The Turkish League, or the Süper Lig (Super League), as you know it, is currently one of the most competitive leagues in the world. In fact, based on clubs’ performances in European competitions over the past five years, the Super League holds the 9th position in the UEFA coefficient ranking. It has actually been the top league in Turkey’s football since 1959.
Being based in a country where the number one sport is football, it is no surprise that the league has such a huge fanbase. Their passion and energy for the games are so over the roof that they made it to the Guinness Book of World Records in 2011 for the loudest crowd roar recorded at 131.76 decibels in Galatasaray’s Türk Telekom Stadium. The league has shaped the football career of several legendary footballers, actually producing and attracting some of the best goal scorers. Let us look at some of them and how their careers unfolded.
Retired legends
Hakan Şükür
Şükür is a big name in Turkish football. As a matter of fact, the list of all-time top scorers in the Turkish league is incomplete without him because he actually tops it, with 249 goals in 489 matches. He played for Sakaryaspor, Bursaspor and Galatasaray. It was at Galatasaray that he rose to fame, netting 228 goals in 393 Super League appearances. There, he also won eight Super League titles and received the top goal scorer award in 1996, 1998, and 1999.
He also really helped Galatasaray reach the 2000 UEFA Cup finals, where they defeated Arsenal, becoming the first Turkish team to win a major European trophy. His success in Turkey attracted some European deals, and in 2000, he moved to Inter Milan.
Unfortunately, his career stalled a bit while there, scoring only six goals in 35 games. He moved to Parma for a short time and then to Blackburn Rovers, but things still did not work out. Hakan moved back to Galatasaray in 2003, and it was as though he was just meant for Turkish football because he started shining again. In fact, in that year, the Turkish Football Federation recognized him as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years.
Hakan actually holds the record for the fastest World Cup goal in history because of the goal he scored in 2002 against South Korea in just 11 seconds. The guy was in such good form that he retired at the age of 37, scoring his final Super League goal in 2008. He ended his great football career as Turkey’s top goalscorer and ninth in the world.
Tanju Çolak
If ‘always well positioned’ was a person in Turkish football history, it would be Tanju. This great striker set the record for the top scorer in the Turkish League at 240 goals in 252 matches for five seasons until 2007, when Hakan broke it. Tanju started his career in Samsun Yolspor before being transferred to Samsunspor in 1981, where he earned the goal king title twice, in 1986 and 1987. This was very outstanding, considering his club was a mid-table one at that time.
Galatasaray saw his abilities and signed him in 1987, where he continued unapologetically reigning. Actually, in his first season there, he scored 39 goals, which was the most scored in a season in the Super League. That made him the top European scorer and the first Turkish player to win the European Golden Boot. He contributed greatly to Galatasaray’s league win that season.
In 1991, he moved to Galatasaray’s biggest rivals, Fenerbahçe, where he scored 34 goals in 2 seasons. For his last season in football, he played for İstanbulspor and retired in 1994 with a rich record of clinical finishes to his name.
Current stars
Victor Osimen
The 26-year-old Nigerian star is hitting Turkish headlines because of his epic performance as a striker for Galatasaray this season. Interestingly, Osimehn joined Galatasaray on loan from Napoli in September 2024, and in about six months, he has been involved in 18 goals. In fact, in his debut match, he provided an assist. Barely one month in, he won the beIN SPORTS Goal of the Week award for his left-footed volley against Kasımpaşa.
He has been doing so well that former Beşiktaş and Turkïye midfielder Sergen Yalçın believes he is currently the best center forward in Turkey. In fact, he helped Galatasaray stretch their lead on top of the Turkish league table by scoring both goals in a 2-1 win against Çaykur Rizespor. His brilliance is already attracting deals from several top European clubs, such as Manchester United.
Krzysztof Piątek
Krzysztof is currently the top contender in the top goalscorer of the season race in the Super League, with 18 goals in 23 matches. He joined İstanbul Başakşehir in 2023 and really helped the club finish at number four. Actually, he became the top scorer in his club and fifth in the league in his debut season, with 17 goals in 34 appearances.
The Başakşehir fans are really hopeful that he will take the team higher and finish as the top scorer this season.
Based on our discussion, it is evident that the Turkish League has produced some of the best strikers in football history. The league still continues to really shape the careers of many others, like Victor Osimehn and Krzysztof Piątek.
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