Burak Akıncı, a 15-year-old midfielder born in 2008 to a Turkish family living in Kardzhali, is attracting attention for his performances with FC Arda 1924, a club competing in Bulgaria’s First League, also known as the Bulgarian Super League.
Despite his young age, Akıncı was promoted to the senior team last year. Reflecting on his progress, he said:
“I have been training and attending camps with the first team consistently for about a year. I play as a central midfielder, either as a number 6 or 8. I scored my first professional goal during one of the camps, which gave me a huge boost in confidence.”
The young player, whose club participated in the UEFA Conference League last season, outlined his ambitions:
“Arda Football Club competed in the European Conference League last season, and I was part of the squad. My current priority is to secure more playing time with my team. I would like to play in Turkey, which is a country with a very strong football culture. If an offer comes, why not?”
Role Models: Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Modrić, and Arda Güler
Akıncı named Hakan Çalhanoğlu as his football idol and also mentioned international stars Ronaldo, Modrić, and Arda Güler as inspirations:
“I really admire Hakan Çalhanoğlu. Among international players, I look up to Ronaldo. Modrić and Arda Güler are also very talented. I especially admire Arda’s left foot.”
“I am a fast player, but my right foot is dominant. I start my training early in the morning and work every day to improve myself.”
“I Want to Become Indispensable to the Team”
Having appeared in three professional matches so far, Akıncı shared his career goals:
“I want to become indispensable to the team in a short time. I have gained valuable experience from these matches. I believe in myself, and first, I want to establish myself here before reaching my bigger goals.”
Ivaylo Petkov, former Fenerbahçe player and sporting director of Arda FK, praised the young talent while stressing the importance of hard work:
“I have been the sporting director at FC Arda in Kardzhali for four years. Burak is very talented and skilled with both feet. He is not yet fully ready to play regularly for the senior team, but he works extremely hard. He captains the PAF team and is a leader there. He participates in training camps and practices with the first team. I am confident he will become an excellent footballer in the future.”
Burak’s father, Mehmet Akıncı, highlighted the strong Turkish community in Kardzhali and their support for the team. He also emphasized that his son possesses serious potential and is working diligently to become a professional footballer.
Source: haberbg.net
