DORTMUND.- With Kylian Mbappé about to join a cast of stars in the attack of the real Madrid, Arda Guler will have an even more difficult battle to make a place for themselves in the current European champions.
But the Turkish teenager could apparently achieve it after his brilliant debut in a major international tournament on Tuesday.
Guler brightened his reputation as one of the great promises of European football by scoring an exquisite goal in the second half to give Turkey a 3-1 victory against debutant Georgia in the European Championship.
The 19-year-old attacker closed his first season at Real Madrid in great shape and transferred that level to Euro 2024 with a finish to frame. After the ball was stolen, Guler came in from outside the area to take a curved left foot shot that blew the cobwebs off goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili’s right corner.
The score restored the 2-1 lead for the Turks in the Group F duel, played in Dortmund.
Guler became the youngest player to score on his debut in a Euro, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo in 2004.
Kerem Akturkoglu completed a counterattack play in the final seconds of added time to put up definitive numbers.
For Georgia, a nation in the South Caucasus with 3.7 million inhabitants, it was an unforgettable moment as it debuted in one of the great international football events since it became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991, amid protests and political instability. .
Reaction to adversity:
The Georgian players knew how to respond to the intimidating atmosphere created by the Turkish fans. After Mert Meldur’s volley goal for the Turks in the 25th minute, Georges Mikautadze achieved a temporary equalizer in the 32nd for Georgia.
Georgia could have taken away a point in a game that was played at an infernal pace.
Guler’s intervention was crucial, adding another notable long-range goal in this Euro.
It was also another example of his talent on display by scoring five goals in the same number of games at the close of the Spanish League season, in which he missed a good stretch due to injury. He was left on the substitute bench in the Champions League final that Madrid beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0.
It will be seen if he will be able to have a good amount of minutes next season with the additions of Mbappé and the Brazilian attacker Endrick. Merengue coach Carlo Ancelotti will have taken note of the pearl he has in Guler.
