Yıldıray Baştürk

Football player infobox
playername = Yıldıray Baştürk


fullname = Yıldıray Baştürk
height = height|m=1.68
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|12|24
cityofbirth = Herne
countryofbirth = West Germany
currentclub = VfB Stuttgart
clubnumber = 10
position = Attacking Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1996–1997 1997–2001 2001–2004 2004–2007 2007–
clubs = Wattenscheid 09 Bochum Bayer Leverkusen Hertha Berlin Stuttgart
caps(goals) = 000 0(0) 104 (13) 073 0(8) 071 (14) 031 0(4)
nationalyears = 1998–
nationalteam = Turkey
nationalcaps(goals) = 045 0(2)
pcupdate = 20 September 2008
ntupdate = 24 April 2007

Yıldıray Baştürk (born December 24, 1978 in Herne, West Germany) is a German-born Turkish footballer. He is best known for his exceptional close control and vision.

The son of a miner, Baştürk began his football career at Sportfreunde Wanne-Eickel. As a teenager Baştürk played for SG Wattenscheid 09, and his breakthrough in the Bundesliga came with city rivals VfL Bochum, for whom he even played in the UEFA Cup. After the 2001 transfer to Bayer 04 Leverkusen more success was coming his way. Baştürk and Leverkusen finished second in the German league, the German Cup and the 2002 Champions League Final. In 2002 he also played in the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where the Turkish team won the bronze medal. Baştürk currently has 45 caps and 2 goals for Turkey. However, after he was left out of Turkey's 23-man squad for Euro 2008, he said he would never play for the national team as long as Fatih Terim remains as the coach. [cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=541829&cc=4716|title=Basturk vows never to play against under Terim|publisher=ESPNsoccernet|date=2008-06-02|accessdate=2008-06-08]

In July 2004 he was transferred to Hertha BSC Berlin, where he remained until 2007 when his contract expired. Baştürk agreed to join German champions VfB Stuttgart on a Bosman transfer on May 28 2007 for the start of the 2007-2008 season. [cite web | url = http://www.vfb.de/en/aktuell/news/2006/09044.php | title = VfB sign Bastürk | publisher = www.vfb.de | language = English | accessdate = 2007-09-30]

Name

*Although it is customary for Turkish footballers to be known by their first name, Baştürk is usually known by his surname due to his German upbringing and his rise to prominence coming in German football.
*"Baştürk" means "Chief Turk" in Turkish.

Honours

*flagicon|TUR Turkey
**FIFA World Cup 2002: 3rd place
**FIFA Confederations Cup 2003: 3rd place

*flagicon|GER Bayer Leverkusen
**UEFA Champions League 2001-02: Runner-up

References

External links

*Official|http://www.yildiraybastuerk.com de icon tr icon
* [http://www.leverkusen.com/whoiswho/whoiswho.php4?view=Bastuerk Leverkusen who's who] de icon
* [http://www.transfermarkt.de/de/spieler/618/bastuerkyildiray/profil.html Player profile at transfermarkt.de] de icon
* [http://www.weltfussball.de/spieler_profil.php?id=336 Player profile at weltfussball.de] de icon
* [http://www.fussballdaten.de/spieler/bastuerkyildiray/ Player profile at fussballdaten.de] de icon