Paul Scholes, the Manchester United legend, has expressed his astonishment at the performance of Juventus’ young talent, Kenan Yildiz. In an Instagram story, Scholes wrote, “Who the f*** is this Yildiz,” applauding the Turkish international’s impressive display in Juventus’ 2-0 victory over Manchester City, the reigning English champions.
Yildiz, following his first goal against PSV Eindhoven on September 17, provided his first Champions League assist at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. His pinpoint cross set up Dusan Vlahovic’s header, breaking the deadlock against City.
Paul Scholes…..😂 pic.twitter.com/P0Q7E0H4eC
— Italian Football News 🇮🇹 (@footitalia1) December 12, 2024
Like his idol Alessandro Del Piero, Yildiz seems to thrive in European competitions. Coach Thiago Motta consistently trusts him in these matches, with Yildiz featuring in all six games, playing 466 minutes and completing 19 successful dribbles. The Juventus number 10 combines quality with quantity, recovering 11 balls and covering 55.8 km, reaching a top speed of 34.2 km/h. Among his teammates, only Kalulu runs more and faster.
Post-match, Yildiz was interviewed by Del Piero, who reminded him that he had broken his record as Juventus’ youngest Champions League scorer. Yildiz told CBS, “This is a beautiful victory for us. We played a great game. I’m really happy, especially for the team. Manchester City is fantastic, but we took to the field with a lot of confidence, thanks also to the incredible atmosphere created by the fans in the stadium. We studied our opponents, focusing first on the defensive phase, and we conceded little.”
10 ⚫️⚪️ pic.twitter.com/MoMCv0lnNg
— Juventus News Live (@juvenewslive) December 12, 2024
Regarding injuries, Yildiz added, “We need to recover well after matches to avoid further risks; some players are returning. I always try to give my best, and when I score, I’m happy, but winning is the only thing that matters.” He then addressed Del Piero directly, saying, “Alex, it was great to see you again. I wanted to greet you before the match, but I didn’t see you. You’re the best.”
Yildiz joined Juventus on a free transfer from Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022 and is under contract until June 2029, earning 1.5 million euros net per year. Born in 2005, he has scored 8 goals and provided 5 assists in 53 appearances for the first team. His first Serie A goal came on December 23, 2023, against Frosinone, in his first start in the league.
The young star has also made his mark internationally, scoring on his debut start for the Turkish national team in a friendly against Germany on November 18, 2023. His rapid rise through Juventus’ youth ranks has led him to become, alongside Lamine Yamal, one of the best Under-20 players in this season’s Champions League.
