Sercan Yıldırım (; born 5 April 1990) is a Turkish former
football player
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who played as a
forward.
Club career
Bursaspor
Yıldırım started his career at
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
. He broke into the first team in the 2007–2008 season, making his league debut as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 away defeat at
Istanbul B.B in September 2007. He scored his first senior goal for the club three games later in a 2–0 win at
Kasımpaşa. His first season saw him only featured eight times for the senior team. The
2008–09 season saw him score four goals in many games getting a brace against both
Gençlerbirliği in the second game of the season and also against
Kocaelispor two games later. He also got on the scoresheet against
Galatasaray in October 2008. In March 2011, he was close to signing a 4-year contract with the Russian side
Lokomotiv Moscow
FC Lokomotiv Moscow (, ) is a Russian professional association football, football club based in Moscow. Lokomotiv have won the Russian Premier League on three occasions; the Soviet Cup twice; and the Russian Cup (football), Russian Cup a record ...
, but he failed his physical due to knee problems and Lokomotiv decided not to sign him.
Galatasaray
On 5 September 2011, after days of negotiation,
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
finally agreed on a price with
Galatasaray for Sercan. He agreed on a five-year deal (until the 2015–16 season) with
Turkish club. In addition to the transfer of
Musa Çağıran, the club paid an additional €3 million to
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
. He gave an assist to
Johan Elmander with his backheel on 9 September 2011 in a game between
Galatasaray and
Samsunspor
Samsunspor Kulübü, officially known as Samsunspor Football Club Joint Stock Company, or as Reeder Samsunspor due to sponsorship agreements, is a Turkey, Turkish Football club (association football), professional football club that competes in t ...
which
Galatasaray won 3-1 He scored his first goal for Galatasaray on 7 January 2012 in a game between
Galatasaray and
Samsunspor
Samsunspor Kulübü, officially known as Samsunspor Football Club Joint Stock Company, or as Reeder Samsunspor due to sponsorship agreements, is a Turkey, Turkish Football club (association football), professional football club that competes in t ...
which
Galatasaray won 4–2.
On 23 September 2012
Galatasaray's Coach
Fatih Terim
Fatih Terim (born 4 September 1953) is a Turkish people, Turkish professional Association football, football Manager (association football), manager and former player. He is the manager of Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab FC (Riyadh), Al-Shabab ...
allow Sercan to play in the first Eleven. Due to the Injuries of both main strikers
Umut Bulut
Umut Bulut (, born 15 March 1983) is a Turkish former professional Association football, footballer. Between 2007 and 2018, he made 39 appearances and scored ten goals for the Turkey national football team, Turkey national team. On 24.07.2024, U ...
and
Johan Elmander. He started the new season in the
Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...
with a Goal in a 3–0 home win against the newcomers
Akhisar Belediyespor.
Loan to Şanlıurfaspor
On 30 July 2013,
Galatasaray announced that they have reached an agreement with
Şanlıurfaspor to loan Sercan to the team for the 2013–14 season, for a fee of €150,000.
Loan to Bursaspor
On 13 August 2015, Yıldırım agreed with Turkish club
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
for one year.
Fatih Karagümrük
Ahead of the 2019/20 season, Yıldırım joined
Fatih Karagümrük.
International career
Yıldırım has played at every age group for the
Turkish Youth International Team. Whilst playing for the Under-16 level during 2006, he scored 12 goals in 10 games, including a hattrick and three braces. He currently has four caps for the senior squad.
He received his first call up to the
Turkish senior squad by
Fatih Terim
Fatih Terim (born 4 September 1953) is a Turkish people, Turkish professional Association football, football Manager (association football), manager and former player. He is the manager of Saudi Pro League club Al Shabab FC (Riyadh), Al-Shabab ...
in March 2009, for two
2010 World Cup Qualifying games against
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
,
however he was an unused substitute.
He made his debut for Turkey in a
friendly against
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a Boundaries between the continents, transcontinental and landlocked country at the boundary of West Asia and Eastern Europe. It is a part of the South Caucasus region and is bounded by ...
on 2 June 2009, coming on as a second-half substitute for
Tuncay. On 12 August 2009, in a friendly against
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
, he registered 2 assists in Turkey's 3–0 win. He scored his first goal for Turkey on 5 September 2009 in Turkey's World Cup qualification game against
Estonia
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
.
Career statistics
Club
International
International goals
Honours
Club
;Bursaspor
*
Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...
(1):
2009–10
;Galatasaray
*
Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...
(1):
2011–12
*
Süper Kupa (1):
2012
2012 was designated as:
*International Year of Cooperatives
*International Year of Sustainable Energy for All
Events January
*January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins.
* January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...
Individual
* First Turkish footballer in
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
history to score in the
Champions League.
*
Bursaspor
Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...
top scorer in the
Süper Lig
The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...
, and in all competitions:
2008–09
References
External links
*
Player profile at Galatasaray.org*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yildirim, Sercan
1990 births
Living people
Footballers from Osmangazi
Turkish men's footballers
Turkey men's international footballers
Turkey men's B international footballers
Turkey men's under-21 international footballers
Turkey men's youth international footballers
Bursaspor footballers
Galatasaray S.K. footballers
Sivasspor footballers
Şanlıurfaspor footballers
Balıkesirspor footballers
Giresunspor footballers
Fatih Karagümrük S.K. footballers
Süper Lig players
TFF 1. Lig players
Men's association football forwards
Survivor Turkey contestants
21st-century Turkish sportsmen