Mitch Freeley

Not many players get to play for both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in their career, yet Hamit Altentop can claim to have played for two of Europe’s biggest sides. 

Born in Gelsenkirchen, it was logical that a young Altentop with catch the eye of local Bundesliga side Schalke 04. After three impressive seasons with regional side Wattenscheid 09 alongside his twin brother and fellow professional Halil, a 20-year old Hamit moved to Die Knappen in the summer of 2003. 

Initially struggling to get regular football, Hamit made his mark with the side as an efficient defensive midfielder. His first taste of Champions League football would see him crash out at the group stages, however a third-place finish meant a run in the Uefa Cup. Victories over Espanyol, Palermo and Levski Sofia set up a semi-final against Sevilla.

 It would ultimately end in defeat for Schalke, as Antonio Puerta scored in stoppage time in the second-leg to hand the Andalucian’s a narrow 1-0 victory. Sevilla would progress to the final to defeat Middleborough 4-0 and kick-start a run of five UEFA Cups in eight seasons. 

Not for the first time in his career, Altentop would be reunited with his brother during the 06-07 season.  It would prove to be the catalyst for his best-ever season with Schalke, notching up 31 league starts and having a telling presence in midfield as Schalke were pipped to the Bundesliga title by two points by Stuttgart. 

With his contract up for renewal, Altentop opted to become a free agent, leading to a move to one of the biggest sides in Europe. 

After missing out on the Bundesliga title, Bayern Munich went on a summer spending spree which saw Franck Ribéry, Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose all join the club. Whilst a young Toni Kroos was called up from the youth team. Altentop played regularly in Ottmar Hitzfeld’s side and went on to secure the league and cup double in his debut campaign. 

At the end of the season, Hitzfeld announced he was stepping away from Bayern, which led to a curious campaign under Jurgen Klinsmann. A stop-start season, Klinsmann failed to inspire the vastly talented squad at his disposal, with a 5-1 defeat to eventual champions Wolfsburg in April handing the former international his marching orders. 

A new season under Louis van Gaal, would bring the winning mentality back to Bayern. The Champions League would prove to be a happy hunting ground. Away goals were needed to dispatch with finalists of the last two seasons, Manchester United. Altentop would come on as a second-half substitute for Arjen Robben, who scored the decisive goal. 

Whilst in the semi-final second-leg Altentop played 90 minutes as Ivica Olic’s hat-trick sealed progression to the final against Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. The showpiece final in Madrid would bring heartbreak for Altentop.

After being handed a spot on the left-wing, the Turkish International failed to make the desired impact and with Bayern 1-0 down Altentop was substituted just after the hour mark with striker Miroslav Klose. van Gaal’s gamble would ultimately fall short as Milito grabbed his second of the game twenty minutes from time to hand Inter and Mourinho a first Champions League crown for the first time since 1965. 

A contract extension was signed in the summer of 2010, but a final season in Bavaria followed, which was blighted by injury as Bayern finished third in the league and only managing to win the DFB Supercup.  van Gaal left the club in April, and Bayern declined to renew Altentop’s contract. 

Reflecting back on his time in Munich, Altintop is ultimately thankful with the four seasons he spent with the German giants. “I got to enjoy the Champions League final in Madrid against Inter. This was bittersweet for me, but at the end of the day it was a great experience.”

Real Madrid would come calling, and Altintop signed a four-year contract with Los Blancos in the summer of 2011. Joining up with fellow German-Turks Mesut Ozil and Nuri Şahin in the side, the midfielder must have thought it was a perfect time to join the club who were now under the management of Jose Mourinho. 

 A lack of playing time in a midfield which included the likes of Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso and Mesut Ozil would prove to be Altintop’s undoing in Madrid. After playing only in twelve games that season, Altintop decided on a move to Turkey, the country he chose to represent at international level. 

Injury would again blight his time at Galatassary who had signed the midfielder at great expense. In fact, Altintop’s debut goal for his new club against former side Schalke a howling 30-yard dipping shot would prove to be the highlight whilst with Gala.

A shocking cup defeat to second division Tuzlaspor and subsequent fan protest would see Altintop released from his contract in December 2016. Marking the midfielders run in top-level European football. 

Now aged 37, and currently serving as a board member at the Turkish FA Altintop will be hoping his experience can guide the next generation of Turkish footballing talent. Although if it wasn’t for constant injuries, Altintop could have made more of his talent enjoying a longer run at the very top of the game.