Clubs: Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord (loan), Real Madrid CF

• Born to Turkish parents in German town of Lüdenscheid, Nuri joined Dortmund's youth academy as a 12-year-old.

• Fast-tracked into the first team, the left-footed playmaker became the youngest Bundesliga debutant (at 16 years 335 days) in August 2005 and, three months later, its youngest goalscorer when he found the net with the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph at 1. FC Nürnberg

• Opted for Turkey rather than Germany as his international team of choice and scored the winning goal – against Germany in Istanbul – three minutes after entering the field as a substitute on his debut in an October 2005 friendly; in so doing he became Turkey's youngest debutant and goalscorer.

• Made 23 starts in his debut Bundesliga campaign but fell out of favour after mentor Bert van Marwijk's departure in December 2006 and followed the Dutchman to Feyenoord on a season-long loan in 2007/08, scoring twice on his home Eredivisie debut and six times in all.

• Returned to Dortmund in 2008 and became a fixture of Jürgen Klopp's side, bettering his contributions season by season and becoming one of the Bundesliga's star turns in 2010/11 as the Schwarzgelben marched imperiously towards the title.

• Became Madrid's first signing of summer 2011 when he moved to the Santiago Bernabéu for a reported €10m.