UEFA.com's weekly wonderkid: Emre Mor
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Article summary
"He has got so much speed in his feet, and he is so unpredictable," said Emre Mor's coach at Nordsjælland, with the 18-year-old making waves in Denmark.
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Article body
Showing exceptional promise at Nordsjælland, 18-year-old Emre Mor's decision to play international football for Turkey has left Danish fans knowing only too well what they are missing out on.
Name: Emre Mor
Club: Nordsjælland
Debut: 28 November 2015 v Randers
Position: forward
Nationality: Turkish
Date of birth: 24 July 1997
Preferred foot: left
Height: 168 cm
They say ...
"What he is capable of is extraordinary. He has got so much speed in his feet, and he is so unpredictable. Just when you expect him to pass, he makes another dribble instead and changes direction. And when he does that, you do not catch him – that is plain impossible."
Kasper Hjulmand, Nordsjælland coach
"He has taken a gigantic leap recently when it comes to being able to play with the absolutely best. He has learned to work hard, and he has matured as a person, so he can also use his temper in a positive way."
Per Holm, Denmark Under-16 coach – formerly Mor's coach at U17 level
Background ...
Born to Turkish parents in Tingbjerg, on the northwest edge of Copenhagen, Mor started out at suburban club Brønshøj before moving to Lyngby and then – in 2015 – Nordsjælland. Capped 22 times at various youth levels by Denmark, he declared this winter that he wanted to play senior international football for his parents' home country. Made his U21 debut for Turkey in March, aged 18.
Playing style ...
Mor's technique and creativity make up for any physical frailties. He is extremely quick, his dribbling is superb, and his ability to change direction suddenly makes it seem as if the ball is glued to his feet. His unpredictability is another huge asset, opponents notably struggling to stop him by legal means.
Shades of ...
He does not welcome the comparison, but his dribbling and style have definite echoes of Lionel Messi. It is well known that Mor watches video clips of the Barcelona man in action before every game he plays.
Eureka moment ...
Some 55 minutes into a Superliga home match against FC København on 20 March this year, Mor raced through into the opponents half, dribbled past three experienced defenders and made it 1-0 to his side with a stylish finish from an acute angle. A star was born.
Best case scenario ...
Bigger clubs are circling round the teenager, who is being touted as a long shot for a UEFA EURO 2016 place with Turkey. Fatih Terim mentioned him in a recent interview and his scouts have been watching Mor in action in Denmark.
He says ...
"When I am in the right mood, I feel that I am capable of practically anything. If I have got a bad start to a game, though, I may get a bit down and ask to be substituted. When I am in a bad mood and use that in a bad way, I can be my own worst enemy, but it is something I have become better at handling, and which I now use in a positive way."
