Arda Güler was born on 25 February 2005 in Altındağ, Ankara, Turkey. He started in Gençlerbirliği's academy before joining Fenerbahçe at thirteen, where he made his senior debut in August 2021. By March 2022 he was Fenerbahçe's youngest-ever Süper Lig goalscorer at 17, and in 2023 he produced a man-of-the-match performance in the Turkish Cup final to lift the trophy.
Real Madrid signed him in July 2023 for around €20 million. In his first La Liga campaign (2023–24) he scored six goals in 330 minutes, the fastest pace in club history to reach that mark, and became the first Turkish player ever to win the UEFA Champions League — though he did not appear in the final. After Xabi Alonso's appointment in summer 2025, Güler's role expanded into a regular starting midfielder. He scored his first goal of 2025–26 on 30 August in a 2–1 win over Mallorca, and by spring he had accumulated 4 goals and 8 assists in 31 matches with a pass-completion rate above 90% and a La Liga-leading 52 chances created. Transfermarkt's valuation has doubled to around €90 million during the campaign.
Güler made his senior debut for Turkey in November 2022. At UEFA Euro 2024 he announced himself to a wider audience by scoring on his European Championship debut against Georgia, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo's long-standing record as the youngest goalscorer making their tournament debut. A left-footed attacking midfielder who is also comfortable on the right wing, he is praised for his composure in tight spaces, range of passing, set-piece delivery, and creative vision. He is widely viewed as one of the most promising young footballers in the world.