Volkan Babacan

Volkan Babacan — Biography

Volkan Babacan is a 1.88 m goalkeeper who has kept goal for İstanbul Başakşehir for many years and has played for Turkey. He was in the squad when the club won the 2019-20 Süper Lig title. In June 2026 he extended his contract with Başakşehir by another year.

He began in the Fenerbahçe academy. In 2003 he was named best goalkeeper of the European Under-16 Championship playing for Turkey U16, and he stood out at the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship. At Fenerbahçe he was long a backup: he was loaned to İstanbulspor in 2006-07, became third-choice when Rüştü Reçber left and second-choice the next season; in 2008-09 he played every Turkish Cup match and won the 2007 and 2009 Super Cups. Loaned to Kayserispor in 2010-11, he had his contract terminated before the season ended and signed a five-year deal with Manisaspor in February 2012. He joined Başakşehir in 2014 and played every match in his first two seasons, as the team finished fourth twice in a row.

In 2015-16, under Abdullah Avcı, he emerged as first-choice and was named Goalkeeper of the Year and in the Team of the Year at the PFD awards. He made his Turkey debut on 13 October 2014, in a 1-1 draw away to Latvia in Euro 2016 qualifying. He replaced Volkan Demirel for most of the qualifiers and played three matches at Euro 2016.