10 Of The Greatest Turkish Footballers Ever | 2023

Who is the best Turkish footballer of all time?

The Football Federation of Turkey was formed in 1923, and the Süper Lig has hosted all professional league games since 1959. The Turkish national team enjoyed its greatest triumph at the World Cup in 2002, finishing third. Galatasaray’s UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup victories in 2000 marked the biggest achievement of a club team in Turkey.

The ‘Crescent-Stars’ since the introduction of FIFA rankings in 1992 have been ranked between 5th and 57th place, giving credence to their proficiency in major competitions despite not being fancy as one of Europe’s favorites but often achieved relatively decent success in Euro 2000, 2008, and reaching the quarter-finals of the Summer Olympics back to back in 1948 and 1952.

While the nation has captured the footballing world with their sheer energy, flamboyant and era-defining style of play on the biggest of stages, some of their players shone and stand as cult heroes in the history of the nation. Identifying the top Turkish footballers of all time is not an overwhelming task.

Although there are many talented players to choose from, both those representing the Turkish clubs and those playing abroad, this list includes the majority of the best of them.

If you’re looking for a player with the most appearances for a national team, the one with the most goals, or the one with the most exquisite qualities, we’ve got a whole lot of them who meet all necessities.

Greatest Turkish footballers of all time

Hamit Altintop – (2004-2014, Caps: 82, Goals: 7)

Altintop “Golden Ball” as his surname suggests was, without doubt, one of the finest Turkish midfielders who lived up to his name throughout his career, with one of his best moments for the Crescent-Stars happening at the Euro 2008 when they shocked the whole of Europe to reach the semi-finals.

He didn’t just stop delivering brilliant performances for his nation at the Euro 2008 alone, he also shone out a commendable performance during Turkey’s Euro 2012 qualifying match against Kazakhstan which won him the FIFA Puskas Award for scoring the best goal of the season.

Hamit was a proven versatile midfielder renowned for playing anywhere on the pitch be it in the middle, on the wing even sometimes as a right back adding steel to his team defensively during a career that lasted 14 years. Between 2003 and 2007.

He made a name for himself with Schalke 04. Later, he played for Galatasaray, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich.

Tanju Colak – (1984-1991, Caps: 31, Goals: 9)

Quite a number of Turkish footballers have donned the red and white jersey with some leaving memories of their greatness whilst some struggled to ink their name in the football history of the country.

However, in Colak’s case, a prolific goal-scorer throughout the 1980s but was barely known outside of his country.

He got to the pinnacle of his football career in the Turkish Super League and for the national team, he got 9 goals in 31 caps between 1984-1991 with his impressive goal-scoring instinct and aerial prowess in front of goal.

The Samsun-born forward is well renowned at Samsunspor and Galatasaray where he won two league titles and registered a lot of goals, before a move to Galatasaray in the summer of 1987 where he went on to become a legend throughout his illustrious career with the Turkish giant.

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Sergen Yalcin – (1994-2003, Caps: 31, Goals: 5)

Yalcin, a former Turkish midfielder born in the city of Istanbul was described as an extraordinary footballer, good enough to play for Los Blancos for his sheer quality and deftness by former Real Madrid coach Vicente del Bosque, whilst former UEFA President Lennart Johansson also praised him for his quality.

Whilst he operated as a roaming number 10 blending his game with defense-troubling passes, breathtaking dribbles, and great dead-ball skill, he was also remarkably strong on the ball with amazing technical ability despite his small stature.

Yalcin’s sheer brilliance at the highest level most importantly with Besiktas was well known amongst the fans, despite being a gambling addict where he was solely responsible for their title-winning runs in 1992 and 1995 alongside one Turkish Cup in 1994.

Between 1994-2003 he was able to rack up 37 caps and 5 goals for the Crescent-Stars before he called it quit with international duty.

Rustu Recber – (1994-2012, Caps: 120, Clean-Sheets: 58)

Rustu is arguably the greatest Turkish goalkeeper with golden gloves for his sheer quality, commanding presence in the air, and quick reflexes in between the stick for his nation and the clubs he wear their shirts.

The goalkeeper was one of the finest exponents of the sweeper goalie era standing at 6ft 1inch tall and truly renowned for his long hair and anti-glare war paint beneath his eyelid.

Whilst the qualities mentioned above are a fact about Rüştü, he’s the number one keeper in the history of Turkey football. We can’t look away from the erratic nature that often got him in trouble when he embarked on an ill-judged decision out of his box that often cost his teams.

Despite some of his darker side throughout his international career, he was able to amass 120 caps and 58 clean sheets standing as the most capped player in the history of the Crescent-Stars.

Tugay Kerimoglu – (1990-2007, Caps: 94, Goals: 2)

To omit Tugay’s name from this list will be a great injustice to his quality, deftness, and how impactful he was for the Turkish national team throughout his illustrious career with 94 caps and 2 goals between 1990-2007.

The cult of Tugay was forged at Galatasaray where he made a remarkable impact winning six titles and four cups and also becoming the club’s youngest-ever captain at the age of 22 in the 1992-93 campaign.

Whilst he had already forged his cult status in his home country with Gala, his stint at Ewood Park was somewhat phenomenon.

Graeme Souness secured his services for £1.3m and with over 270 appearances, giving his all to Blackburn during the twilight days further says more about how great Tugay Kerimoglu was throughout his career.

Bulent Korkmaz – (1990-2005, Caps: 102, Goals: 2)

“I was in agony, but I kept telling myself death could come but there’s no coming back to this moment“.

These statements were the exact word from Korkmaz himself when his team was faced with the reality of losing the UEFA Cup finals to Arsenal in Copenhagen during extra-time, obviously credence to how superb he was for Galatasaray.

Buyuk Kaptain (Great Captain) just like his alias suggests, Korkmaz is arguably the greatest defender and captain that ever played for the Turkish national team, with his position as one of the most capped players still standing.

The Malatya-born defender was so good that he was dubbed the Turkish Paolo Maldini for his no-nonsense and warrior traits, and how he hurled himself into tackles with aplomb in a career that only got him booked 67 yellow and five red cards across 18 seasons.

Emre Belozoglu – (2000-2019, Caps: 101, Goals: 9)

Emre Belozoglu is one player whose career is well renowned for his indiscipline and racism play-card, but above all, he’s without a doubt one of the greatest  Turkish footballers for his excellent passings, tactical nous, and physical strength.

In 2004 as part of FIFA’s 100 centenary celebrations, the football body called upon Brazil’s iconic player Pele to pick what he regarded as the one hundred greatest living footballers.

Whilst the criteria to pick fifty active and fifty retired players seems difficult to adhere to for Pele, it was expanded to 75, and surprisingly the Brazilian hero named Emre Belozoglu was amongst the greatest living players he picked.

Emre’s success at the club level was quite renowned amongst Galatasaray’s fans where he won three Super League titles, alongside two Turkiye Kupasi, UEFA Cup, and UEFA Super Cup, he also achieved success at Inter Milan, Newcastle, Fenerbache, and Atletico Madrid.

Arda Turan – (2006-2017, Caps: 100, Goals: 17)

Turan’s qualities such as dribbling ability, touches, and vision on the ball obviously stand him out amongst his Turkish colleagues.

One thing about the former Barcelona midfielder is the fact he’s one of the most underrated players in world football despite having proven himself at the biggest of stages.

Arda is no doubt a controversial player but he did excel as one of the finest Turkish footballers at Galatasaray, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona winning quite a number of trophies most especially with Los Rojiblancos.

Whilst Turan’s career is gradually whining down at his boyhood club (Galatasaray) where he captained at the age of 22, some of his old colleagues, and coach at Atletico Madrid were still able to applaud him for his sheer quality most especially Diego Costa

“He’s the best player technically to play behind me, he has vision and speed of thought and the skill to make the pass.”

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Metin Oktay – (1956-1968, Caps: 36, Goals: 19)

Oktay is known as the “Uncrowned King”. Even after his death he still remains one of the greatest Turkish football legends both for his nation and Galatasaray where he became the club’s highest goal-scorer with a whopping 352 goals.

Uncrowned King left his mark on Lion’s history with his sheer pure skills on the pitch winning trophies as a team player and individual awards such as six golden boots.

Two years after joining Galatasaray, Oktay was so good that Fenerbache Vice President Muslum Bagcilar allegedly offered Oktay a blank cheque to join the club, but he refused the eye-catching offer and responded by saying “Let us not upset those who love us, let us not betray them for a few Lira.“

Hakan Sukur – (1992-2007, Caps: 112, Goals: 51)

Sukur’s name will definitely go on in Turkish history as one of the country’s most precious players who dazzled the Turks with his sheer lethal goal-scoring skill sets and fascinating style of play throughout his career.

For those who saw him play at the Korea/Japan World Cup in 2002 where he shone beyond people’s imagination, dazzling the Turks and neutrals with his composure and dominance on the ball having been endorsed as one of the competition’s brightest stars.

While Sukur’s talent was tethered and shackled until the third-place face-off against South Korea, it only took the Turk great 10.8 seconds to score his nation’s opening goal.

The goal went down in the history of the World Cup as the fastest goal, writing his name in the storied lore of the tournament and his country.

If you’re a fan of numbers or stats then you won’t dare argue with Sukur’s inclusion on this list for being a rare gem, scoring a total of 51 goals in 112 caps between 1992-2007.

And also proving himself proficient in front of goals for Galatasaray where he stands as a cult hero with a whopping 249 goals in the Super League.

Honorable Mentions:

Tuncay Sanli – (2002-2010, Caps: 80, Goals: 22)

Lefter Kucukandonyadis – (1948-1963, Caps: 46, Goals: 21)

Alpay Ozalan – (1995-2005, Caps: 90, Goals: 4)

Nihat Kahveci – (2000-2011, Caps: 68, Goals: 19)

FAQ

Who is the best Turkish soccer player ever?

Hakan Şükür

What teams did Hakan Sukur play for?

Sukur played for the Turkish giants for 3 years, scoring 295 goals during that time. He also spent time with Blackburn in the Premier League and Torino in Serie A. Even though things didn’t work out for him in Italy and England, he was warmly welcomed back in his own nation.

Is Hakan Sukur an Uber driver?

Sukur retired in 2008 after a third stint with Galatasaray, where he is a club legend. However, after a brief stint in politics in his home country, he was forced into exile and is now an Uber driver.

“All of my assets were seized, my father was jailed, my wife’s shop was attacked, my kids were bullied. I managed to open a cafe in California after relocating to the US, but strange characters people kept coming into the bar. Now I sell books and drive for Uber.”

Who is the best player in the Turkish league?

Ugurcan Cakir

Who is the best Turkish goalkeeper?

When Rüştü made his under-21 debut for Turkey, national manager Fatih Terim believed that he would go down in history as the greatest goalkeeper ever.

How good is the Turkish soccer league?

Above average.

The Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby, the most watched football match in Turkey, is played in the Süper Lig. It is regarded as one of the best and most intense in the world and is included in various international sources’ lists of the greatest football rivalries ever played.

Is Turkish football good?

Turkey has fluctuated between 5th position and 57th in the FIFA World Rankings since its introduction in 1992. Turkey was able to maintain its position in the top 10 rankings following its victory at the 2002 World Cup, finishing fifth in June 2004.

Is soccer popular in Turkey?

Football is the most popular sport in Turkey out of all of them.

Who’s the biggest club in Turkey?

Although Fenerbahçe and, to a lesser extent, Beşiktaş supporters may disagree, Galatasaray is undoubtedly the top club in Turkish history. Galatasaray can undoubtedly be considered the biggest Turkish club based on their statistics.

What sport is Turkey best at?

Turkish people are passionate about soccer in particular as well as sports in general. Despite the fact that soccer still reigns supreme in Turkey, a number of other sports, including basketball, volleyball, handball, and the age-old sport of oil-wrestling, are significant and have large followings.

What is Turkey famous for?

Turkey is well-known for a variety of both oriental and European factors, including the magnificent Hagia Sophia and traditional Turkish tea. Additionally well-known are its carpets, hammams, bazaars, travel hotspots like Cappadocia and Istanbul, and sweets like baklava and Turkish delight.

Which club in Turkey has the most devoted fans?

SK Galatasaray

Galatasaray won the most recent Super Liga championship in the 2007–2008 campaign. One of the toughest stadiums in football, the Türk Telekom Arena seats 56,600 spectators during home games. Galatasaray recorded the loudest stadium crowd roar on March 18, 2011. Galatasaray has the most fans the result of the most recent poll was about 17 million people who voted for Galatasaray and 14 million people for Fenerbahce.

What is Turkey’s national animal?

The gray wolf

Turkey’s national animal is the gray wolf. Gray wolves are primarily found in forests and mountainous regions of Turkey. Gray wolves, also known as timber wolves, can reach 98 pounds in weight.

What is Turkey’s most popular food?

Baklava is one of the most famous Turkish dishes and a must-try for anyone with a sweet tooth. It dates back to the Ottoman Empire.

• kebap: The term “kebab” refers to a wide range of street foods, but the most well-known is the skewered şiş kebap.
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