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Australian professional footballer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aziz Eraltay Behich (Turkish: Aziz Eraltay, /ˈæzɪz ˈbeɪ.ɪtʃ/ AZ-iz BAY-itch;[4] born 16 December 1990) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a left back for A-League Men club Melbourne City and the Australia national team.
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Behich with Australia in 2018 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Aziz Eraltay Behich[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 16 December 1990[2] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left back | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Melbourne City | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 16 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Meadow Park | |||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Green Gully | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Melbourne Victory | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Green Gully | 31 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2010 | Melbourne Victory | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010 | Hume City | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Melbourne Heart | 65 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2018 | Bursaspor | 122 | (6) | ||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | → Melbourne Heart (loan) | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | PSV Eindhoven | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | → Kayserispor (loan) | 34 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Giresunspor | 34 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Dundee United | 26 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Melbourne City | 12 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024 | → Al Nassr (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Australia U23 | 5 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2012– | Australia | 75 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2024 | |||||||||||||||||
Behich played in the junior divisions of Green Gully SC.[5][6] He participated in the junior leagues of Melbourne's North-West. He had played for the club's Reserve team in 2007.[7] In February 2007 Behich had returned to Australia after having been training at the David Beckham Academy. In 2008 Behich was signed to the club's first team, surprisingly because the coach; Ian Dobson, had preferred experienced players within his squad, where he made his debut on 22 February 2008 in a 2–0 loss against Richmond. He had been substituted onto the field in the 57th minute. He had been promoted to the club's first team with teammate Diogo Ferreira, who also went on to sign for Melbourne during Behich's second youth season. In 2008, Behich scored two goals in 11 appearances while playing for Green Gully in Australia's Second Division.[8] He had scored his two goals in a 6–1 win against Fawkner Blues on 17 May 2008, he had been substituted onto the field in the 76th minute and scored in both the 84th and 86th minutes.[8]
Prior to the start of the 2008–2009 A-League's National Youth League, Behich was selected for Melbourne Victory's squad.[9][10][11] On 3 January 2009, Aziz scored in a 3–0 win against Queensland Roar.[12] One week later, he scored again in a 2–0 win against Perth Glory on 10 January 2009.[13] Victory went on to finish in 6th position out of seven teams.
During the National Youth League's off-season, Behich would return to play for Green Gully in the 2009 season.[14][15] Aziz had appeared 22 times for Green Gully, once in the final's play-offs, and had scored two goals overall. His second goal came in a play-off match against Altona Magic where which Behich was substituted onto the field in the 80th minute when Green Gully were trailing 3–2. Behich had scored an equaliser in the 94th minute to take the game to extra-time, however, Green Gully eventually lost 4–3 on penalties[16][17]
The following season, Behich was the only youth player to re-sign with Melbourne's youth team and was handed the captain's arm band.[18][19][20][21]
Behich made his debut for Melbourne Victory's first team on 16 January 2010, in the 2009–10 A-League season, where he was substituted on to the field in the 83rd minute for Carlos Hernández in a 6–2 win against Perth Glory.[22] His second appearance was on 23 January 2010, where he was substituted onto the field in the 91st minute, again for Carlos Hernández, in a 2–0 win against Adelaide United.[23] Despite Matthew Theodore being the only player to sign from Melbourne's youth-team to its first team in 2009, as of 2010 Behich was the only youth player to gain a first-team appearance and consecutive first-team appearances. It was then announced, in January 2010, that Behich was named in Melbourne's 2010 AFC Champions League squad.[24] He was substituted on during the second half of the 2009–2010 A-League Grand Final when Melbourne lost on penalties to Sydney, and is notable for the narrowest miss of the match, which could have been the winner. Behich then signed to Hume City in the Victorian Premier League during the A-League off-season.
Behich debuted for Hume City in a 2–2 draw against Northcote City on 16 May 2010. Scoring on debut, he netted Hume city's second goal on 81 minutes. He appeared 5 more times for the side, departing from the club in June, as they finished in second spot of the Victorian Premier League table.[25][26]
By July 2010, he trialled with the Melbourne Heart squad where he took part in a round of warm up matches that the club played, including a 2–0 defeat against Everton. Behich, shortly after trialling with Melbourne Heart, signed a seven-week deal with the club as an injury replacement player for Kristian Sarkies until October 2010. After Dean Heffernan received a red card, Behich slotted into the starting lineup to cover his position, and started most games afterwards. On 25 October 2010, he signed a full-time contract with the Melbourne Heart, becoming the first player to play for both Melbourne Victory and Melbourne Heart.[27] At Heart, he was developed into more of a defensive player, a left back or left winger, as opposed to the striker position he played at Victory. He was the first player to be sent off in a Melbourne derby, given his second yellow in the very first encounter between the clubs, which Heart won 2–1. In January, Behich was awarded the A-League Young Footballer of the month.[28] It was reported on 28 January 2012 by the Dutch media that Behich had attracted the interest of Eredivisie club Excelsior and 2. Bundesliga sides VfL Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt. Excelsior manager John Lammers spoke of his interest in the exciting youngster to Rotterdam newspapers Algemeen Dagblad and NRC Handelsblad:[29][30] "We are looking to bring Aziz to the club, he's an exceptional talent who we've been watching."[31]
On 29 January 2013, Behich signed to Turkish Süper Lig club Bursaspor.[32] On 11 March 2013, Aziz Behich made his Turkish Süper Lig debut for Bursaspor against Fenerbahçe as a 69th-minute substitute for Tuncay.[33] On 4 March 2016, Behich signed three-year extension to his contract with Bursaspor, which was due to expire in May.[34]
On 31 August 2018, Behich signed for Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven for four years. The transfer fee paid to Bursaspor was reported as for $4.5 million[35]
On 24 May 2019, it was announced Behich would return to Turkey to join İstanbul Başakşehir for the 2019–20 season, having agreed a three-year deal.[36]
On 2 October 2020, Behich joined Kayserispor on a season-long loan.[37]
On 26 August 2021, Behich joined recently promoted sided Giresunspor, in their return to the Süper Lig.[38]
On 28 July 2022, Behich joined Dundee United on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract.[39]
After parting ways with Dundee United, Behich signed a two-year deal for Melbourne City on 6 August 2023.[40] This marked his return to the club after nine years overseas.
On 31 January 2024, while on Asian Cup duty with the Socceroos, he joined Al-Nassr on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[41] The loan fee was reported to be around $2 million AUD.[42] Behich played alongside Portugese legend Cristiano Ronaldo in his three games with the club.
At the start of the 24/25 season, Aziz Behich was appointed captain of Melbourne City Football Club.
Behich was called up to the Australia Under-23 side by coach Aurelio Vidmar for a friendly match against Japan's Under-23 side at the Tohoku Denryoku Bigswan Stadium, Niigata on Wednesday 1 June 2011.[43] Behich was selected to play against Yemen's under-23 side for the Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's Asian Qualifiers Preliminary Round 2. On 14 June 2011, in preparation for the 2012 AFC Men's Pre-Olympic Tournament, Behich featured in a 6–0 win against Singapore under-23 where he scored Australia's sixth goal in the 90th minute. On 19 June 2011 Behich played in Australia's first-leg 3–0 win against Yemen.[44][45][46][47] Four days later he played in the second leg which resulted in a 4–0 win to Australia on 23 June.[48]
Behich was called up to the Australian national team by Holger Osieck for a friendly match against South Korea on 14 November 2012, where he made his debut.[49]
He was included in Ange Postecoglou's 2015 AFC Asian Cup-winning squad where he played 2 matches as Australia won the tournament on home soil.[50]
In May 2018 he was named in Australia's 23-man squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia after being involved in the previous summer's Confederations Cup.[51]
Behich was also called up to the Australia squad by manager Graham Arnold for the 2022 FIFA World Cup where he started all 4 matches during Australia's campaign to the Round of 16.[50] Behich made a run past Argentinian defenders and had a chance at an equalising goal in the dying seconds of the Round of 16 game, but his shot was stopped by Emi Martinez.[52] Behich was also a prominent member of Australia's squad in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and all rounds of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Behich is a Muslim of Turkish Cypriot origin, son of immigrants to Australia from Cyprus.[53] For this reason he was eligible to represent Turkey, Cyprus or Australia, eventually choosing the latter.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Melbourne Victory | 2009–10 | A-League | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Melbourne Heart | 2010–11 | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2012–13 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
| Total | 65 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 1 | ||
| Bursaspor | 2012–13 | Süper Lig | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Melbourne Heart (loan) | 2013–14 | A-League | 24 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 1 |
| Bursaspor | 2014–15 | Süper Lig | 29 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| 2015–16 | 26 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | 31 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 5 | ||
| 2018–19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 121 | 6 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 142 | 6 | ||
| PSV Eindhoven | 2018–19 | Eredivisie | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Başakşehir | 2019-20 | Süper Lig | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Kayserispor (loan) | 2020-21 | 34 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | |
| Giresunspor | 2021-22 | 34 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| Dundee United | 2022-23 | Scottish Premiership | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 4 |
| Melbourne City | 2023-24 | A-League | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 19 | 1 |
| Al Nassr (loan) | 2023-24 | Saudi Pro League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Career total | 334 | 11 | 35 | 1 | 14 | 1 | 383 | 13 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | 2012 | 5 | 2 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 70 | 2 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 December 2012 | Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong |  Chinese Taipei | 5–0 | 8–0 | 2013 EAFF East Asian Cup |
| 2 | 7–0 |
Green Gully
İstanbul Başakşehir
Australia
Individual
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