Çağlar Birinci

Çağlar Birinci — Biography

Çağlar Birinci was born on 2 October 1985 in Trabzon, one of two children of a working father and a homemaker mother. He started playing football in the fourth grade of primary school, trialled with Trabzonspor and was picked up by youth coach Mustafa Akçay. After roughly a decade in the club's youth categories he had a brief spell with the first team before being loaned out to Orduspor, where an injury limited his appearances, and he was sold to third-tier side Bakırköyspor midway through the 2004-05 season.

He joined Denizlispor at the start of the 2006-07 season, and after loan spells at İstanbulspor and Denizli Belediyespor returned to the first team. He became a regular during the 2008-09 season, appearing in 31 matches and emerging as the club's most-used player, which earned him his first call-up to the Turkey national team. The defender made his international debut against Belgium in September 2008 and went on to earn a handful of further caps.

In 2010 he moved to Galatasaray, winning two Süper Lig titles (2011-12, 2012-13) and a Süper Kupa (2012) with the club. He later captained Elazığspor and played for Akhisar Belediyespor, Kayserispor, Karşıyaka and Altay. Birinci announced his retirement from playing in September 2022 and took charge of Şanlıurfaspor as head coach that same year.