Turkish actor becomes goalkeeper in Netherlands

ISTANBUL

Famous Turkish actor Erkan Kolçak Köstengil has become a professional goalkeeper in the Netherlands after leaving Turkey as the well-known TV series, Çukur (The Hole), in which he acted, ended.

“It was my childhood dream to be a goalkeeper,” Köstengil said.

Çukur, which first aired on Oct. 23, 2017, ended on June 7 after 131 episodes in four seasons.

The 38-year-old actor, famous for playing the character of Salih Koçovalı in the TV series, started a new life in the Netherlands as a professional football player.

Signing a professional contract with a team, Amsterdam Gençlerbirliği, Köstengil wrote, “New team, new home and a new family” on his social media accounts.

He also thanked the president of the amateur club, founded in 1982 by Turkish immigrants in the country, in his message.

The actor, who was born in 1983 in the northwestern province of Bursa, played in the hometown’s professional team, Bursaspor, when he was studying in high school. He is married to Cansu Tosun, a 33-year-old Turkish-German actress.