Featured Image Credit: BBC Sport
Topics: Real Madrid, Turkey, Euro 2024
Tom Jenkins
Real Madrid star Arda Guler has lit up Signal Iduna Park with one of the greatest Euro goals of all time for Turkey in heated clash with Georgia.
Guler was tipped by many to be a breakout star at the tournament following his sensational form for Champions League winners, Real Madrid, towards the end of last season.
The 19-year-old has been Turkey's stand out player against Georgia and got the goal he deserved in the second half with an absolute beauty from outside the box.
The sensational strike put Turkey 2-1 up in a fiery encounter against lowest ranked Euro 2024 side, Georgia.
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Turkey opened the scoring with another fine strike from Mert Mulder who volleyed home from the edge of the box, and they thought they had another straight away as Kenan Yildiz was ruled offside following great play from Guler.
Georgia then stunned the travelling Turkish support with an equaliser from Georges Mikautadze before half-time.
The 'Turkish Messi's' goal proved to be the key difference in Dortmund, with Turkey making it 3-1 at the death as Georgia committed their goalkeeper forward for a late flurry of corners.
The result puts Turkey top of the group with Portugal still to face Czechia to conclude the first round of matches.
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Guler moved to Madrid from Fenerbahce last summer, but injury has hampered his debut season at the Bernabeu and only came into the fold towards the end of the campaign.
The teenager scored six times in La Liga last season in just four starts from midfield, and now has two goals in eight caps for his country.
Madrid's Champions League success makes Guler the first ever Turkish player to win the competition.
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Speaking at the end of the season Guler told Kafa Sport: "He said he’d play me when I was ready. He’s in constant contact with me. Not to tell me that he looks good in training, not to tell me that he looks better at me. He tells me that I will have more opportunities at the end of the league. I believe in him too.”