Illustration by Emir Can Seviindik Every generation has players that didn’t quite live up to the potential that everyone thought they had. For one reason or another, some just miss the grade…
Tag: fenerbahce
Ariel Ortega: the little donkey
Undefeated. That was the word on the minds of River Plate fans as their team marched into La Bombonera on 11 December 1994. Not once in their 93-year history had Los Millonarios won a trophy without losing…
Elif Elmas: the Macedonian starlet destined for greatness
‘A boy destined for greatness’ is a common statement in the football world, though not usually reserved for a youngster from Macedonia, a small country located in Eastern Europe with a modest…
Serhiy Rebrov: the Dynamo Kyiv legend overtaken by darkness, now charging into the light
Although of late there has been a trend for a single striker to be the norm at many of the bigger clubs – Kane, Drogba, Agüero, Costa, Torres and Lukaku immediately come…
Rüştü Reçber: the Turkish warrior capable of the brilliant and the baffling
THE 2002 WORLD CUP is well remembered for its underdog stories, with the likes of Senegal and South Korea defeating the established order of France, Italy and Spain. Another surprise story were…
Alex: the magical Brazilian who became one of Turkish football’s greatest imports
IN YOĞURTÇU PARK IN THE KADIKÖY DISTRICT OF ISTANBUL, across the road from Fenerbahçe’s Şükrü Saracoğlu stadium, the amassed crowd begin chanting. The date is 15 September 2012 and a small ceremony…
How Gezi Park brought together the ultras of Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş
Flares illuminated the clouds of smoke that rolled down the streets. Lines of policemen in riot gear threatened civilians with clubs, water cannons and rubber bullets. Anti-autocratic fervour had gripped the city,…
Cocaine and silverware: the weird and wonderful coaching odyssey of Christoph Daum
Christoph Daum came to within a hair’s breadth of becoming the head coach of the German national team, in succession to Erich Ribbeck after the bitter rancour of Euro 2000. Just a…
Dirk Kuyt: a selfless hero for all the ages
On the southern fringes of Rotterdam’s eclectic centre, deposited between train tracks and the River Maas, Stadion Feyenoord encapsulates many of its city’s nuances. Better known by its moniker De Kuip (The…
A Tale of One City: Istanbul
This feature is a part of A Tale of One City ISTANBUL IS A BREATHTAKING CITY. Locals call it ‘the city that is older than time itself’. The ancient town, formerly known as…