Barış Alper Yılmaz

Barış Alper Yılmaz — Biography

Barış Alper Yılmaz is a footballer who has stood out in Galatasaray's recent title runs by filling roles from winger to full-back to centre-forward, and he is a regular name for the Turkey national team. His versatility earned him the nickname "Joker" on social media.

He started in 2011 in the youth system of Rize İl Özel İdarespor. In 2017 he moved to third-tier Ankara Demirspor, where he got short spells off the bench in the season the club went up to the 2. Lig and scored his first professional goal in January 2019. At Keçiörengücü, which he joined on a free transfer, he became a fixture in the starting eleven in 2020-21, with 8 goals and 5 assists in 36 games. On 9 July 2021 he then joined Galatasaray, also on a free transfer, signing a five-year contract. His first season was mostly off the bench; 2022-23 brought a stoppage-time winner against Sivasspor and his first Süper Lig title. In 2023-24 he played in many positions, including left-back, and made his Champions League debut.

With Galatasaray he has won the Süper Lig in 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, the 2024-25 Turkish Cup and the 2023 Super Cup. For the senior national team he debuted on 13 November 2021 against Gibraltar and scored his first goal against Croatia in October 2023; he was in the squads for Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup. On 21 July 2026 he graduated from İstanbul Gelişim University's Exercise and Sport Sciences department.