# Yusuf Akçiçek
**Yusuf Akçiçek** (born 2006 in Bakırköy, Istanbul) is a Turkish professional footballer who plays as a left-footed center-back for Al Hilal of the [Saudi Pro League](https://www.edgepedia.org/saudi-pro-league) and the Turkey national team.[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) • [2](https://footystats.org/players/turkey/yusuf-akcicek) A product of the Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe academies, he broke into Fenerbahçe's first team at 17, earned senior international recognition at 19, and moved to Al Hilal in September 2025 for a fee of 22 million euros plus a 15 percent share of any future sale.[3](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/futbol/fenerbahceli-futbolcu-yusuf-akcicek-al-hilale-transfer-oldu/3675681)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2006, Bakırköy, Istanbul; Turkish nationality[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) |
| Position | Centre-back (stopper), left-footed, 193 cm[2](https://footystats.org/players/turkey/yusuf-akcicek) • [4](https://www.fotmob.com/tr/players/1561568/yusuf-akcicek) |
| Youth career | Galatasaray first license 20 April 2016; Fenerbahçe youth from 6 September 2019[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) |
| First professional contract | Fenerbahçe, 7 July 2023 to 30 June 2026[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) |
| Senior Turkey debut | 23 March 2025 against Hungary, replacing Kenan Yıldız in the 82nd minute[5](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/yusuf-akcicek-ilk-kez-milli-formayi-giydi) |
| Transfer to Al Hilal | 1 September 2025; 22 million euros net fee plus 15 percent of a future sale, on a four-year contract[3](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/futbol/fenerbahceli-futbolcu-yusuf-akcicek-al-hilale-transfer-oldu/3675681) • [6](https://alhilal.com/en/news/al-hilal-signs-turkish-defender-yusuf-akcicek) |
| Honors | King's Cup with Al Hilal, 2025/26[7](https://alhilal.com/en/teams/mens-team/yusuf-akcicek) |
## Youth career
Akçiçek began in Galatasaray's academy, registering his first license with the club on 20 April 2016 and remaining there through amateur transfers in 2017 and 2018.[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) In September 2019 he moved across Istanbul to Fenerbahçe's youth setup, where he renewed his amateur registration in 2021 and 2022 and played regularly in the club's age categories.[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526) • [8](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/ludogorets-macina-ilk-11de-baslayan-yusuf-akcicek-kimdir) He signed his first professional contract with Fenerbahçe on 7 July 2023, running to 30 June 2026.[1](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526)
## Fenerbahçe
**First-team breakthrough.** Akçiçek made his senior debut in the 2023/24 season, appearing for one minute as a substitute in the [Süper Lig](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-lig), and started Fenerbahçe's UEFA Conference League match away to Ludogorets on 9 November 2023 at age 17.[9](https://fbref.com/en/players/879aca3f/Yusuf-Akcicek) • [8](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/ludogorets-macina-ilk-11de-baslayan-yusuf-akcicek-kimdir) In European competition that season he made three Conference League appearances totaling 192 minutes.[10](https://theanalyst.com/players/11592/yusuf-akcicek/career)
His league involvement grew in 2024/25, when he made 9 Süper Lig appearances for 417 minutes, starting 5 matches, as Fenerbahçe finished second.[9](https://fbref.com/en/players/879aca3f/Yusuf-Akcicek) He also featured in the Europa League, making 7 appearances for 526 minutes with one goal and one assist; in a 3-0 Europa League play-off win over [Anderlecht](https://www.edgepedia.org/anderlecht) in February 2025 he headed against the crossbar before setting up the second goal with a pass to Kostic.[10](https://theanalyst.com/players/11592/yusuf-akcicek/career) • [11](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/mourinho-consigue-una-victoria-facil-n/)
## International career
Akçiçek progressed through Turkey's age groups, wearing the U-17 shirt 8 times and the U-18 shirt 6 times, and later representing the U19 and U21 sides.[8](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/ludogorets-macina-ilk-11de-baslayan-yusuf-akcicek-kimdir) • [4](https://www.fotmob.com/tr/players/1561568/yusuf-akcicek) He made his senior national team debut on 23 March 2025 in a Nations League play-off against Hungary, coming on for [Kenan Yıldız](https://www.edgepedia.org/kenan-y-ld-z) in the 82nd minute.[5](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/yusuf-akcicek-ilk-kez-milli-formayi-giydi) He was subsequently named in Turkey's squad for the 2026 [FIFA World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fifa-world-cup) qualifiers.[12](https://www.turkgun.com/uploads/1756508615-pdf-turkgun-gazetesi-30-agustos-2025.pdf)
## Al Hilal
On 1 September 2025, Fenerbahçe announced Akçiçek's transfer to Al Hilal of the Saudi Pro League for a net fee of 22 million euros, with 15 percent of the net amount from any future sale going to the Turkish club.[3](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/futbol/fenerbahceli-futbolcu-yusuf-akcicek-al-hilale-transfer-oldu/3675681) Al Hilal signed him on a four-year contract.[6](https://alhilal.com/en/news/al-hilal-signs-turkish-defender-yusuf-akcicek)
He debuted for Al Hilal on 16 September 2025 against Qatari side Al-Duhail in the AFC Champions League Elite, and scored his first goal for the club on 21 October 2025, also against Al-Sadd in the same competition.[7](https://alhilal.com/en/teams/mens-team/yusuf-akcicek) He made 22 appearances for Al Hilal through the end of the 2025/26 season and won the King's Cup with the club.[7](https://alhilal.com/en/teams/mens-team/yusuf-akcicek) In the 2025/26 Saudi Pro League he made 12 league appearances for 616 minutes.[10](https://theanalyst.com/players/11592/yusuf-akcicek/career)
## Playing style
Akçiçek is a left-footed center-back listed at 193 cm and 80 kg.[2](https://footystats.org/players/turkey/yusuf-akcicek) Scouting profiles describe him as an expressive, ball-playing defender who values technique and pace and takes risks on the ball.[13](https://iamscouting.com/players/yusuf-akcicek) His FotMob trait profile for the 2025 season places him high among center-backs for touches and chance creation, and low for aerial duels won and defensive actions, consistent with a build-up-oriented role.[4](https://www.fotmob.com/tr/players/1561568/yusuf-akcicek)
## References
1. [YUSUF AKÇİÇEK – Player Details, Turkish Football Federation](https://www.tff.org/Default.aspx?kisiId=1906557&pageId=526)
2. [Yusuf Akcicek Stats, FootyStats](https://footystats.org/players/turkey/yusuf-akcicek)
3. [Fenerbahçeli futbolcu Yusuf Akçiçek, Al Hilal'e transfer oldu, Anadolu Ajansı](https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/futbol/fenerbahceli-futbolcu-yusuf-akcicek-al-hilale-transfer-oldu/3675681)
4. [Yusuf Akçiçek – istatistikler, kariyer ve piyasa değeri, FotMob](https://www.fotmob.com/tr/players/1561568/yusuf-akcicek)
5. [Yusuf Akçiçek ilk kez milli formayı giydi, beIN SPORTS Türkiye](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/yusuf-akcicek-ilk-kez-milli-formayi-giydi)
6. [Al-Hilal signs Turkish defender Yusuf Akçiçek, Al Hilal FC](https://alhilal.com/en/news/al-hilal-signs-turkish-defender-yusuf-akcicek)
7. [Yusuf Akçiçek – Men's First Team, Al Hilal FC](https://alhilal.com/en/teams/mens-team/yusuf-akcicek)
8. [Ludogorets maçına ilk 11'de başlayan Yusuf Akçiçek kimdir?, beIN SPORTS Türkiye](https://beinsports.com.tr/haber/ludogorets-macina-ilk-11de-baslayan-yusuf-akcicek-kimdir)
9. [Yusuf Akçiçek Stats, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/879aca3f/Yusuf-Akcicek)
10. [Yusuf Akçiçek Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/11592/yusuf-akcicek/career)
11. [Mourinho consigue una victoria fácil, AS](https://as.com/futbol/uefa/mourinho-consigue-una-victoria-facil-n/)
12. [TÜRKGÜN, 30 August 2025](https://www.turkgun.com/uploads/1756508615-pdf-turkgun-gazetesi-30-agustos-2025.pdf)
13. [Yusuf Akçiçek, IAMScouting](https://iamscouting.com/players/yusuf-akcicek)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of continental Europe › Turkish footballers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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