Mert Günok

Mert Günok
Günok with Beşiktaş in 2023
Personal information
Full name Fehmi Mert Günok
Date of birth (1989-03-01) 1 March 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Karabük, Turkey
Height 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in)[1][2]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Beşiktaş
Number 34
Youth career
2000–2001 Kocaelispor
2001–2009 Fenerbahçe
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2015 Fenerbahçe 25 (0)
2015–2017 Bursaspor 20 (0)
2017–2021 İstanbul Başakşehir 88 (0)
2021– Beşiktaş 71 (0)
International career‡
2004–2005 Turkey U16 11 (0)
2005–2006 Turkey U17 5 (0)
2006–2007 Turkey U18 4 (0)
2007–2008 Turkey U19 10 (0)
2008 Turkey U20 1 (0)
2009 Turkey U21 3 (0)
2011–2012 Turkey B 2 (0)
2012– Turkey 37 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 December 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024 (UTC)

Fehmi Mert Günok (Turkish pronunciation: [mæɾt ˈɡynok]; born 1 March 1989) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Süper Lig club Beşiktaş and Turkey national team.

Günok started his youth career with a short spell in Kocaelispor and then joined Fenerbahçe in 2001, where he was eventually promoted to professional status and played at Süper Lig level, winning two league titles. He left Fenerbahçe in 2015 to join Bursaspor, where he played for two seasons. In 2017,he signed for İstanbul Başakşehir, where he attained a third Süper Lig title in the 2019–20 season.

Günok represent Turkey at international competitions to date, starting from under-16 level in 2004, and made his senior international debut in 2012. He was the first-choice goalkeeper of the national team during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying stage, in which they qualified for the finals, and was their starting goalkeeper at UEFA Euro 2024.

Club career

Fenerbahçe

Günok started his football career with a short spell at youth level football at Kocaelispor between 2000 and 2001, which he described as "playing in couple of games while my father was working there", while Mahir, his father was employed as goalkeeping coach.[3] Then, he was discovered by Fenerbahçe officials in 2001, in Istanbul, during a small field game and, joined the team where his first football license was issued.[3] During his youth level career, he scored a goal from a penalty kick against Manisaspor in a PAF Ligi game, ended 2–0, on 9 March 2008.[4]

Günok in 2013–14 Turkish Cup encounter against Fethiyespor, on 4 December 2013[5]

Günok signed his first professional contract before 2009–10 season.[6] He was the third-choice goalkeeper, behind Volkan Demirel and Volkan Babacan of Fenerbahçe at 2010–11 season.

Günok made his Süper Lig debut against Antalyaspor on 15 August 2010, coming on as a substitute after Volkan Demirel got injured at the beginning of the second half, earning a clean sheet.[7] Günok maintained his place in starting line-up in the following two Süper Lig encounters, respectively against Trabzonspor[8] and Manisaspor,[9] where he conceded five goals in total. During the home game against Trabzonspor, ended in a 3–2 loss, He saved the penalty shot of Argentine midfielder Gustavo Colman.[10]

Günok was given a chance in starting line-up at mid-season exhibition match against Belgian side K.R.C. Genk, on 9 January 2013.[11] Due to Volkan Demirel's penal absence, Günok was featured in starting line-up of 2013 Turkish Super Cup against Galatasaray S.K. and chosen "man of the match",[12] although Fenerbahçe lost by 0–1 final score after extra time.[13]

In 2014–15 season, Günok played three back-to-back Süper Lig games in September, respectively against Karabükspor, Trabzonspor and Gaziantepspor, and he saved 8 out of 10 attempts made by opponents in these encounters, during Volkan Demirel's penal absence.[14] After 14 years spent at the club, Günok, at the age of 26, was released by Fenerbahçe, on 15 June 2015.[15] During his last season, he played in nine Süper Lig and nine Turkish Cup encounters, conceded 19 goals in total.[15]

Bursaspor

After being released by Fenerbahçe at the end of 2014–15 season,[16] Günok joined Bursaspor, on a 3-season-long contract, on 22 June 2015.[17] His contract was of €1.2 million salary per annum.[18] Chosen as first-choice goalkeeper in the first half of the 2015–16 season, Günok was replaced by Harun Tekin from February on by decision of manager Hamza Hamzaoğlu, as he conceded 32 goals in 19 league games.[19] In his second season at Bursaspor, he was deployed only in Turkish Cup encounters. At the end of season, his contract was cancelled in return of his outstanding wages from Bursaspor.[2][18]

Başakşehir

On 31 July 2017, Günok joined İstanbul Başakşehir F.K.[20] In his first season at Başakşehir, he was the second goalkeeper behind Volkan Babacan, his former teammate from Fenerbahçe, and deployed only at Turkish Cup games and UEFA Europa League. He made his debut at Başakşehir on 30 November 2017, against Kahramanmaraşspor, at the fifth round game of Turkish Cup.[21] Putting an improved individual display in pre-season trainings, he was given the starting line-up status by team manager Abdullah Avcı from 2018–19 season on.[22] His first Süper Lig game with Başakşehir was against Trabzonspor, ended 2–0 for Başakşehir, at Fatih Terim Stadium, on 12 August 2018.[23]

Günok saved a penalty against Konyaspor on week 7 encounter of 2020–21 season, eventually ended 2–1 for Başakşehir's favour, on 1 November 2020.[24] He missed 5 league games and was replaced by Volkan Babacan in December at 2020–21 season due to COVID-19 quarantine.[25] Played as starter, he lost the 2020 Turkish Super Cup up against Trabzonspor, played on a postponed schedule due to COVID-19 pandemic, ended in a 2–1 loss, on 27 January 2021.[26] Günok was released by club on 15 August 2021 in return of outstanding receivables of Günok.[27]

Beşiktaş

Günok joined Beşiktaş with a three-year contract, as the seventh transfer of the club during the transfer window, on 15 August 2021.[28]

On 31 July 2023, Günok has signed a new two-year contract with Beşiktaş, keeping him at the club until 2025[29]

International career

Günok at press-conference with Turkey in 2019

Substitited in 62nd minute following the injury of starter Cenk Gönen, Günok earned his first senior cap during a friendly game against Georgia on 25 May 2012, ended 3–1 to Turkey, held at Red Bull Arena, Salzburg, Austria.[30]

On 8 June 2019, he kept a clean sheet against defending world champions France in a 2–0 win at a Group H encounter during the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying stage.[31] Conceding 3 goals in 10 games, Günok was the main choice goalkeeper of Turkey, which put their best defensive performance ever at qualifying phases of UEFA European Championship, under management of Şenol Güneş.[32][33] He was called-up for the extended 30-men-squad ahead of UEFA Euro 2020 by Şenol Güneş, announced on 14 May 2021.[34]

On 7 June 2024, he was named in Turkey's 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2024.[35] In their round of 16 match against Austria on 2 July, he made a crucial save, diving to his right to stop a header by Christoph Baumgartner in stoppage time, securing his country's 2–1 victory and qualification to the quarter-finals.[36][37]

Personal life

Mert Günok was born in 1989 in Karabük, Turkey, while his father Mahir Günok[38] was playing at Karabükspor. His mother Necmiye passed away in 2011, following an undisclosed disease.[39]

Günok married Aslı Günok (née: Dalgalıdere) in Bursa, in 2015.[40][41] The couple welcomed their first child, named Alâ, in 2019.[42] In 2020, he donated 100 pairs of goalkeeper gloves to 100 schools across Turkey.[43]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 16 December 2024[44][45]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Turkish Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Fenerbahçe 2009–10 Süper Lig 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2010–11 3 0 2 0 0 0 — 5 0
2011–12 2 0 4 0 — — 6 0
2012–13[46] 6 0 4 0 3[a] 0 1[b] 0 14 0
2013–14[47] 5 0 1 0 0 0 1[b] 0 7 0
2014–15[48] 9 0 9 0 — — 18 0
Total 25 0 21 0 3 0 2 0 51 0
Bursaspor 2015–16[49] Süper Lig 20 0 2 0 — 1[b] 0 23 0
2016–17[50] 0 0 7 0 — — 7 0
Total 20 0 9 0 — 1 0 30 0
İstanbul Başakşehir 2017–18[51] Süper Lig 0 0 4 0 4[c] 0 — 8 0
2018–19[52] 34 0 0 0 2[c] 0 — 36 0
2019–20[53] 33 0 0 0 12[d] 0 — 45 0
2020–21[54] 21 0 1 0 6[e] 0 1[b] 0 29 0
Total 88 0 5 0 24 0 1 0 118 0
Beşiktaş 2021–22[55] Süper Lig 4 0 0 0 1[e] 0 0 0 5 0
2022–23[56] 23 0 1 0 — — 24 0
2023–24[57] 30 0 6 0 9[f] 0 — 45 0
2024–25[58] 14 0 0 0 5[c] 0 1[b] 0 20 0
Total 71 0 7 0 15 0 1 0 94 0
Career total 204 0 42 0 42 0 5 0 293 0
  1. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
  2. ^ a b c d e Appearance in Turkish Super Cup
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  4. ^ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, ten appearances in UEFA Europa League
  5. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

International

As of match played 19 November 2024[59]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Turkey
2012 4 0
2013 1 0
2015 1 0
2019 9 0
2020 6 0
2021 1 0
2023 5 0
2024 10 0
Total 37 0

Honours

Fenerbahçe

İstanbul Başakşehir

Beşiktaş

Individual

References

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