Nuri Şahin

Early career

Şahin began his football career at the age of six for RSV Meinerzhagen. After spending seven seasons at the club, he was signed by professional club Borussia Dortmund in 2001.

Borussia Dortmund

On 6 August 2005, at the age of 16 years and 334 days, Şahin set a record by becoming the youngest player to have played in the Bundesliga (this was later surpassed by Youssoufa Moukoko on 21 November 2020 at the age of 16 years and 1 day). On 25 November of the same year, Şahin became the youngest player to score a goal in the Bundesliga, scoring for Borussia Dortmund against 1. FC Nürnberg (this was later surpassed by Florian Wirtz on 6 June 2020 at the age of 17 years and 34 days). On 5 July 2007, Şahin was transferred to Feyenoord in the Eredivisie on a one-year loan agreement, where he was reunited with Bert van Marwijk, his former coach at Borussia Dortmund. Şahin returned to Dortmund, where he played an important role in the 2009–10 season, starting 33 out of 34 matches. He ended the season with four goals and eight assists. Şahin won the Bundesliga title with Dortmund in the 2010–11 season. After a strong season, in which he scored six goals and had eight assists, he was voted the Bundesliga player of the season.

Real Madrid

On 9 May 2011, after weeks of speculation, Şahin announced his departure from Dortmund in a press room at Signal Iduna Park, and soon after signed a six-year contract with Spanish club Real Madrid. The transfer fee…

Şahin won the bronze ball prize at the 2005 Under-17 World Cup in Peru after Turkey finished in fourth place. In August that year, he was tracked by the German Football Association but declared himself as feeling more Turkish than German. Şahin made his senior international debut for Turkey on 8 October 2005 in a 2–1 friendly win over Germany, the country he was born in. He came on as an 85th-minute substitute for Selçuk Şahin and scored three minutes later; at 17 years, 1 month and 3 days he remains the youngest player and goalscorer for Turkey. Şahin played no international games between June 2014 and March 2016, when he was recalled for a friendly against Austria. He was chosen for the final squad of UEFA Euro 2016 in France, his only senior tournament. He made a substitute appearance in a 3–0 loss to reigning champions Spain in a group-stage elimination, for his 50th cap. Şahin declared his retirement from international football at age 29 in November 2017, after Turkey missed out on a place at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He had played 52 games and scored twice for the country.

In May 2015, Şahin became assistant coach at his childhood club RSV Meinerzhagen, with his brother Ufuk playing for the Oberliga team.

Antalyaspor

In October 2021, Şahin was appointed as the head coach of Antalyaspor, initially serving in a player-manager role following the departure of Ersun Yanal. He retired from playing later that month to focus solely on management. Under his guidance, the club enjoyed a successful unbeaten run in the 2021–22 season, finishing seventh in the Süper Lig. Şahin remained in charge until December 2023, when he left the club to accept an assistant coaching offer from Borussia Dortmund.

Borussia Dortmund

On 29 December 2023, Şahin returned to Borussia Dortmund as an assistant manager to Edin Terzić. Following Terzić's departure, Şahin was promoted to head coach on 14 June 2024, signing a contract intended to run until 2027. His tenure began with high expectations, but the team struggled with consistency throughout the first half of the 2024–25 season. By late 2024, Dortmund had dropped to mid-table in the Bundesliga, with reports citing a "falling apart" tenure marked by away defeats and squad injury issues. In January 2025, following a string of four consecutive defeats which left the club in 10th place, Şahin was dismissed from his position. He was subsequently replaced by Niko Kovač in February 2025.

İstanbul Başakşehir

On 13 September 2025, Şahin returned to the Turkish Süper Lig, being appointed as the head…

Şahin was born to Turkish parents in Lüdenscheid and grew up in nearby Meinerzhagen. He became a German citizen in 2011. He has been married to his cousin Tuğba Şahin (née Emeni) since November 2007. In September 2011, she gave birth to a son, Ömer, in Madrid. Şahin is fluent in five languages: Turkish, German, English, Dutch and Spanish. In April 2018, Şahin enrolled at Harvard Business School. Şahin is Muslim.