Mevlüt Erdinç

Sochaux

Born in Saint-Claude, Jura, Erdinç began his development at his hometown club and Jura Sud Foot before joining the ranks of Sochaux in 2000. Erdinç was promoted to the first-team squad in the 2005–06 Ligue 1 season, scoring a last-minute goal on his debut to gift his side a 1–0 victory away at Ajaccio. Despite early promise, it was not until the 2007–08 season that he was able to hold down a first-team place, becoming the club's top-scorer with 11 goals in 28 appearances in the process. Notably, he scored in the 1–0 win against Grenoble on the final day of the 2008–09 season; Sochaux needed at least a point in order to confirm their top flight status in Ligue 1 for the next season, thus securing their survival. He was their leading goal scorer for the 2008–09 season with 12 goals.

Paris Saint-Germain

Mevlüt signed for Paris Saint-Germain on 28 June 2009 on a four-year contract, for a reported €9 million transfer fee. Having previously scored 11 goals in the league for the past two seasons for relegation-threatened Sochaux, there was heavy speculation regarding his future prior to the move to PSG. Aston Villa, Fulham, Newcastle United and Wigan Athletic all reportedly showed interest in the player throughout May 2009, as well as French sides Bordeaux and Lyon. He scored his first goal for PSG in a pre-season friendly match away to Fiorentina in Italy on 29 July 2009, a game in which PSG won 3–0. He also played against Rangers in the Emirates Cup on 1…

Erdinç has dual nationality and was thus eligible to represent both Turkish and French internationally. He ultimately earned his first senior international cap, however, for Turkey on 26 March 2008 in a 2–2 draw with Belarus. On 10 May 2008, Fatih Terim announced Erdinç's inclusion in Turkey's 23-man squad for UEFA Euro 2008. He started in the first XI against Turkey's first opponent Portugal, though he was substituted after the first half in an eventual 2–0 defeat. Additionally, he came on as a second-half substitute in the semi-final against Germany, a 3–2 loss that eliminated Turkey. On 11 October 2008, Erdinç scored his first international goal, the winner in a 2–1 home victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. He added two away goals in qualification for the 2014 edition, opening a 3–1 loss to Hungary and concluding a 2–0 win over Romania, as Turkey again failed to reach the final tournament. Terim named Erdinç in Turkey's preliminary 27-man squad for UEFA Euro 2016 in France, though he was one of four cut before the final deadline.

Club

International

Scores and results list Turkey's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Erdinç goal.

Erdinç is the youngest of eight children born to parents who emigrated from Yozgat, Turkey, to France in 1973. In January 2010, he received a medal of honour from his town of birth, Saint-Claude.