Naci Ünüvar (born 13 June 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger or an attacking midfielder for La Liga club Espanyol, on loan from Ajax.[2] Born in the Netherlands, he is a youth international for Turkey. He was included in The Guardian's "Next Generation 2020".[3]
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Naci Ünüvar[1] | |||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 June 2003 | |||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Zaandam, Netherlands | |||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | |||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||
Current team |
Espanyol (on loan from Ajax) | |||||||||||||
| Number | 37 | |||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||
| –2011 | OFC | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2020 | Ajax | |||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
| 2019– | Jong Ajax | 73 | (24) | |||||||||||
| 2020– | Ajax | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | → Trabzonspor (loan) | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | → Twente (loan) | 19 | (3) | |||||||||||
| 2024– | → Espanyol (loan) | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Netherlands U15 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2018 | Netherlands U16 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||
| 2019 | Netherlands U17 | 17 | (5) | |||||||||||
| 2019 | Netherlands U18 | 3 | (2) | |||||||||||
| 2021 | Netherlands U19 | 5 | (2) | |||||||||||
| 2023– | Turkey U21 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 September 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 March 2023 | ||||||||||||||
Club career
editOn 22 January 2020, Ünüvar played his first match with Ajax in the 2019–20 KNVB Cup, when he scored a penalty in a 7–0 win over Spakenburg. Hence, he became the youngest player to score during his official debut for Ajax, at age 16 years, 223 days.[4]
On 30 August 2022, Ünüvar was loaned by Ajax to Trabzonspor in Turkey for the 2022–23 season.[5] On 29 August 2024, after another loan spell at Twente, he moved to La Liga side Espanyol also in a temporary deal.[6]
International career
editBorn in the Netherlands, Ünüvar is of Turkish descent. He is a former youth international for the Netherlands.[7]
In 2023, Ünüvar decided to represent the home country of his parents, Turkey, at international level.
Personal life
editNaci is the brother of Emre Ünüvar, who is also a professional footballer.[8]
Career statistics
edit- As of 16 December 2023[9]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Jong Ajax | 2019–20 | Eerste Divisie | 10 | 1 | – | – | – | 10 | 1 | |||
| 2020–21 | Eerste Divisie | 29 | 7 | – | – | – | 29 | 7 | ||||
| 2021–22 | Eerste Divisie | 33 | 16 | – | – | – | 33 | 16 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 73 | 24 | – | – | – | 73 | 24 | |||||
| Ajax | 2019–20 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
| 2021–22 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Trabzonspor (loan) | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 8 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2[b] | 0 | – | 12 | 2 | |
| FC Twente (loan) | 2023–24 | Eredivisie | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | – | 11 | 2 | |
| Career total | 86 | 25 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 29 | ||
- ^ Includes KNVB Cup and Turkish Cup
- ^ Appearances in the Europa League
Honours
editNetherlands U17
Individual
- ABN AMRO Future Cup Best Player: 2018[11]
- Abdelhak Nouri Trophy: 2018–19[12]
References
edit- ^ "FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil 2019: List of Players: Netherlands" (PDF). FIFA. 31 October 2019. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 December 2019.
- ^ "Naci Ünüvar op huurbasis naar Twente". De Telegraaf. 24 June 2023.
- ^ "Next Generation 2020: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ^ "Zidane-Vergleiche und designierte Ziyech-Nachfolge: Das ist Ajax-Juwel Naci Ünüvar". Goal.com (in German). 3 September 2020.
- ^ "Naci Ünüvar op huurbasis naar Trabzonspor" (in Dutch). Ajax. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "Naci Ünüvar, nou jugador del RCD Espanyol" [Naci Ünüvar, new player of RCD Espanyol] (in Catalan). RCD Espanyol. 29 August 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
- ^ "Naci Ünüvar 2022'ye kadar Ajax'ta". www.trtspor.com.tr.
- ^ "Emre Ünüvar stelt zichzelf voor: 'Ik ben snel en scoor makkelijk doelpunten'". Ajax Showtime. 26 March 2024.
- ^ Naci Ünüvar at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
- ^ "Netherlands retain #U17EURO title: at a glance". UEFA.com. 19 May 2019.
- ^ "Ünüvar (14) bezorgt Ajax Onder-17 prestigieuze Future Cup". vi.nl (in Dutch). Voetbal International. 2 April 2018.
- ^ "Naci Ünüvar wint Abdelhak Nouri Trofee voor grootste talent in jeugdopleiding Ajax". AD.nl (in Dutch). 28 May 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2024.