Kerem Demirbay

Kerem Demirbay (born 3 July 1993) is a German professional footballer of Turkish origin who plays as a midfielder for Süper Lig club Galatasaray. He is nicknamed "Dayı" ("Uncle" in English) due to his resemblance of a popular Turkish TV show fictional character. A former youth international for Turkey, Demirbay switched allegiances to represent Germany at senior level.

Kerem Demirbay

Demirbay playing for TSG Hoffenheim in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Kerem Demirbay[1]
Date of birth	(1993-07-03) 3 July 1993 (age 31)[2]
Place of birth	Herten, Germany
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[3]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Galatasaray
Number	8
Youth career
1999–2007	Schalke 04
2007–2008	Borussia Dortmund
2008–2011	SG Wattenscheid 09
2011–2012	Borussia Dortmund
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2013	Borussia Dortmund II	28	(2)
2013–2016	Hamburger SV	3	(0)
2013–2014	Hamburger SV II	6	(4)
2014–2015	→ 1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan)	22	(1)
2015–2016	→ Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	25	(10)
2016–2019	TSG Hoffenheim	73	(12)
2019–2023	Bayer Leverkusen	108	(10)
2023–	Galatasaray	54	(6)
International career‡
2011–2012	Turkey U19	7	(1)
2012–2013	Turkey U20	3	(0)
2013	Turkey U21	2	(0)
2017	Germany	2	(1)
Medal record Representing  Germany FIFA Confederations Cup Winner 2017
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 June 2017

Early life and career

Demirbay was born in Herten, North Rhine-Westphalia.^[4] He began playing club football with FC Schalke 04 in 1999. After several years with the club, he continued his training with Borussia Dortmund and SG Wattenscheid 09.^[5]

Club career

Borussia Dortmund

After spending a year in their youth setup, Demirbay was promoted to Borussia Dortmund II playing in third tier 3. Liga. On 21 July 2012, the first matchday of the 2012–13 season, he came to his debut in professional football in an away game against VfL Osnabrück, replacing Konstantin Fring from the bench. He scored in the 1–2 home defeat against 1. FC Saarbrücken.^{[citation needed]}

Hamburger SV

In the 2013–14 winter break, he agreed to join Hamburger SV on a free transfer in July 2014. After injury issues and several caps for their second team in fourth tier Regionalliga, he made his Bundesliga debut in the 1–3 home defeat by VfL Wolfsburg on 19 April 2014.^[6]

1. FC Kaiserslautern

Although performing well in 2014–15 pre-season games, he moved to 2. Bundesliga side 1. FC Kaiserslautern on a season long loan to in August 2014. There he became a first team regular, starting in 18 matches and being put in another four times.^{[citation needed]}

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Demirbay with Düsseldorf in 2015

Returning to Hamburg, he again played pre-season, before signing on a season long loan to Fortuna Düsseldorf on 25 August 2015.^[7]

1899 Hoffenheim

In June 2016, Demirbay signed for 1899 Hoffenheim on a three-year contract for a reported fee of €1,700,000.^[8] He was handed the number 10 shirt.^{[citation needed]} In April 2016, Demirbay scored the all important equalising goal against 1. FC Köln that earned the club from Sinsheim their first ever European qualification.^[9]

Bayer Leverkusen

On 9 May 2019, Bayer Leverkusen announced that Demirbay would end his stint at Hoffenheim, and would move to the BayArena at the start of the summer transfer window in a five-year deal until 30 June 2024.^[10] Leverkusen reportedly triggered a release clause in Demirbay's Hoffenheim contract by paying a €32 million^[11][12] or €28 million fee,^[13] depending on the source.

Galatasaray

On 1 August 2023, Galatasaray announced that Demirbay had arrived in Istanbul to complete his permanent transfer to Turkey.^[14]

On August 3, he signed a 3-year contract with Galatasaray.^[15] Galatasaray will pay €3.7m transfer fee to the former club of the football player Bayer Leverkusen for this transfer.^[16]

International career

Youth

Although not having a Turkish passport, Demirbay played international youth football for the Turkish Football Association. In March 2015, he was chosen by Germany U21 coach Horst Hrubesch, but was excluded from games due to injury. He was then selected for 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in the Czech Republic, but did not play in any of the games.^{[citation needed]}

Senior

Demirbay with Germany during the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Demirbay accepted a callup to the Turkey national football team on 17 May 2017, for a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification against Kosovo,^[17] but rescinded the offer.^[18] Later in the same day, Demirbay accepted a callup to the Germany national team for the friendly against Denmark on 6 June 2017, for the 2018 World Cup qualification match against San Marino on 10 June 2017 and for the 2017 Confederations Cup to be held from 17 June to 2 July 2017.^[19]

Demirbay made his international debut on 6 June against Denmark, where he was subbed on in the 77th minute for Leon Goretzka.^[20]

Controversial on-field comments

Demirbay achieved international notoriety for making a sexist comment against female referee Bibiana Steinhaus, in violation of league rules. In November 2015, after being sent off by Steinhaus in a match between Fortuna Düsseldorf and FSV Frankfurt, he told her "women have no place in men's football".^[21] Demirbay telephoned Steinhaus after the match to apologise. As a sanction for his behaviour, he was given a five-game ban^[22] and was made to referee a junior league girls' football match.^[23]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 May 2025^[24]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup[a]		Europe		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Borussia Dortmund II	2012–13	3. Liga	28	2	—		—		—		28	2
Hamburger SV II	2013–14	Regionalliga Nord	5	3	—		—		—		5	3
	2014–15	Regionalliga Nord	1	1	—		—		—		1	1
	Total		6	4	—		—		—		6	4
Hamburger SV	2013–14	Bundesliga	3	0	0	0	—		0	0	3	0
1. FC Kaiserslautern (loan)	2014–15	2. Bundesliga	22	1	1	0	—		—		23	1
Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)	2015–16	2. Bundesliga	25	10	1	1	—		—		26	11
TSG Hoffenheim	2016–17	Bundesliga	28	6	1	0	—		—		29	6
	2017–18	Bundesliga	19	2	2	0	6[b]	0	—		27	2
	2018–19	Bundesliga	26	4	1	0	5[c]	0	—		32	4
	Total		73	12	4	0	11	0	—		88	12
Bayer Leverkusen	2019–20	Bundesliga	25	1	6	0	9[d]	1	—		40	2
	2020–21	Bundesliga	29	4	3	0	5[e]	1	—		37	5
	2021–22	Bundesliga	29	1	2	2	5[e]	0	—		36	3
	2022–23	Bundesliga	25	4	1	0	10[f]	1	—		36	5
	Total		108	10	12	2	29	3	—		149	15
Galatasaray	2023–24	Süper Lig	34	6	2	0	6[g]	1	0	0	42	7
	2024–25	Süper Lig	20	0	3	0	10[h]	0	1[i]	0	34	0
	Total		54	6	5	0	16	1	1	0	76	7
Career total			319	45	23	3	56	4	1	0	399	52

1. Includes DFB-Pokal, Turkish Cup
2. Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances in UEFA Europa League
3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
4. Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, four appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
5. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
6. Five appearances in UEFA Champions League, five appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
7. Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances and one goal in UEFA Europa League
8. One appearance in UEFA Champions League, nine appearances in UEFA Europa League
9. Appearance in Turkish Super Cup

International

As of match played 25 June 2017^[25]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Germany
	2017	2	1
Total		2	1

As of match played 25 June 2017. Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Demirbay goal.^[25]

List of international goals scored by Kerem Demirbay

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	25 June 2017	Fisht Olympic Stadium, Sochi, Russia	Cameroon	1–0	3–1	2017 FIFA Confederations Cup

Honours

Galatasaray

• Süper Lig: 2023–24,^[26] 2024–25^[27]
• Turkish Cup: 2024–25^[28]
• Turkish Super Cup: 2023^[29]

Germany

• FIFA Confederations Cup: 2017^[30]