Başar Önal, the Turkish-Dutch winger born in 2004 in the Netherlands, was developed at De Graafschap, where he joined at just nine years old. He made his professional debut at 17 in the Dutch second division and followed that up with two strong full seasons in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 as a starter, registering 11 and then 15 goal contributions respectively. Attracting interest from top-flight clubs, he moved to NEC Nijmegen. In 2024/2025, he mostly featured as a substitute, often coming on late in matches. This season, however, things have changed. In NEC’s very attacking and dynamic setup, he has established himself as the starting left winger, already recording 12 goal contributions in 1,478 minutes (roughly 16.4 matches). At international level, Önal has chosen to represent Turkey for now, earning caps with the U21, U19 and U18 teams.
Standing at 1.79m with a relatively endomorphic build, Önal possesses an interesting blend of explosiveness and physical resilience. Compact in his upper body and leaner in his lower half, he combines sharp acceleration over short distances with enough strength to hold his own in physical duels. Extremely explosive in his first steps, he reaches top speed very quickly — and that top speed is impressive. He is almost exclusively right-footed, limiting the use of his left foot to occasional controls or touches while carrying the ball.
With the ball at his feet, Başar Önal is highly dangerous. His first touch is excellent, allowing him to push the ball into space without losing speed. He maintains a high tempo in his dribbling, almost always using his right foot — either the inside or outside. This execution speed enables him to constantly provoke defenders, seeking to isolate and beat them with simple yet well-executed moves: knocking the ball past and accelerating, using body feints without touching the ball, or sharp changes of direction. His attacking patterns are often similar: starting close to the touchline and several meters away from his direct opponent to build momentum, accelerating down the outside, then cutting inside near the edge of the box to either deliver a right-footed cross or move into a position for a curled shot. His crosses are of high quality — delivered quickly and with precision toward his teammates’ heads. He also takes left-sided corners.
His off-the-ball movement is not especially varied, and he could make more runs in behind given his athletic qualities. However, he deserves credit for mastering his current role, as his positioning allows him to create time and space before taking on his defender. Another positive aspect of his off-ball game is his tendency to continue his runs after passing, either asking for the ball back or following its expected trajectory. Defensively, his contribution is limited. Still young, he has room to improve in this area and could develop greater physical robustness and overall work rate to recover more balls.
This season he has operated as an attacking left wing-back, whereas previously he played more as a traditional winger on either flank. Given his style of play, his best position now seems clearly defined, and his versatility appears somewhat limited, as he is less influential on the right side. Cognitively, however, he shows good anticipation and game awareness, often knowing what he intends to do before receiving the ball and remaining composed under pressure.
Başar Önal remains a raw talent, but one with undeniable qualities and already strong mastery of certain phases of play. He would provide interesting competition to the equally young Afonso Moreira, as their profiles share similarities. Joining a squad competing in European competitions could be an attractive step for the young Turkish international, who has not yet played outside the Netherlands.
Comparison between Malick Fofana (blue) & Başar Önal (red).
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