PlayBeautiful

Caner Erkin: Fenerbahçe's Powerhouse

At 5 feet 11 inches and 165 pounds, he stands as a pillar of strength. He’s a valuable piece of the puzzle. When you leave this piece out, the picture is left incomplete. As one of Fenerbahçe’s most in-form players, Caner Erkin’s 3 goals and 14 assists culminated a successful 2013/14 season for the Yellow Canaries.

Caner is Fenerbahçe’s staple on the left. With his experience as a left-back and winger, he can single-handedly change the momentum of a game. He takes the responsibility of creating something out of nothing while adding urgency to Fenerbahçe’s style. Not only does he influence open play, but he also delivers on set pieces. He’s able to pinpoint players from crosses, corner kicks, and free kicks. This allows him to pick out Sow, Webó, or Emenike in the most dangerous areas.


The sign of a unique player is one who makes complex moves look natural and effortless. Caner Erkin’s vision and execution are needed in high pressure situations. When there are pockets of space, he dribbles past players with ease. Caner’s quick movements do not give opposing players the time to process what’s going on around them. His charging runs are key to beating his man in one-on-one situations or taking on two defenders. This ability to foresee events on the pitch and get into good positions are key factors of Fenerbahçe’s unpredictability in attack.

Chosen as Turkish Player of the Year, it’s no surprise Caner Erkin was approached by high-profile clubs in Europe. However, he sealed his fate with Fenerbahçe by signing a two-year contract extension until 2016. From an interview in 2010 he revealed,

“Fenerbahçe has a lot to give to me and I also have a lot to give to Fenerbahçe...despite being young I have a lot of confidence in myself” (Fenerbahçe Worldwide). 

The İstanbul giants have big aspirations and Caner Erkin is doing everything he can to meet them.