Türkiye is football country. Similar to Italians and Brazilians, Turkish people eat, sleep and think football. Newspapers that focus on football tend to have the highest circulation, while the social media accounts of Türkiye’s football clubs have extraordinarily high engagement. Eavesdrop on conversations, and you’ll usually hear an impassioned discussion of the latest club trade or match.
I remember the 2002 World Cup jointly organized by South Korea and Japan. The Türkiye National Football Team made history, coming in third in the tournament. Matches were played during the day and people gathered in homes, bars, coffee shops and even outside shop windows where TVs broadcast the game. Complete strangers embraced and cheered as their teams scored. It was then that I realized the importance of football in Türkiye.
Türkiye’s football clubs, which include Altay, Başakşehir, Beşiktaş, Bursaspor, Eskişehirspor, Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Trabzonspor, have millions of fans. Most of the clubs have been around for a hundred years, but the three most prominent teams, with the deepest heritage, are based in Istanbul.
The Bosphorus focus at the center of this month’s Journal would be incomplete if we failed to describe the history of two magnificent football clubs, Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe, on opposite shores of the Bosphorus. Keep reading and discover more about the matches – and the teams’ legendary rivalry.
Fenerbahçe of Kadıköy
If you arrive in Kadıköy by ferry on a match day, you will notice an enormous crowd, many of whom are wearing scarves and jerseys in the Fenerbahçe team colors of yellow and dark blue. Vehicles are stopped on the roads. Yes, it is indeed #FenerinMaçıVar – (Fener has a match today) and life in Kadıköy flows accordingly.
Stroll towards the Bull Statue and you’ll see groups of fans. Enter the Kadıköy Bazaar and more fans, sporting scarves and jerseys, will be enjoying a pre-match snack. Another group of fans passing through the narrow streets of the bazaar is probably going to Yoğurtçu Park or Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, the pre-game meeting point. Seeing each other, they begin to cheer: one side shouts ‘Yellow’, the other shouts ‘Dark blue’. People continue to join in and the collective excitement spreads.
The roots of Fenerbahçe were laid in Kadıköy in the 1890s, when British expats in Moda started playing football in the Kuşdili at Pastor’s Meadow. Now the location of Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium, at that time, people came to the Meadow from Kalamış, Moda, Kuyubaşı and Haydarpaşa to watch this fun, new sport, usually played in the evenings. Young Turkish people in Kadıköy took up the new game, playing in the many grassy areas around Kadıköy. There was an idea to start a football club but, at the time, it was forbidden for Turks to form associations. To establish a football club without attracting the attention of the authorities, the Turkish players formed a club called Black Stockings FC, in 1899. This ruse did not go unnoticed; the club was closed. Another, called the Kadıköy Football Club, opened in 1902, and was also closed. The last club was officially established in 1907 as Fenerbahçe Football Club, though many accept the unofficial establishment date of Fenerbahçe as 1899, as the founders were the same.
Fenerbahçe is one of the largest clubs in Türkiye and one of the few in the world with fans that number in the millions. Fenerbahçe has dozens of cups, has played in the quarter finals of the Champions League and in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. But throughout its 113-year adventure, the Club has stayed true to its roots, remaining based in Kadıköy.
If the Anatolian side of the Bosphorus is identified with a football team, that team is Fenerbahçe.
So, take note: if you can get tickets for a Fenerbahçe match, arrive a little early and march with the fans to Şükrü Saraçoğlu Stadium for an even more unforgettable football experience.
District team Beşiktaş
The distinctive black-and-white emblem of the Beşiktaş Gymnastics Club is omnipresent in the district – it’s seen in the windows of cars, apartments and shops, as a sticker, a pennant, on a scarf or a jersey. In this big district, Beşiktaş football is king.
The Beşiktaş spirit envelops you when entering the Çarşı, especially during a match day. Fans gather in nearby parks, especially Abbasağa Park, with barbecue equipment, musical instruments and many, many cheers and team songs. From there, they march to Vodafone Park, the Beşiktaş stadium.
Vodafone Park is across the street from the Bosphorus and is a sacred place for Beşiktaş fans. During the RB Leipzig – Beşiktaş match in 2017, Leipzig’s famous striker, Timo Werner, left the match, overwhelmed by the noise coming from the Beşiktaş stands.
Beşiktaş’s history starts in the Serencebey District. Osman Pasha, who was the Medina Guard at the time, had a garden on the grounds of his mansion. In this garden, a group of young people, including his sons, practiced weightlifting, wrestling, pull-ups and gymnastics. The mansion was raided, and the youths were taken to the police station, but they were released – their activities were recognized as sports and, also, they were supported by Prince Abdulhalim. Later, boxer and wrestler Kenan Bey started to teach others, and the first seeds of a comprehensive sports club were planted.
In March 1903, with a special permission, the Bereket Gymnastics Club was established. However, the structure was far from being active during this period. With the declaration of the Constitutional Monarchy in 1908 and the restoration of political order, it became legal to practice sports activities. Fencing, weightlifting and wrestling teachers Fuat Balkan and Mazhar Kalkancı, who joined the club in this process, gathered the young people of Serencebey and activated the club, establishing the center of the sports club in the basement of Balkan’s house in Ihlamur. The name of the club was changed to Beşiktaş Ottoman Gymnastics Club. Beşiktaş became the first Turkish sports club, registered in 1910, moving to Akaretler as its numbers increased.
Beşiktaş, which joined the Sunday League in 1920, has won 15 Turkish League and nine Turkish Cup matches. It is not only one of the biggest clubs in Türkiye, with its millions of fans, but also one of the most important clubs in Europe.
If the European side of the Bosphorus were a team, it would definitely be Beşiktaş.
Legendary Matches
Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş meet at least three to four times a year. And every Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş match, whether a championship or a friendly match, is equally important.
To fans, every match played by the two teams is momentous. But there are some matches that stand out even to those who don’t follow football. Keep reading to find out about four of the most legendary Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş matches.
17 April 2005 FB 3- BJK 4
Week 28, 2004-2005 season. Fenerbahçe leading by 7 points; Beşiktaş is in 4th place, 16 points behind Fenerbahçe.
The match begins. But contrary to expectations, Beşiktaş pulls ahead 1-0 with Tümer Metin’s goal. Luciano scores, making it 1-1. Towards the end of the period, Beşiktaş is ahead 2-1 with a goal by John Carew. After Alex de Souza scored, for 2-2 in the second half, İbrahim Akın from Beşiktaş scored, bringing Beşiktaş ahead 3-2.
And then…Goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba, who fouled in the penalty area against Tuncay Şanlı in the 78th minute, received his second yellow card when he continued his protests, and was dismissed from the game. Beşiktaş did not have the right to change players. At this very moment, Pancu, nicknamed “the Kadıköy Panther”, was passing to the goal. He guessed the corner correctly but missed the penalty goal. Nonetheless, his incredible performance made an indelible impression; his jersey had the number ‘1’ on it, after this match.
Beşiktaş, leading via the goal scored by Koray Avcı in the overtime, won this legendary match 4-3. It is remembered to this day.
20 February 2011 BJK 2- FB 4
Week 22, 2010-2011 season. Fenerbahçe at 45 points, Beşiktaş at 32.
Fenerbahce started the game fast. In minute 5, Beşiktaş’s Necip sent the ball to his own goal alongside Alex de Souza, the star of the match, putting Fenerbahçe ahead 1-0. At the end of the first half, Ekrem scored with a stylish shot and the half ended up like this.
At the beginning of the second half, in minute 49, İbrahim Toraman in the penalty area brought Beşiktaş ahead, 2-1. However, afterwards, the legendary Brazilian player of Fenerbahçe, Alex de Souza, scored three goals in minutes 65,72 and 75. Fenerbahçe won the match 4-2.
As a result of the match, Fenerbahçe rose to the leadership, while Beşiktaş remained in 6th place. While Beşiktaş didn’t improve its ranking, this match is among the most legendary Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş matches.
3 March 2013 BJK 3- FB 2
It was an emotional match for Beşiktaş fans. Beşiktaş wanted to win in this last derby match at İnönü Stadium.
Fenerbahce started the game fast. After strong attacks, the team was leading 1-0 with Sow’s goal in the 24th minute. At the end of the first half, with Fernandes’ crosses, Kuyt made a goal, bringing the score to 1-1.
In minute 60 of the second half, Niang scored, for 2-1. Three minutes later, Sow scored a goal, his team’s second, bringing the score to 2-2.
What made this Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş match legendary was the Beşiktaş goal scored in the extra time in this last derby fight with plenty of positions at İnönü Stadium. With the goal scored by Olcay Şahan at 90 + 3, Beşiktaş won the match 3-2 and bid farewell to İnönü Stadium by beating their arch-rival.
25 February 2019 BJK 3- FB 3
Perhaps the biggest comeback in the history of Fenerbahçe-Beşiktaş matches!
Week 23, 2018-2019 season. Fenerbahçe is going through the worst period of its history with the previous year. Beşiktaş is chasing the summit.
Beşiktaş started the game fast. And how fast it started! Gökhan Gönül in the 10th minute and Burak Yılmaz in minutes 18 and 45 + 2 minutes scored three goals and finished the first half 3-0 ahead with a historical score against his archrival. It was at this match that the photo of a small boy in the Fenerbahçe stands crying and hugging his father became iconic.
But Fenerbahce didn’t give up. It starts the second half fast. At minutes 55, 61 and 67, Zajc scores three goals with Sadık and Hasan Ali, bringing the match to 3-3. And the biggest comeback in the Beşiktaş – Fenerbahçe matches was realized.
While sports clubs and districts have deep relationships all over the world, the deep ties that Beşiktaş and Fenerbahçe have with their respective districts is uniquely strong – the Clubs are family.
When you next hop on a ferry from Kadıköy or Beşiktaş, the two busiest piers in Istanbul, take a look at your surroundings with a new perspective. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll arrive on a game day.
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