Turkish · Adana, Turkey · Born 16 January 1982Turkish footballer who starred at Euro 2008, helping Turkey reach the semi-finals, and enjoyed successful spells in both Turkish and English football.
Tuncay Şanlı, known simply as Tuncay, was born on 16 January 1982 in Sakarya, Turkey, and began his career with hometown club Sakaryaspor before his performances in the Turkish second division attracted the attention of Fenerbahçe, who signed him in 2002. He quickly became one of the most popular players at Fenerbahçe's Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, helping the club win three Süper Lig titles. Tuncay's standout moment in Turkish colours came in December 2004, when he scored a hat-trick against Manchester United in the Champions League, becoming the first Turkish player to achieve the feat in the competition — a performance that announced him to a wider European audience and eventually attracted Premier League interest. Middlesbrough signed Tuncay in 2007, and despite the club's struggles on the pitch, he became a fan favourite, accounting for roughly a quarter of the team's goals in his final season before their relegation from the Premier League. He moved to Stoke City in 2009 before a difficult spell at Germany's VfL Wolfsburg, followed by a loan at Bolton Wanderers, a return to Turkey with Bursaspor, and spells in Qatar and India to close out his career. Tuncay earned 80 caps for Turkey, scoring 22 goals to become the country's third-highest scorer of all time, and was part of the Turkish squad that finished third at both the 2003 Confederations Cup and Euro 2008. After retiring, he moved into coaching, taking charge of his boyhood club Sakaryaspor across two separate spells, as well as Ümraniyespor and Çorum.
Leading Turkey to Euro 2008 semi-finals
How They Played
Versatile forward with good technical ability and work rate
Career Honours
- Euro 2008 Semi-Final (Turkey)
- 96 Turkey caps, 22 goals
- Turkish Super League 2007
- Turkish Cup 2012
- Turkish Cup 2013
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals | Shirt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sakaryaspor | 2000–2002 | — | 66 | 32 | — |
| Fenerbahçe | 2002–2007 | — | 154 | 59 | #10 |
| Middlesbrough | 2007–2009 | — | 70 | 17 | — |
| Stoke City | 2009–2011 | — | 44 | 5 | — |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2011–2012 | — | 4 | 0 | — |
| Bolton Wanderers | 2011–2012 | loan | 16 | 0 | — |
| Bursaspor | 2012–2014 | — | 39 | 1 | — |
| Umm Salal | 2014–2015 | — | 26 | 11 | — |
| Pune City | 2015–2015 | — | 10 | 3 | — |
 Turkey | — | — | 96 | 22 | — |
Turkish Athletes