Serkan Balcı

Serkan Balcı — Biography

Serkan Balcı is a former footballer who made his name in the Süper Lig as a right-back in the 2000s. He came through Turkey's under-19, under-20 and under-21 sides to the senior national team and was in the squad that finished third at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He spent three years at Fenerbahçe and six at Trabzonspor, and after leaving football he worked as a television pundit.

Born in Nazilli, Balcı started at the Aydın amateur side Pamukspor; while playing for the amateur team of Yalıkavak Belediyesi he accepted an offer from Gençlerbirliği and turned professional on August 11, 2000. At Gençlerbirliği he played mostly in midfield and later generally on the right of defense; he made his Süper Lig debut in 2000-01 away at Adanaspor and scored his first league goal in 2002-03 against Elazığspor. In 2004 he moved to Fenerbahçe and won the Süper Lig in 2004-05 and 2006-07. He agreed to join Trabzonspor in 2007; in 2008-09 he was one of the fixtures at right-back, in 2009-10 he played in the side that beat Fenerbahçe 3-1 in the Turkish Cup final, and he also won the 2010 Super Cup. In 2012-13 he led the team out as captain in a European qualifier. In 2013 he joined Antalyaspor and then played for Mersin İdman Yurdu.

He had also won the 2000-01 Turkish Cup with Gençlerbirliği. He retired in 2019 and gave commentary on Hürriyet's Spor Arena program and Libero TV's post-match broadcasts.