While winning over Madrid fans with a brilliant end to the season, Arda Güler has shared personal details about his transfer to Real Madrid and his first few months in the Spanish capital. The young Turkish talent, who joined in the summer of 2023 from Fenerbahçe, has become one of the most pleasant surprises of the final stretch of the campaign under Carlo Ancelotti.

Despite a difficult start marked by injuries and fierce competition in Real’s attacking line, Güler has made the most of his chances. In recent LaLiga matches, he’s impressed with goals, assists, and determination, earning a place in the starting lineup and the admiration of both the coaching staff and fans.

In a letter published by The Players' Tribune, the 20-year-old attacking midfielder opened up about how he experienced the transfer. “That summer, my father and I had long talks about whether it was too early for me to leave Turkey,” he recalled. Everything changed with an unexpected video call. “I got a FaceTime from Carlo Ancelotti. He was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses... it was surreal. He told me: ‘Arda, you’ll have a great future here. Promise me you’ll come to Madrid.’”

"Arda Abi," the locker room's youngest older brother

Adapting to the team wasn’t easy, but he found unexpected support. “David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger speak a bit of Turkish. Courtois also knows a few words from his time playing with Arda Turan,” he said. One of the funniest stories came from a Turkish tradition. “In our culture, we call older people ‘Abi’ as a sign of respect. I couldn’t just call Modric ‘Luka.’ He could be my dad! So I said ‘Luka Abi,’ and Alaba and Rüdiger thought that’s what we call everyone. Now they call me ‘Arda Abi, and there’s no turning back.”

Despite his recent success, Güler admitted the journey hasn’t been easy. “Playing for Real Madrid isn’t the hardest part. The challenge is learning Spanish, adapting to a new culture, and staying grounded. That’s why having my family visit every month helps. My mom still tells me to clean my room.”

Now, with El Clásico against Barcelona on the horizon, Arda Güler is ready to keep showing the world he has what it takes to succeed at the highest level. As he says himself, his story at Real Madrid is only just beginning.