Besiktas Star Olaitan Rates First Year in Turkish Super Lig, Tips Portugal for World Cup Glory
There are footballers who arrive in a new league and take time to find their footing.
And then there is Junior Olaitan, who wasted no time in announcing himself to Turkish football.
From a local pitch in Benin to Istanbul’s Vodafone Park, the 24-year-old attacking midfielder is living an extraordinary story of determination.
When Olaitan departed French Ligue 2 side Grenoble in July 2025 for newly-promoted Goztepe on a four-year deal, Turkish football was an unfamiliar frontier.
Within six months, the Super Lig became his stage.
After making 17 Super Lig appearances for Goztepe in the first half of the season and scoring twice, the Benin international’s performances were eye-catching enough to attract serious transfer interest during the January window, a clear sign of his immediate impact.
Besiktas came calling, and Olaitan answered to become part of a sweeping winter rebuild at the Istanbul giants that also brought in Kristjan Asllani, Emmanuel Agbadou, Amir Murillo, and Hyeon-gyu Oh.
Since joining Besiktas, Olaitan has scored three goals in 13 games across all competitions, helping secure their spot in European football next season.
With Besiktas set to finish the 2025-26 Super Lig season in fourth place, Olaitan stated that the campaign has been about integration following the team’s massive transfer activities last summer and in January.
“My first season with Besiktas has been very good,” he told R.org. “I came in with a lot of new players in February and I am happy with everyone I’ve met here – the players, staff, management and the fans.
“We are still trying to rebuild the team because a lot of players left in January and I am still adapting to the system.
“Next season will be great and we will try to achieve a lot.”
Olaitan Dreams of Europe’s Top-Five Leagues
Long before any of Europe’s lights came into view, there was Olaitan on the pitches of Ayema Adjarra, a municipality in southern Benin, where footballers dream big, and the path to professional football is anything but straightforward.
Benin is not a country that has historically exported top-level professional footballers in large numbers.
For a player from a local club to reach the Turkish Super Lig and attract the attention of a club of Besiktas’ stature is a significant achievement on its own.
Olaitan recalled his humble beginnings in West Africa and did not take his strides for granted.
“I thank God every minute for my career because I know where I am coming from,” he said.
“I still remember all the players I started with and some are not even playing football anymore. I know the challenges I faced and all I can say today is thank God.”
On his next hallmark, Olaitan is clear about where he currently stands and where he intends to go.
“I can say I’m at the peak of my career but not 100 percent because my dream is to play in the top five leagues in Europe,” he said.
The Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, and Serie A are the arenas Olaitan is targeting.
He believes age is on his side, and his performances in Turkey at Goztepe and Besiktas have improved his individual qualities.
He added: “I’m just 24 and I’m still trying to understand football more and I’m not panicking because I know with my consistency, I will achieve my dreams one day.”
Olaitan Hopes for Ronaldo’s World Cup Glory With Portugal
The Benin star will be watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from his home this summer after his country failed to grab one of the 10 qualification tickets in Africa.
However, he knows exactly who he will be cheering on.
“I want Portugal to win the World Cup because of Cristiano Ronaldo,” Olaitan said.
“He is my favourite footballer and he is someone I love so much. I can’t wait to see him lift that trophy.”
Ronaldo, aged 41, is set to play in his final World Cup this summer, 20 years after he made his debut appearance on the global stage in 2006.
The Al Nassr superstar holds the record for the most international goals scored in men’s football history with 143 goals and has won virtually everything football has to offer, but the World Cup is the one trophy missing in his extraordinary career.
Portugal will open their 2026 World Cup campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo on June 17 in Houston, before taking on Colombia and Uzbekistan in Group K.