Galatasaray’s experienced player Dries Mertens is set to make his 100th appearance in a yellow-red jersey if he takes the field in the derby against Beşiktaş on October 28, during the 10th week of the Trendyol Super Lig.
The Belgian player began his football career at Stade Leuven, a local club in his hometown, and later played in the youth systems of Anderlecht and Gent. After playing for Eendracht Aalst and AGOVV, Mertens joined the Dutch club Utrecht, where his successful performances led him to PSV.
Mertens caught attention with his performance at PSV and transferred to the Italian team Napoli in the summer of 2013. After spending 9 seasons at Napoli, the experienced player joined Galatasaray.
TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH GALATASARAY
Dries Mertens is currently in his third season with Galatasaray and experienced championship success in his first two seasons in the Super Lig. Galatasaray finished 13th in the 2021-2022 season but recruited many star players before the 2022-2023 season, including Juan Mata, Mauro Icardi, and Lucas Torreira. Mertens played a significant role in his first season, contributing greatly to the team’s championship.
The Belgian star further improved his performance in the subsequent season, playing a crucial role in the team’s second Super Lig title.
23 GOALS IN 99 MATCHES
In his 99 official matches for Galatasaray, Dries Mertens scored 23 goals. He netted 18 goals in 75 matches in the Super Lig, scored 1 goal in 4 matches in the Turkish Cup, and added 4 goals in 18 matches in European competitions. The Belgian star did not score in the 2 Super Cup matches he played.
AGE INCREASED, FORM DID NOT DROP
Despite his advancing age, the Belgian star continues to perform successfully in the yellow-red jersey. Dries Mertens, who turned 37 last May, remains an indispensable player for the team. He has participated in all 15 matches Galatasaray has played this season, scoring 4 goals.
NAPOLI’S ALL-TIME TOP SCORER
Dries Mertens is Napoli’s all-time top scorer, having scored 148 goals in 397 matches during his 9 seasons at the club. He surpassed legends Diego Armando Maradona, Lorenzo Insigne, and Marek Hamsik with this performance.
BELGIUM’S RECORD
Mertens has played 109 matches for the Belgian National Team. As part of Belgium’s golden generation, he scored 21 goals while playing alongside stars like Eden Hazard, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, and Thibaut Courtois, but he was unable to win a trophy with the national team.
