Okan Buruk

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Okan Buruk began his professional career with Galatasaray on 1 July 1992 and played there until 30 June 2001. During his nine-year tenure, he won six Süper Lig titles and played a pivotal role in Galatasaray's European successes. He was part of the team that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish club to achieve this milestone. On 25 August 2000, Okan was named Man of the Match in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeated Real Madrid 2–1. After playing for Inter Milan, Beşiktaş, and İstanbul Başakşehir, he returned to Galatasaray on 1 July 2006 on a two-year contract and was part of the squad that secured the 2007–08 Süper Lig title on 11 May 2008.

In Their Own Story

On 25 August 2000, Okan Buruk was named Man of the Match in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeated Real Madrid 2–1. Earlier, he had been an instrumental part of the squad that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish team to achieve this milestone. Internationally, Buruk earned 56 caps for the Turkey national team. At UEFA Euro 2000, he scored Turkey's first-ever goal in a UEFA European Championship final tournament, netting a header to equalize in an eventual 2–1 group stage defeat to Italy. He was named in the final squad for the 2002 World Cup, where Turkey achieved a historic third-place finish, making his only appearance as a substitute in the 3–2 victory over co-hosts South Korea in the third-place play-off.

Reader's Guide

Okan Buruk's playing career at Galatasaray spanned from 1 July 1992 to 30 June 2001, during which he won six Süper Lig titles and four Turkish Cups. He was an instrumental part of the squad that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish team to achieve this milestone. He was also named Man of the Match in Galatasaray's 2–1 victory over Real Madrid in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup. After playing for Inter Milan, Beşiktaş, and İstanbul Başakşehir, he rejoined Galatasaray on 1 July 2006 and was part of the squad that secured the 2007–08 Süper Lig title on 11 May 2008. As a manager, Buruk returned to lead Galatasaray to four consecutive Süper Lig titles in the 2022–23, 2023–24, 2024–25 and 2025–26 seasons.

Did You Know?

• Okan Buruk holds the record for the most championships in Süper Lig history, with seven titles as a player and five more as a manager.
• He was named Man of the Match in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeated Real Madrid 2–1.
• At UEFA Euro 2000, Buruk scored Turkey's first-ever goal in a UEFA European Championship final tournament.
• He scored his first goal for Inter Milan on 16 November 2002, in the 89th minute, securing a 2–2 draw in an away match against Roma.
• As a manager, he guided İstanbul Başakşehir to their first-ever Süper Lig title in the 2019–20 season.