Guler the thriller turns killer to conduct Turkeyβs greatest night in generation | Jonathan Liew
Real Madrid teenager embraced pressure of the occasion to orchestrate teamβs raucous knockout win against Austria
Itβs the 59th minute of the game. Thereβs a corner to be taken, and Arda Guler strolls over to take it. As he approaches the section of the stadium where Austriaβs noisiest fans are gathered, the confetti is unleashed: a hailstorm of beer cups flying at him, near him, on him. The rain, heavy all night, has swelled to an epic peak. Turkey lead 1-0. Guler stands alone, raising an arm to the deluge, not drowning but waving.
And of course, we knew all about Guler already. We all saw the long-range goal against Georgia, saw his late-season bloom at Real Madrid, saw the breathless tributes from teammates and coaches, followed the origin story of this precocious left-footed teenager all the way from his childhood at Fenerbahce. We knew what he could do with a football. What we didnβt know β what nobody yet knew β was when he could do it.
Continue reading...Β© Photograph: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images
Β© Photograph: Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Getty Images