming on in the 46th minute to replace Cengiz Ünder. On September 9, 2024, he scored his first hat-trick for the national team in a match against Iceland. Aktürkoğlu wears the number 7 jersey for the national team. ### **Achievements** #### **Bodrum Belediyesi Bodrumspor** - TFF 3rd League Champion: 2016–2017 #### **24Erzincanspor** - Promotion from the Third League: 2019–2020 #### **Galatasaray** - UEFA Europa League Participant: 2021–2022, 2023–2024 - UEFA Champions League Participant: 2023–2024 - Turkish Super Cup Winner: 2023–2024 - Süper Lig Champion: 2022–2023, 2023–2024 - Top Assist Provider (Assist King): 2022–2023 #### **SL Benfica** - Portuguese League Cup Winner: 2024–2025 #### **National Team** - Transfermarkt Player of the Season: 2022 - UEFA European Championship Participant: 2021, 2024 ## Academic Sources and References 1. AA. "'Athlete of the Year at Galatasaray' award goes to Kerem Aktürkoğlu." Anadolu Agency, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.aa.com.tr/en/football/athlete-of-the-year-at-galatasaray-award-goes-to-kerem-akturkoglu/2630638gdh sports. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu / Somewhere Far Away", gdh sports, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ6MJhEVV0Y&t=192sTFF. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu." Turkish Football Federation, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?pageId=30&kisiId=1404693Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – Profile." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/profil/spieler/382528Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – Performance Data." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/382528Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – Market Value." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/marktwertverlauf/spieler/382528Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – National Team." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/nationalmannschaft/spieler/382528Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – Achievements." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/erfolge/spieler/382528Transfermarkt. "Kerem Aktürkoğlu – Career." Transfermarkt, last accessed: April 4, 2025https://www.transfermarkt.com.tr/kerem-akturkoglu/debuets/spieler/382528Youtube. VOLE. "4 yılımı çaldılar futbolu bırakmayı düşündüm | Harry Potter Sevinci | Kerem Aktürkoğlu | Baş Başa #2", Vole, last accessed: April 4, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc0OOzZysWg ## Citations [^1]: https://www.fenerbahce.org/haberler/futbol/2025/8/ailemize-hos-geldin-kerem-akturkoglu