İsmail Güldüren

İsmail Güldüren — Biography

İsmail Güldüren is a Turkish former footballer and manager born on January 10, 1979, in İnegöl, Bursa Province. He began his professional career at Gençlerbirliği, making more than 200 appearances and winning the Turkish Cup in 2001. He then spent two seasons at Fenerbahçe, where he was part of the squad that won the 2003-04 Süper Lig title. He continued as a defender at Bursaspor, wearing the number 3 shirt, before leaving in June 2008 to sign with Konyaspor; he moved on to Giresunspor in 2009, and during the 2010-11 winter window agreed a deal with Bandırmaspor that was mutually canceled just a day later. At international level he played for Turkey's under-21 side at the 2000 European Under-21 Championship and holds the record for most caps for that squad.

In December 2019 his mother-in-law died after falling into a pond and was buried in İnegöl; in January 2024 his mother, Macide Güldüren, passed away.

After retiring as a player, Güldüren moved into coaching. In June 2025 he signed a three-year contract with his hometown club İnegölspor. Having failed to reach the championship target set for the 2025-26 TFF Second League season, he parted ways with the club in March 2026 and was succeeded by Koray Palaz. In July 2026 he took charge of Gemlikspor, a Bursaspor feeder club.