Semih Guler brought his daughter Defne to the pitch and won hearts

Semih Guler, the captain of Kayserispor, has turned moments on the pitch into public lessons about dignity and inclusion by openly sharing life with his daughter, Defne, who has Down syndrome.

Guler, 31, has used his visibility as a top-flight footballer to advocate for better support and understanding for people with Down syndrome, making his family the face of a simple message: affection and early help matter.

After Kayserispor’s 1:0 victory over Fatih Karagumruk in March this year, Guler walked in front of television cameras holding his young daughter and spoke plainly about what she means to the family, saying, “Defne brought us luck. The first match she came to was against Antalyaspor and we won, and we won today as well. Maybe they have one extra chromosome, but they are much more beautiful people than us. Every time we see Defne, we are happy. Even when we're not in a good mood, she draws a smile on our faces.”

From symbolic gestures to concrete support

He has also emphasised the importance of early intervention and education for children with Down syndrome, noting that he and his family started early with Defne and can now see the benefits. He extends an open hand to other parents facing similar challenges: “Take care of our children, love them. They are everything to us!”

Guler has used other public moments to underline the same message. In August 2024, while playing for Adana Demirspor, he ran onto the field wearing two different-coloured boots — not as a fashion statement but to signal that people with Down syndrome deserve equal opportunities, respect and love. The gesture earned wide sympathy from fans.

Support for Defne has followed in other forms: at an unofficial match against Fenerbahçe, Kayserispor supporters prepared a banner dedicated to her. Guler also brought Defne onto the pitch before Turkey’s international fixture with Belgium, showing that his advocacy moves beyond club lines and into the national spotlight.

The story of Semih and Defne is a reminder that a player’s stature is measured not only by results on the field but by how publicly he teaches tolerance, humanity and unconditional love.

Photo: press material from the event