Can Uzun

Can Yılmaz Uzun (born 11 November 2005) is a professional footballer who plays as a attacking midfielder for club Eintracht Frankfurt. Born in Germany, he plays for the Turkey national team.

Club career

Early career

Uzun, who hails from the Upper Palatinate, began his club career in his hometown of Regensburg in the youth department of SSV Jahn Regensburg before moving to Upper Bavarian side FC Ingolstadt.

1. FC Nürnberg

In 2019, he joined Franconian club 1. FC Nürnberg, where he started playing for the U17 team from the 2020–21 season in the Under 17 Bundesliga. In the season, which was cut short after five games due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Uzun scored five goals. In the following season, he scored 22 goals in 19 matches, becoming the second-highest scorer in the South/Southwest division behind Unterhaching's Maurice Krattenmacher.

2022-23 season

As a result, the forward signed his first professional contract with the ''Club'' in February 2022. In the 2022–23 season, Uzun moved up to the U19 team and immediately became a regular starter. He scored 15 goals in 15 matches in the Under 19 Bundesliga, becoming the top scorer in the South/Southwest division.

After finishing his youth season, Uzun made his senior football debut. On April 10, 2023, he debuted for 1. FC Nürnberg's reserve team in the Regionalliga Bayern during a 3-4 defeat to 1. FC Schweinfurt 05, and he scored the equalizing goal to make it 3-3, only two minutes after being subbed on for Tim Handwerker.

Uzun appeared in three more Regionalliga matches afterward. Due to his impressive performances, he was called up to 1. FC Nürnberg's senior squad by interim coach Dieter Hecking for the 32nd matchday. He made his 2. Bundesliga debut in a 2-2 draw against 1. FC Magdeburg, coming on as a late substitute. He had another brief substitute appearance, and on the final matchday, in a 1-0 victory over SC Paderborn 07, he was included in the starting lineup.

2023-24 season

For the 2023–24 2. Bundesliga, Uzun, along with two other A-Junior players, Nicolas Ortegel and Finn Jeltsch, was permanently promoted to the first team, now coached by Cristian Fiél. Prior to the season, strikers Kwadwo Duah, Erik Shuranov, Paul-Philipp Besong, Pascal Köpke, and Jermain Nischalke had left the club. Uzun rescued his team in the first home game of the season with two goals, securing a point against Hannover 96. At 17 years and 268 days old, Uzun became FCN’s youngest professional goalscorer, surpassing Christian Wück (18 years and 62 days).

Just six days later, Uzun set another age record, this time in the DFB-Pokal. He contributed three goals and two assists in a 9–1 victory over FC Oberneuland, becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the competition, breaking Olaf Thon’s record. In mid-September 2023, Uzun scored from a penalty in his first Franconian derby, which ended in a 1–1 draw against SpVgg Greuther Fürth.

Eintracht Frankfurt

2024-25 season

On 2 July 2024, he signed 5 years contract with Eintracht Frankfurt.

On 24 August 2024, he made his Bundesliga debut against Borussia Dortmund and on 2 November 2024, he scored his first goal with the team against Bochum.

International career

Uzun competes for the Turkish youth national teams. In 2021, he was called up to the Turkey U17 squad and played in few matches. at 2022, he competed with his squad at the U17 European Championship hosted in Israel, however the Turkish team was eliminated after the group stage. However, Uzun managed to score his team's only two goals during the competition. In November 2022, he played two matches with the Turkey U18 against Uzbekistan U18 and captained the team.''Regensburger Can Uzun: Mit 17 schon so abgeklärt''
idowa.de, accessed January 30, 2024

The 17-year-old was called up for the first time to the Turkey national under-21 football team in September 2023, but owing to a slight injury, he had to withdraw from two qualification matches for the U21 European Championship in 2025.

Uzun, whose parents are both from Turkey, chose to represent the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) over the DFB in early March 2024, despite the fact that he could have represented both as a dual citizen.

For two international matches later that month, Turkish national coach Vincenzo Montella called up three players for the first time, including Uzun. The striker was substituted in the last moments of Turkey's first match, which ended 0-1 against Hungary. He was later included in the tentative roster for the 2024 European Championship in Germany, but Uzun did not make the final squad.

Career statistics

Club

International

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Uzun, Can
2005 births
Living people
Footballers from Regensburg
German sportspeople of Turkish descent
Turkish men's footballers
German men's footballers
Men's association football midfielders
Turkey men's international footballers
Turkey men's youth international footballers
Regionalliga players
2. Bundesliga players
Bundesliga players
1. FC Nürnberg players
1. FC Nürnberg II players
Eintracht Frankfurt players
21st-century German sportsmen
21st-century Turkish sportsmen