Loading AI tools
Turkish association football club From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü (Turkish: [feˈnæɾbahtʃe], Fenerbahçe Sports Club), commonly known simply as Fenerbahçe or colloquially as Fener, is a professional football club based in Kadıköy, Istanbul, Turkey. They represent the men's football department of the Fenerbahçe S.K. sports club and compete in the Süper Lig, the top flight of Turkish football. In domestic football, Fenerbahçe have won a record 28 national championship titles and seven Turkish Cups. In international football, the club has won the Balkans Cup, which was the first non-domestic trophy won by a Turkish club.
 | ||||
| Full name | Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü (Fenerbahçe Sports Club) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) |
| |||
| Short name |
| |||
| Founded | 3 May 1907 as Phener-Bagtche Association Football Club[lower-alpha 1][1][2] | |||
| Ground | Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 50,530 (all-seater)[3] | |||
| President | Ali Koç | |||
| Head coach | José Mourinho | |||
| League | Süper Lig | |||
| 2023–24 | Süper Lig, 2nd of 20 | |||
| Website | https://www.fenerbahce.org/ | |||
|
| ||||
Deriving its name from the neighbourhood of the same name, Fenerbahçe won the most top-flight titles prior to the establishment of the Süper Lig in 1959. They hold the joint-record for the longest uninterrupted top-flight streak and have won the most points in Süper Lig history. Fenerbahçe have played their home games at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium since 1908.[4][5]
One of the most widely supported clubs in Turkey,[6][7][8] the club also boasts sizeable international support on social media.[9][10][11] Fenerbahçe are part of the "Big Three" alongside Galatasaray and Beşiktaş: the club's long-standing rivalry with Galatasaray consists of Turkish domestic football's biggest match, the Kıtalararası Derbi.[12][13]
In its 101st year of 2008; with a market value of $2 billion, it surpassed Manchester United to become the world's most valuable club.[14][15] Also, in March 2008, Fenerbahçe's record application was accepted by Guinness World Records, which envisages Fenerbahçe to have the highest number of medal and trophy achievements on the planet with its 9 departments entirely, a total of 1134 cups and medals.[16][17]
The founder and first president of Fenerbahçe, Nurizade Ziya Songülen, was first introduced to the football in England, where he went for higher education after graduating from Istanbul Saint-Joseph College in 1903, and was inspired by the football teams in this country, where the sport of football was born.[18] When he returned to the country in 1906, the first thing he did was to establish a football team in his hometown, Istanbul in June 1906. He first contacted his friends in the Kadıköy district and then Enver Yetiker, the literature teacher at the school he graduated from, and conveyed his intention to establish a football team to them and made them an offer. Nurizade Ziya Bey, who received a positive response to his offer, initially only went to training with the first Fenerbahçe football team in history, the prototype of which was created in June 1906. Because the team could only be completed as an 11-person team in the spring of 1907, the official foundation date of the club.[19]
Fenerbahçe were officially founded in 3 May 1907 in Kadıköy, Istanbul, by local men Ziya Songülen, Ayetullah Bey and Necip Okaner. This group founded the club secretly in order to keep a low profile and not get into any trouble with the strict Ottoman rule, so strict that the Sultan Abdul Hamid II forbade the Turkish youth to set up a club or engage in the game of football played by the English families that was watched in envy. The three men came together and concluded that Kadıköy was in desperate need of its own football club, where locals would get a chance to practise the game of football. Ziya Songülen was elected the first president of the club, Ayetullah Bey became the first general secretary and Necip Okaner was given the post of general captain.[20] The lighthouse situated on the Fenerbahçe cape was a big influence on the design of the club's first crest, which sported the yellow and white colors of daffodils around the lighthouse. The kits were also designed with yellow and white stripes.[20] The crest of the club was changed in 1914 when Hikmet Topuzer redesigned the badge after Ziya Songülen had changed the colors to yellow and navy in the fall of 1908, still seen today. Fenerbahçe's activities were kept in secrecy until a legislation reform in 1908, when, under a new law, all football clubs had to register to exist legally.[20]
.jpg)
The founding line-up included Ziya Songülen, Ayetullah Bey, Necip Okaner, Galip Kulaksızoğlu, Hassan Sami Kocamemi, Asaf Beşpınar, Enver Yetiker, Şevkati Hulusi Bey, Tevfik Taşçı, Hüseyin Dalaklı, Çerkes Sabri, Mazhar Bey and Nasuhi Baydar.[21] Struggling with financial difficulties, Fenerbahçe joined the Istanbul Football League in 1908, finishing fifth in their first year. The first coach of the Fenerbahçe football team was Enver Yetiker, a Literature teacher at Kadıköy Lycée Saint-Joseph, who also helped in the establishment of the club. Fenerbahçe won the 1911–12 season of the Istanbul Football League without losing. This championship was the club's first success in their long history. In the 1913–14 and 1914–15 seasons, the team under the coaching of Galip Kulaksızoğlu won the Istanbul Football League. Fenerbahçe finished the seasons 1920–21 and 1922–23 as champions in the Istanbul Friday League. Fenerbahçe completed the season with a score of 58–0 without losing or conceding goals in the season of 1922–23.
.jpg)
Fenerbahçe played against the staff of the Royal Navy that occupied Istanbul during the Turkish War of Independence. Some British soldiers formed football teams that were named after the players' speciality, for example Essex Engineers, Irish Guards, Grenadiers and Artillery. These teams played against each other and against local football teams in Istanbul. Fenerbahçe won many of these matches.[22] The most known match played against the British was the match that would determine the winner of the General Harrington Cup. Fenerbahçe won the match held on 29 June 1923 at Taksim Stadium with two goals scored by Zeki Rıza Sporel, one of the important players of the period.[23]
Fenerbahçe won the championship 6 times in 1937, 1940, 1943, 1945, 1946 and 1950, and became the team that achieved the most victories in the Turkish National Division. Lefter Küçükandonyadis, one of the important names of Fenerbahçe, scored 423 goals in 615 matches between 1947–1951 and 1953–64. Fenerbahçe won the Istanbul Football League 16 times, the Turkish National Division 6 times, and the former Turkish Football Championship 3 times, all of them records, profiling themselves as forerunners and dominating side in Turkish football before the introduction of the professional nationwide league in 1959.[24][25]
.jpg)
The Turkish Football Federation founded a professional national league in 1959, which continues today under the name of the Süper Lig. Fenerbahçe won the first tournament, beating archrivals Galatasaray 4–1 on aggregate.[26] The next year, Fenerbahçe participated in the European Cup for the first time. They qualified through a 4–3 win over Csepel SC, being the first Turkish club to advance to the next round by eliminating its opponent. They lost their first-round match to Nice 1–5 in a playoff game after drawing on aggregate.[27] Fenerbahçe reached the quarter-final of the 1963–64 European Cup Winners' Cup where it was eliminated by MTK Budapest.
Fenerbahçe won four more league titles in the 1960s and were runners-up three times, making it the most successful club of that era.[28][29] Fenerbahçe was coached by Ignác Molnár at the time, a famous Hungarian coach who had introduced a new style of football in Turkey. Under his guidance, Fenerbahçe managed to eliminate English champions Manchester City in the first round of the 1968–69 European Cup.
In the 1966–67 Balkans Cup (a competition set up for Eastern European clubs from Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Turkey and Yugoslavia that existed between the 1960–61 and 1993–94 seasons), Fenerbahçe won the cup after three final matches against Greek club AEK Athens, making them the first Turkish club to win a non-domestic competition. This success would remain unparalleled by a Turkish club until Sarıyer and Samsunspor won the cup many years later in the 1990s, when the competition lost much of its popularity.[30]
The 1970s saw Fenerbahçe bring in the famous Didi as their new coach. Fenerbahçe won four more league titles, including a double with Cemil Turan being the top goal scorer three times. The 1970s also established a rivalry with Trabzonspor, where for almost a decade Fenerbahçe and Trabzonspor were competing with each other for the title. The 1980s saw Fenerbahçe win three more league titles. Under the guidance of Kálmán Mészöly, Fenerbahçe managed to eliminate French champions Bordeaux in the first round of the 1985–86 European Cup.[31][32] This victory marked a turning point as for almost a decade no Turkish club managed to get past the first round in European competitions.
Galatasaray and Beşiktaş dominated the Turkish League during the 1990s, combining to win nine out of ten titles. Fenerbahçe's only Turkish League success during the 1990s came in the 1995–96 season under the guidance of Carlos Alberto Parreira.[28][29] In the 1996–97 UEFA Champions League season, Fenerbahçe completed the group stage with seven points[33] and, among others, defeated Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford, undoing the record of the English giants being unbeaten for 40 years in their homeground.[34]
Fenerbahçe won the league title in 2001, denying Galatasaray a fifth consecutive title. It followed up the next season with a second-place behind Galatasaray with new coach Werner Lorant. However, the next season did not go so well as Fenerbahçe finished in sixth place.[35] Despite this, that season is memorable to many Fenerbahçe fans due to a 6–0 win against arch-rivals Galatasaray at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium on 6 November 2002.[36] After firing Werner Lorant, the club hired another German coach, Christoph Daum. Daum had previously coached in Turkey, winning the league with Beşiktaş in 1994–95. Fenerbahçe brought in players including Pierre van Hooijdonk, Mehmet Aurélio and Fábio Luciano as a rebuilding process. These new players lead Fenerbahçe to its 15th title and third star (one being awarded for every five league titles won by a club).[37]
.jpg)
The next year was followed by a narrow championship over Trabzonspor, winning a then record 16 Turkish Football League championships.[38] Fenerbahçe lost the title in the last week of the 2005–06 season to Galatasaray. Fenerbahçe needed a win, but instead drew 1–1 with Denizlispor while Galatasaray won 3–0 over Kayserispor. Soon after, Christoph Daum resigned as manager[39] and was replaced by Zico on 4 July 2006.[40][41] Zico began his reign by signing two new defenders: highly touted Uruguayan international Diego Lugano and Zico's fellow Brazilian Edu Dracena.[42] Zico also signed two strikers in Serbian international Mateja Kežman and another Brazilian, Deivid.[43] Fenerbahçe's 2006–07 domestic season started with a 6–0 win over relegation candidates Kayseri Erciyesspor.[44] In the 32nd week of the Süper Lig, Fenerbahçe drew Trabzonspor 2–2, while Beşiktaş lost to Bursaspor 0–3, putting the former out of contention for the title.[45][46] Fenerbahçe won its 17th Süper Lig title in 2006–07.[47]
On 11 January 2007, Fenerbahçe were officially invited to G-14.[48] G-14 was an association which consists of top European clubs.
Under Zico's command, Fenerbahçe qualified from the 2007–08 Champions League group stage for the first time and went on to beat Sevilla to become a quarter-finalist in the 2007–08 season. Zico is also the most successful manager of the team's history in the Champions League. After successful scores both in the Turkish league and international matches, Zico gained a new nickname from the Fenerbahçe fans: Kral Arthur (meaning "King Arthur" in Turkish).[49] In February 2009, Fenerbahçe became the first Turkish club to enter the Deloitte Football Money League.[50] Since 2000, Fenerbahçe improved the club's finances and facilities, bringing world stars to the club such as Ariel Ortega, Pierre van Hooijdonk, Alex, Stephen Appiah, Nicolas Anelka and, more recently, Mateja Kežman, Roberto Carlos, Dani Güiza, Dirk Kuyt, Diego, Nani, Robin van Persie, and Mesut Özil.
In the 2009–10 season Fenerbahçe lost the title on the last matchday; Fenerbahçe players were told that a draw would be enough towards the end of the match only to find out that the other critical game went against their favour, as Bursaspor beat Beşiktaş 2–1 to win the title. Despite the title loss, Fenerbahçe ended the season with the most clean sheets (10), as well as the joint longest winning streak (8).[51] In July 2011, Fenerbahçe fans invaded the pitch during a friendly against the Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk. As punishment, Fenerbahçe were sentenced to two Süper Lig games in an empty stadium. The TFF later allowed those two games to be filled with spectators; men were barred, while women and children under 12 were admitted for free.[52]
On 29 October 2012, Antalyaspor ended Fenerbahçe's 47-match unbeaten run in the Süper Lig at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium. Fenerbahçe had not lost a match at home since they were beaten 2–3 by eventual champions Bursaspor in week 22, on 22 February 2010. Fenerbahçe won 38 and drew 9 in the 47 matches they played within 980 days since 22 February 2010.[53] On 3 November 2012, Fenerbahçe pecked Akhisar Belediyespor to break a 181-day away jinx.[54]
On 2 May 2013, Fenerbahçe were eliminated by Benfica 3–2 on aggregate in the semi-final of the 2012–13 Europa League, one of the biggest successes in Fenerbahçe's history in UEFA competitions.[55] On 28 June 2013, Ersun Yanal agreed to take charge of Fenerbahçe to replace Aykut Kocaman, who resigned in late May.[56][57]
Ersun Yanal's appointment coincided with tough times for Fenerbahçe, who had just been banned from European competitions for two seasons over their alleged involvement in a domestic sports corruption scandal. Fenerbahçe, which finished second in the Süper Lig in 2012–13, thus missed-out on the 2013–14 Champions League, which it had been due to enter in the third qualifying round.[58] Fenerbahçe finished the 2014–15 season as runners-up, forcing the board of directors to undertake some major changes.
For the 2015–16 season, Fenerbahçe brought in Vítor Pereira as their new coach. Portuguese star Nani, Danish defender Simon Kjær and Robin van Persie were added to the squad to fulfill the club's ambitions to be successful in the Süper Lig and European competitions. On 10 December 2015, Fenerbahçe played their 200th European game against Celtic.[59] On 12 October 2022, Fenerbahçe played their 250th European game against AEK Larnaca.[60]
.jpg)
| Period | Players |
|---|---|
| 1934 - 1956 (22 years, 412 Match) | Fikret Kırcan |
| 1927 - 1947 (20 years, 406 Match) | Fikret Arıcan |
| 1915 - 1934 (19 years, 325 Match) | Zeki Rıza Sporel |
| 2002 - 2019 (17 years, 526 Match) | Volkan Demirel |
| 1907 - 1924 (17 years, 257 Match) | Galip Kulaksızoğlu |
| 1916 - 1932 (16 years, 324 Match) | Alaattin Baydar |
| 1979 - 1995 (16 years, 763 Match) | Müjdat Yetkiner |
| 1947 - 1964 (15 years, 615 Match) | Lefter Küçükandonyadis |
| 1939 - 1953 (14 years, 308 Match) | Cihat Arman |
| 1925 - 1939 (14 years, 252 Match) | Cevat Seyit |
| 1955 - 1969 (14 years, 605 Match) | Şeref Has |
| 1932 - 1945 (13 years, 368 Match) | Esat Kaner |
| 1934 - 1947 (13 years, 388 Match) | Naci Bastoncu |
When it was first founded in 1907, Fenerbahçe had a large squad. The first team captain of the Fenerbahçe football team was Turkish Naval School student Necip Okaner, the club's 3’th founding member. The first goalkeeper of the team was Asaf Beşpınar, a student of Kadıköy Lycée Saint-Joseph. Galip Kulaksızoğlu, was the longest serving player of the original squad, spending 17 years at the club, retiring in 1924 after 216 matches.[61] Zeki Rıza Sporel and Bekir Refet, the first Turkish footballer ever to play abroad, were among the first products of the Fenerbahçe youth system. During his 18-year career with the club, Zeki Rıza scored 470 goals in 352 matches, or 1.3 goals every match, making him the all-time top scorer of Fenerbahçe.[61] Zeki Rıza was also capped for the Turkish national team 16 times, scoring 15 goals.
Cihat Arman became the first in a long-line of long-serving goalkeepers, playing 12 seasons and in 308 matches with the club.[61] Lefter Küçükandonyadis was one of the first Turkish football players to play in Europe. Lefter spent two seasons in Europe, playing for Fiorentina and Nice before returning to Fenerbahçe. All in all, Lefter scored 423 goals in 615 matches for the club, helping them to two Istanbul Football League titles and three Turkish League titles.
Another notable player, Can Bartu, became the next big Turkish export to Europe. He was also the first Turkish football player to play in a European competition final, doing so with Fiorentina against Atlético Madrid in 1962. Can also spent some seasons playing for Venezia and Lazio before returning to Fenerbahçe in 1967. He was a four-time league champion with Fenerbahçe and scored 162 goals in 330 matches. Some of the other most notable Turkish players who played for Fenerbahçe include: Fikret Arıcan, Fikret Kırcan, Halit Deringör, Melih Kotanca, Burhan Sargun, Nedim Doğan, Cemil Turan, Selçuk Yula, Müjdat Yetkiner, Oğuz Çetin, Rıdvan Dilmen, Aykut Kocaman, Rüştü Reçber and Tuncay Şanlı.
Former Romania goalkeeper Ilie Datcu was the first foreigner to reach 100 caps for Fenerbahçe. In recent decades, Fenerbahçe have gained an influx of foreigners who have helped the club to 19 Süper Lig titles. Among these is Uche Okechukwu, who after 13 seasons with Fenerbahçe and İstanbulspor became the longest serving foreigner in Turkey. During Uche's career with Fenerbahçe, he won two league titles and became a fan favourite. More recently, Fenerbahçe have been the home to Brazilian-born Mehmet Aurélio who, in 2006, became the first naturalized Turkish citizen to play for the Turkish national team.[62]
Alex is another Brazilian player who scored the most goals of all foreign players who have played for Fenerbahçe. He managed to become top scorer of the Turkish Süper Lig on two occasions (in 2006–07 and 2010–11), Turkish Footballer of the Year twice (in 2005 and 2010), as well as assist leader in the 2007–08 season of the UEFA Champions League.[63] Based on all those achievements, as well as his exemplary character and sportsmanship on and off the field, acknowledged by fans of Fenerbahçe and their rivals alike, he became the most successful and renowned foreign player to have ever played for the club and one of a few whose statue has been erected by the supporters of the club in the Yoğurtçu Park, in the near of Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium.[64]
Some of the other foreign top players who played for Fenerbahçe over the years include: Toni Schumacher (1988–91), Jes Høgh (1995–99), Jay-Jay Okocha (1996–98), Elvir Bolić (1995–2000), Kennet Andersson (2000–02), Ariel Ortega (2002–03), Pierre van Hooijdonk (2003–05), Nicolas Anelka (2005–06), Stephen Appiah (2005–08), Mateja Kežman (2006–09), Diego Lugano (2006–11), Roberto Carlos (2007–09), Dirk Kuyt (2012–15), Raul Meireles (2012–16), Robin van Persie (2015–18), Nani (2015–16), Simon Kjær (2015-17), Mesut Özil (2021–22), Leonardo Bonucci (2022-23), Dušan Tadić, (2023-Today), Edin Džeko (2023-Today)
| Period | Team captain |
|---|---|
| 3 May 1907 – 1908 | Necip Okaner |
| 1908 - 7 March 1924 | Galip Kulaksızoğlu |
| 7 March 1924 - 1 June 1934 | Zeki Rıza Sporel |
| 1 June 1934 - 16 May 1943 | Fikret Arıcan |
| 16 May 1943 - 1951 | Cihat Arman |
| 1951 - 7 October 1956 | Fikret Kırcan |
| 7 October 1956 - 11 June 1963 | Naci Erdem |
| 11 June 1963 - 24 June 1968 | Şeref Has |
| 27 June 1968 - 6 September 1970 | Can Bartu |
| 7 September 1970 - 3 August 1975 | Ziya Şengül |
| 11 August 1975 - 15 August 1980 | Cemil Turan |
| 24 August 1980 - 29 July 1983 | Alpaslan Eratlı |
| 2 August 1983 - 17 May 1985 | Cem Pamiroğlu |
| 28 June 1985 - 6 April 1987 20 September 1992 - 19 June 1993 |
Müjdat Yetkiner |
| 8 June 1987 - 23 May 1988 7 May 1990 - 11 July 1990 |
Şenol Çorlu |
| 23 May 1988 - 7 May 1990 5 July 1990 - 21 May 1991 |
Tony Schumacher |
| 28 May 1991 - 21 June 1992 | Rıdvan Dilmen |
| 21 June 1992 - 24 May 1996 | Oğuz Çetin |
| 24 May 1996 - 1 June 2000 | Rüştü Reçber |
| 1 June 2000 - 18 March 2003 | Ogün Temizkanoğlu |
| 18 March 2003 - 26 May 2007 | Ümit Özat |
| 26 June 2007 - 1 October 2012 | Alex de Souza |
| 2 October 2012 - 2 February 2013
7 June 2015 - 2 July 2019 |
Volkan Demirel |
| 2 February 2013 - 7 June 2015 2 July 2019 - 25 July 2020 |
Emre Belözoğlu |
| 10 August 2020 - 13 July 2021 | Gökhan Gönül |
| 13 August 2021 - 24 March 2022 | Mesut Özil |
| 24 March 2022 - 14 August 2022 | Altay Bayındır |
| 14 August 2022 - 12 July 2023 | Arda Güler |
| 12 July 2023 - Today | Edin Džeko |
Fenerbahçe have developed a strong following since their foundation in 1907. They are one of the most popular clubs in Turkey, with about 35% of the fans supporting them, and the most popular in Istanbul and Ankara.[65] They have a large fanbase throughout the country, in Northern Cyprus, Azerbaijan and in the Turkish diaspora.[66] Since the rebuilding of the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Fenerbahçe's average attendances have been among the highest in Turkey.[67]
Fenerbahçe have several supporter organisations, including Genç Fenerbahçeliler (GFB), Kill For You (KFY), Antu/Fenerlist, EuroFeb (Fenerbahçe supporters in Europe), Group CK (Cefakâr Kanaryalar), 1907 ÜNİFEB, Vamos Bien, and SUADFEB. Many fanzines, blogs, podcasts, forums and fan websites have been dedicated to the club.
More recently, in November 2011 Fenerbahçe's Genç Fenerbahçeliler created a friendly relationship with Torcida Sandžak, the organized supporters of Serbian club Novi Pazar. During a Süper Lig match against İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor at the Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, the Genç Fenerbahçeliler and 1907 Gençlik stand deployed a giant banner reading "Kalbimiz Seninle Novi Pazar" ("Novi Pazar, Our Hearts Are With You")[68] and later, in the game against Radnički Kragujevac in the Serbian SuperLiga, Torcida Sandžak members deployed a giant banner reading "Sancak'ta atıyor, Fenerbahçe'nin kalbi" ("The heart of Fenerbahçe beats in Sandžak").[69] On 2 March 2012, Fenerbahçe's Genç Fenerbahçeliler and 1907 Gençlik members were invited to Novi Pazar for the match against Partizan in the Serbian SuperLiga. Thousands of Torcida Sandžak members welcomed Genç Fenerbahçeliler and 1907 Gençlik's 17 members.[70]
There is an informal friendship and fraternization between the fans of AEK and Fenerbahçe. In the 2017 Euroleague final, Fenerbahçe S.K. supporters displayed a banner which read "Same City's Sons"[71][72]
"The big three" clubs of Istanbul, Beşiktaş, Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, have a century-long history of rivalry. The Fenerbahçe–Galatasaray rivalry is the primary Istanbul derby and the most important rivalry in Turkish football; matches between the two teams are known as The Intercontinental Derby (Turkish: Kıtalararası Derbi). The rivalry started on 23 February 1934, when a friendly game between both clubs turned into a riot, forcing the match to be abandoned. The rivalry has led to violence among supporters on numerous occasions.[73] Torches, smoke, flags, and giant posters are used to create visual grandeur and apply psychological pressure on visiting teams, which fans call "welcoming them to hell".[74]
.jpg)
Fenerbahçe play their home matches at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium,[75] their own traditional home ground in the Kadıköy district of Istanbul, since 1908. Most recently renovated between 1999 and 2006, its capacity is 47,544.[76] The club's museum has been situated in the stadium since 2005, after having been housed at a variety of locations.[77] Before Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium was built, the field was known as Papazın Çayırı ("The field of the priest"). The field, however, became the first football pitch of Turkey, where the first league games of the Istanbul Football League were all held successively. In 1908, local teams of the league needed a regular football field, so this land was leased from the Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II for 30 Ottoman gold pounds a year. The total construction cost was 3,000 Ottoman gold pounds. The name was changed to the Union Club Field after the club which made the highest donation for the construction.
The Union Club Field was used by many teams in İstanbul, including the owner, Union Club (which changed its name to İttihatspor after World War I), Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, and Beşiktaş. However, it had lost its importance when a bigger venue, the Taksim Stadium, was built in 1922, inside the courtyard of the historic Taksim Topçu Kışlası (Taksim Artillery Barracks), which was located at the present-day Taksim Gezi Parkı (Taksim Park). İttihatspor (which had close relations with the political Committee of Union and Progress), was forced to sell it to the state, in which Şükrü Saracoğlu was a member of the CHP government. Thus, the ownership of the stadium passed to the state, but the field was immediately leased to Fenerbahçe.
Later, on 27 May 1933, Fenerbahçe purchased the stadium from the government when Şükrü Saracoğlu was the president of Fenerbahçe, for either the symbolic amount of 1 TL or the worth of the stadium which was 9,000 TL. The name of the field was changed to Fenerbahçe Stadium, and this made Fenerbahçe the first football club in Turkey to own their stadium, with the help of the government. In the following years, Fenerbahçe renovated the stadium and increased its seating capacity. By 1949, Fenerbahçe Stadium was the largest football venue in Turkey, with a seating capacity of 25,000. The name of the stadium was changed once more in 1998, becoming Fenerbahçe Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, named after Fenerbahçe's president and Turkey's fifth Prime Minister, Şükrü Saracoğlu. In 1999, the latest round of renovations and capacity increasing projects started. The tribunes on the four sides of the stadium were torn down one at a time, as the Turkish Super League seasons progressed, and the entire renewal and construction project was finalised in 2006, with the efforts of Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım and the team's board of directors.
.svg)
Fenerbahçe's first coat of arms was the famous Fenerbahçe Lighthouse, which gave its name to the Fenerbahçe area in Istanbul's Kadıköy district and was built by Emperor Suleiman the Magnificent in 1562, but the club, which was restructured in 1911, revised its identity and updated its crest of club in 1914 year. It was designed by Hikmet Topuzer, nicknamed Topuz Hikmet, who played as a right winger, in 1914 and had made as lapel pins by Tevfik Haccar Taşçı in London. The crest consists of five colours. The white section which includes the writing Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü ★ 1907 ★ represents purity and open-heartedness, the red section represents love and attachment to the club and symbolises the Turkish flag. The yellow section symbolises other ones' envy and jealousy about Fenerbahçe, while the navy symbolises nobility. The oak leaf which rises from the navy and yellow section shows the force and the power of being a member of Fenerbahçe. The green colour of the leaf shows that the success of Fenerbahçe is imperative.[78] Hikmet Topuzer describes the story of the emblem as below:
After the change of the club's colours from yellow and white to yellow and navy, it was an issue to create an emblem with our new colours. My friends left the design of this emblem to me. Firstly, I brought together the colours of our national flag, red and white. Then drew a heart shape over the red and gave it a yellow and navy colour, adding an acorn leaf that represents resistance, power and strength. I wrote the club name and foundation date on the white section. When drawing our emblem, I tried to give this meaning: Serving the club with dependence from heart. The design was favored by my friends and our new emblem was made through the guidance of Tevfik Haccar, who was in Germany at time. After the new alphabet was approved, the design was protected, but the club name on the emblem was changed to Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü ★ 1907 ★.[78]
Since Fenerbahçe was founded in spring, the club's colors were chosen as yellow and white, inspired by the yellow and white daisies blooming in the meadows of the Fenerbahçe district. The founding-president of the club, Nurizade Ziya Bey, designed Fenerbahçe's first jerseys; he purchased sports products from the store of the famous merchant of the time, Frank Sugg, located on Lord Street in Liverpool, England, where he spent his education between 1903 and 1906 and was introduced to the sport of football during these periods. Fenerbahçe's first jerseys that came from England were made of flannel fabric, long-sleeved and winter. The jerseys were causing problems for the players as the weather got hotter in the following days. For this reason, the club's president, Nurizade Ziya Bey, went to the shop of the British merchant Baker in the Tünel district of Beyoğlu in 1908 to order summer jerseys for the team. Baker said that the jerseys to be ordered will not be available in time for the summer. Thereupon, he offered to give the yellow-navy blue striped summer shirts he had on hand. Nurizade Ziya Bey, who accepted the offer due to the lack of places where other sports products were sold in Istanbul and the summer heat, bought all the jerseys and decided that the team's colors would be yellow-navy blue And with this decision taken in 1908, Fenerbahçe's future colors were determined.[79][80]
The club badge for the 2023–24 season contains 5 stars to represent 28 championships as an act of protest against the TFF's lack of recognition of the club's pre-1959 titles. However, the Federation has not allowed Fenerbahçe to display the badge in league matches.[citation needed]
| Period | Kit manufacturers | Shirt sponsors |
|---|---|---|
| 1977–1978 | Admiral | Pereja / Şekerbank[81] |
| 1978–1980 | — | — |
| 1980–1982 | Banker Kastelli | |
| 1982–1983 | Hisar Bank | |
| 1983–1984 | İstanbul Bankası | |
| 1984–1985 | Adidas | Türk Bank |
| 1985–1987 | Güner | |
| 1987–1988 | Tamek | |
| 1988–1989 | Adidas | Emlak Bankası |
| 1989–1996 | ||
| 1996–1997 | VakıfBank | |
| 1997–1998 | Emlak Bankası | |
| 1998–1999 | Rifle / Proton 5x5 | |
| 1999–2000 | Proton 5x5 | |
| 2000–2001 | Fenerium | Telsim |
| 2001–2004 | Aria | |
| 2004–2012 | Adidas | Avea |
| 2012–2014 | Türk Telekom | |
| 2014–2015 | — | |
| 2015–2016 | Yandex / Turkish Airlines1 | |
| 2016–2017 | Nesine.com / Borajet Airlines1 | |
| 2017–2018 | Acıbadem / Borajet Airlines1 | |
| 2018–2021 | Avis | |
| 2021–2023 | Puma | |
| 2023– | Otokoç |
1 European Shirt sponsor
Turkish football championships: 28 titles (record)[82][83][84]
National cups (26)
| Season | Achievement | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | |||
| 1963–64 | Quarter-finalist | eliminated by  MTK Budapest 0–2 in Budapest, 3–1 in Istanbul, 0–1 in Rome | |
| Balkans Cup | |||
| 1966–67 | Champion | won against  AEK Athens 1–2 in Athens, 1–0 in Istanbul, 3–1 in Istanbul | |
| UEFA Champions League | |||
| 2007–08 | Quarter-finalist | eliminated by  Chelsea 2–1 in Istanbul, 0–2 in London | |
| UEFA Europa League | |||
| 2012–13 | Semi-finalist | eliminated by  Benfica 1–0 in Istanbul, 1–3 in Lisbon | |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | |||
| 2023–24 | Quarter-finalist | eliminated by Olympiacos 2–3 in Athens, 1–0 (2–3 after penalties) in Istanbul | |
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Champions League | 111 | 34 | 22 | 55 | 128 | 186 | –58 |
| UEFA Cup Winners' Cup | 9 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
| UEFA Europa League | 139 | 61 | 35 | 43 | 195 | 174 | +21 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | 18 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 23 | +21 |
| Total | 277 | 110 | 58 | 109 | 378 | 394 | –16 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal Difference.
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 43 | Braga | 41.000 |
| 44 |  Fenerbahçe | 40.000 |
| 45 |  Salzburg | 40.000 |
Placement has improved to the previous year Placement has deteriorated to the previous year No change in placement to the previous year
| Competition | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balkans Cup | 29 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 45 | –11 |
| Total | 29 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 45 | –11 |
Pld = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal Difference.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
|
| Domestic results since 1959 | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Place | G | W | D | L | GS | GA | Pts | Turkish Cup | |
| 1959 | 1 | 16 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 33 | 8 | 26 | – | |
| 1959–60 | 2 | 38 | 27 | 6 | 5 | 88 | 38 | 60 | – | |
| 1960–61 | 1 | 38 | 26 | 9 | 3 | 81 | 29 | 61 | – | |
| 1961–62 | 2 | 38 | 23 | 7 | 8 | 64 | 30 | 53 | – | |
| 1962–63 | 3 | 42 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 73 | 28 | 60 | Runners-up | |
| 1963–64 | 1 | 34 | 21 | 11 | 2 | 55 | 14 | 53 | Third round | |
| 1964–65 | 1 | 30 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 52 | 13 | 47 | Runners-up | |
| 1965–66 | 4 | 30 | 10 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 25 | 32 | Semi-finals | |
| 1966–67 | 2 | 32 | 17 | 9 | 6 | 37 | 20 | 43 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1967–68 | 1 | 32 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 38 | 12 | 49 | Winners | |
| 1968–69 | 4 | 30 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 34 | 25 | 35 | Semi-finals | |
| 1969–70 | 1 | 30 | 17 | 10 | 3 | 31 | 6 | 44 | First round | |
| 1970–71 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 43 | 23 | 41 | Semi-finals | |
| 1971–72 | 3 | 30 | 14 | 11 | 5 | 37 | 21 | 39 | Semi-finals | |
| 1972–73 | 2 | 30 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 42 | 17 | 42 | Semi-finals | |
| 1973–74 | 1 | 30 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 39 | 15 | 43 | Winners | |
| 1974–75 | 1 | 30 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 43 | 18 | 43 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1975–76 | 2 | 30 | 14 | 12 | 4 | 40 | 18 | 40 | Fourth round | |
| 1976–77 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 15 | 3 | 31 | 17 | 39 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1977–78 | 1 | 30 | 17 | 8 | 5 | 48 | 24 | 42 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1978–79 | 3 | 30 | 15 | 8 | 7 | 41 | 23 | 38 | Winners | |
| 1979–80 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 31 | 27 | 35 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1980–81 | 10 | 30 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 31 | 27 | 29 | Semi-finals | |
| 1981–82 | 3 | 32 | 15 | 11 | 6 | 48 | 26 | 41 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1982–83 | 1 | 34 | 18 | 13 | 3 | 43 | 20 | 49 | Winners | |
| 1983–84 | 2 | 34 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 46 | 24 | 45 | Semi-finals | |
| 1984–85 | 1 | 34 | 18 | 14 | 2 | 65 | 25 | 50 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1985–86 | 5 | 36 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 40 | 32 | 42 | Fifth round | |
| 1986–87 | 5 | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 46 | 39 | 39 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1987–88 | 8 | 38 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 45 | 43 | 55 | Fourth round | |
| 1988–89 | 1 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 103 | 27 | 93 | Runners-up | |
| 1989–90 | 2 | 34 | 22 | 4 | 8 | 70 | 38 | 70 | Semi-finals | |
| 1990–91 | 5 | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 53 | 44 | Semi-finals | |
| 1991–92 | 2 | 30 | 23 | 2 | 5 | 81 | 35 | 71 | Round of 16 | |
| 1992–93 | 5 | 30 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 75 | 41 | 58 | Semi-finals | |
| 1993–94 | 2 | 30 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 69 | 26 | 69 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1994–95 | 4 | 34 | 20 | 7 | 7 | 78 | 35 | 67 | Semi-finals | |
| 1995–96 | 1 | 34 | 26 | 6 | 2 | 68 | 19 | 84 | Runners-up | |
| 1996–97 | 3 | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 79 | 25 | 73 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1997–98 | 2 | 34 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 61 | 25 | 71 | Quarter-finals | |
| 1998–99 | 3 | 34 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 84 | 29 | 72 | Banned | |
| 1999–00 | 4 | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 59 | 44 | 61 | Round of 32 | |
| 2000–01 | 1 | 34 | 24 | 4 | 6 | 82 | 39 | 76 | Runners-up | |
| 2001–02 | 2 | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 70 | 31 | 75 | Fourth round | |
| 2002–03 | 6 | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 55 | 42 | 51 | Second round | |
| 2003–04 | 1 | 34 | 23 | 7 | 4 | 82 | 41 | 76 | Semi-finals | |
| 2004–05 | 1 | 34 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 77 | 24 | 80 | Runners-up | |
| 2005–06 | 2 | 34 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 90 | 34 | 81 | Runners-up | |
| 2006–07 | 1 | 34 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 65 | 21 | 70 | Semi-finals | |
| 2007–08 | 2 | 34 | 22 | 7 | 5 | 72 | 37 | 73 | Quarter-finals | |
| 2008–09 | 4 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 60 | 36 | 61 | Runners-up | |
| 2009–10 | 2 | 34 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 61 | 28 | 74 | Runners-up | |
| 2010–11 | 1 | 34 | 26 | 4 | 4 | 84 | 34 | 82 | Group stage | |
| 2011–12 | 2 | 34 | 20 | 8 | 6 | 61 | 34 | 68 | Winners | |
| 2012–13 | 2 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 39 | 61 | Winners | |
| 2013–14 | 1 | 34 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 74 | 33 | 74 | Fourth round | |
| 2014–15 | 2 | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 60 | 29 | 74 | Semi-finals | |
| 2015–16 | 2 | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 60 | 27 | 74 | Runners-up | |
| 2016–17 | 3 | 34 | 18 | 10 | 6 | 60 | 32 | 64 | Semi-finals | |
| 2017–18 | 2 | 34 | 21 | 9 | 4 | 78 | 36 | 72 | Runners-up | |
| 2018–19 | 6 | 34 | 11 | 13 | 10 | 44 | 44 | 46 | Round of 16 | |
| 2019–20 | 7 | 34 | 15 | 8 | 11 | 58 | 46 | 53 | Semi-finals | |
| 2020–21 | 3 | 40 | 25 | 7 | 8 | 72 | 41 | 82 | Quarter-finals | |
| 2021–22 | 2 | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 73 | 38 | 73 | Round of 16 | |
| 2022–23 | 2 | 36 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 87 | 42 | 80 | Winners | |
| 2023–24 | 2 | 38 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 99 | 31 | 99 | Quarter-finals | |
| Outline | Record | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Most wins | 31 | 2023–24 |
| Most draws | 16 | 1985–86 |
| Most defeats | 13 | 1987–88 |
| Most wins in a row | 12 | 2005–06 |
| Most defeats in a row | 3 | 1966–67, 1980–81, 1987–88, 1992–93, 2018–19, 2021–22 |
| Most goals scored | 103 | 1988–89 |
| Most goals conceded | 53 | 1990–91 |
| Highest number of points in any half of a season | 49/51 | 2010–11 |
| Outline | Record | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Fewest wins | 9 | 1980–81 |
| Fewest draws | 2 | 1959, 1991–92, 2004–05 |
| Fewest defeats | 1 | 1959, 1963–64, 1988–89, 2023–24 |
| Fewest goals scored | 31 | 1969–70, 1976–77, 1979–80 |
| Fewest goals conceded | 6 | 1969–70 |
| Outline | Player | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Most goals in all-time | Zeki Rıza Sporel |
470 |
| Most goals in Süper Lig | Aykut Kocaman |
140 |
| Most goals in one match | Melih Kotanca & Zeki Rıza Sporel |
8 |
| Most goals in one league match | Tanju Çolak |
6 |
| Most goals in UEFA competitions |  Alex de Souza |
15 |
Note: Zeki Rıza Sporel scored his record eight goals against Anadolu in 1931, Melih Kotanca repeated this record against Topkapı in 1940. Tanju Çolak scored six goals against Karşıyaka in the 1992–93 season.
| Outline | Player | Record |
|---|---|---|
| Most appearances in all-time | Müjdat Yetkiner |
763 |
| Most appearances in UEFA competitions | Volkan Demirel |
86 |
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| President | Ali Koç |
| Deputy Chairman | Erol Bilecik |
| Board Member | Burak Çağlan Kızılhan |
| Board Member | Acun Ilıcalı |
| Board Member | Mehmet Dereli |
| Board Member | Fethi Pekin |
| Board Member | Acar Sertaç Komsuoğlu |
| Board Member | Simla Türker Bayazıt |
| Board Member | Hüseyin Arslan |
| Board Member | Esin Güral Argat |
| Board Member | Nüket Küçükel Ezberci |
| Board Member | Ahmet Ketenci |
| Board Member | Mustafa Kemal Danabaş |
Source:[88]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Sporting Director | Mário Branco |
| Assistant to the Sporting Director | Okan Özkan |
| Administrative Manager | Emir Yolaç |
| Head Coach | José Mourinho |
| Assistant Coach |  Salvatore Foti |
| Assistant Coach | Luca Fatiga |
| Assistant Coach | Zeki Murat Göle |
| Tactical and Performance Analyst | Ricardo Formosinho |
| Analyst Expert | Roberto Merella |
| Analyst | Giovanni Cerra |
| Analyst | Mehmet Turhan Demir |
| Athletic Performance Coach | Stefano Rapetti |
| Athletic Performance Coach | Halil Filik |
| Athletic Performance Coach | Cihan Mert Cengiz |
| Tactical Analysis Expert | Melikşah Sezgin |
| Goalkeeping Coach |  Sandro Zufić |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Yasin Cirav |
| Media Officer | Alper Yemeniciler |
| Interpreter | Sinan Levi |
| Interpreter | Saruhan Karaman |
| Doctor | Dr. Ahmet Kulduk |
| Doctor | Dr. Osman İlhan |
| Physiotherapist | Umut Şahin |
| Physiotherapist | Ata Özgür Ercan |
| Physiotherapist | Rıza Özdemir |
| Dietician | Cenk Özyılmaz |
| Masseur | Özkan Alaca |
| Masseur | Veysel Çabşek |
| Masseur | Eyüp Emre Yeşiller |
| Masseur | Selçuk Açarol |
| Material Manager | Dursun Çetin |
| Material Manager | Erdal Kurt |
| Material Manager | Rıfat Bayraklı |
Source:[89]
Twente, 
Sheriff Tiraspol and 
Steaua București, in the 2009–10 seasonSeamless Wikipedia browsing. On steroids.
Every time you click a link to Wikipedia, Wiktionary or Wikiquote in your browser's search results, it will show the modern Wikiwand interface.
Wikiwand extension is a five stars, simple, with minimum permission required to keep your browsing private, safe and transparent.
