Top 10 Best Galatasaray Players Of All Time

This guide ranks the top 10 best Galatasaray football players of all time, and It is based on their overall impact on the team, which includes their appearance, goals, titles, etc. Galatasaray S.K. is a famous Turkish football club based in Istanbul, founded in 1905.
Known as “Cim-Bom,” it is the most successful club in Turkey, winning numerous league titles and cups. Galatasaray became the first Turkish team to win a major European trophy, the UEFA Cup, in 2000.
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1. Hakan Şükür

Hakan Şükür is one of the greatest players in Galatasaray S.K.’s history. Born on September 1, 1971, in Turkey, Şükür started his football career at Sakaryaspor, where he established himself as a top talent.
He joined Galatasaray in 1992, and during his stint, Şükür scored an incredible 292 goals in 549 games. In his first season, he scored 19 goals to help Galatasaray win both the Turkish league and cup titles.
Then, he became the league’s top scorer multiple times and won eight Süper Lig titles with the club. Şükür also played a key part in Galatasaray’s historic 1999-2000 season, when they won the UEFA Cup, becoming the first Turkish team to win a major European trophy.
He scored in the penalty shootout during the final against Arsenal. Şükür was Turkey’s top scorer with 51 goals in 112 matches.
He represented Turkey in major tournaments like UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where he scored the fastest goal in World Cup history, just 10.8 seconds into a game against South Korea.
2. Arif Erdem

Arif Erdem born on January 2, 1972, in Istanbul, is one of the best players in the history of Galatasaray S.K. He started his professional career at Zeytinburnuspor but joined Galatasaray in 1991.
Over his 14 years with Galatasaray, he was a goal pocher. Erdem played 346 games for Galatasaray, scoring 88 goals. His best season was 2001-02 when he was co-top scorer of the Süper Lig with 21 goals.
He was also instrumental in seven Süper Lig titles and five Turkish Cups. Also, he was part of the team that won the UEFA Cup in 2000, making Galatasaray the first Turkish club to win a major European trophy.
Erdem also played for Turkey’s national team, earning 60 caps and scoring 11 goals. He played an important part in Turkey’s third-place finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. After retiring as a player, he became a manager, leading İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor from 2011 to 2012.
3. Ümit Karan

Ümit Karan is a notable player in Galatasaray’s history. He was a forward for the team from 2001 to 2009 and made a big impact on the club’s success.
In his 8 seasons with Galatasaray, Karan played in 225 matches and scored 60 goals. He was instrumental in the team winning the Süper Lig three times, in 2002, 2006, and 2008, and the Turkish Cup in 2005.
Karan also impressed in European competitions, recording 40 appearances and scoring 13 goals. This makes him 4th on Galatasaray’s list of top scorers in Europe.
Known for his versatility, he could play as a striker, attacking midfielder, or winger. He won the Galatasaray Player of the Year award in 2003 and 2004.
Karan also played for the Turkish national team, earning 39 caps and scoring 7 goals. However, Karan continued his career with other Turkish teams after he left Gala In 2009 before retiring in 2011.
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4. Hasan Şaş

Hasan Şaş is considered one of Galatasaray’s greatest players. He started his career at MKE Ankaragücü in 1995 and drew attention with his talent.
In 1998, he moved to Galatasaray for about $4.4 million. However, his start was delayed due to a six-month doping suspension. Once back, Şaş made a big impact in the 1999-2000 season.
He helped Galatasaray win the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup, and over his time with Galatasaray, which lasted until 2009, he played 314 games and scored 36 goals, winning five Turkish Süper Lig titles and three Turkish Cups.
For the Turkish national team, Şaş earned 40 caps and scored 2 goals between 1998 and 2006. He was fantastic during the 2002 FIFA World Cup and helped Turkey finish in third place.
Şaş was included in the FIFA World Cup All-Star Team. He was an outstanding player for both club and international football.
5. Tugay Kerimoğlu

Tugay Kerimoğlu is one of the best Galatasaray players of all time, known for his impressive football career, mostly with Galatasaray and Blackburn Rovers.
Tugay started his professional career at Galatasaray in 1987 and played there until 2000. He was a fantastic midfielder and became the youngest captain in the club’s history during the 1992-93 season.
His passing skills and vision on the field were exceptional. At Galatasaray, he won six Turkish League titles and four Turkish Cups.
His major achievement was when Galatasaray won the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in 2000, which was a historic moment for Turkish football.
After his successful years at Galatasaray, Tugay joined Rangers in Scotland in 2000 and then moved to Blackburn Rovers in 2001. He became a great player at Blackburn and won the club’s Player of the Year award for the 2003-04 season.
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6. Uğur Tütüneker

Uğur Tütüneker, born on August 2, 1963, in Bursa, Turkey, is a former Turkish footballer and manager known for his time at Galatasaray from 1986 to 1996.
Tütüneker was a key player for Galatasaray, and he helped the team achieve major successes both in Turkey and Europe.
He joined Galatasaray in July 1986 after being noticed by German coach Jupp Derwall while he was at Bayern Munich’s youth academy.
Tütüneker became essential for the team, wearing the number 7 shirt and making 222 appearances for the club, scoring 40 goals.
During his decade at Galatasaray, he won 4 Turkish League Championships, 2 Turkish Cups, 3 President’s Cups, 1 Prime Minister’s Cup, and 3 Turkish Sports Writers’ Cups.
One of his best moments was in the 1988-89 season when Galatasaray reached the semi-finals of the European Champions Cup.
In a memorable 5-0 win over Neuchatel Xamax, Tütüneker scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist.
Tütüneker also played for the Turkey national team, earning 18 caps and scoring 1 goal, though his international career was affected by injuries.
7. Hakan Balta

Hakan Balta is one of the best players in Galatasaray’s history. He was born on March 23, 1983, in Berlin, Germany, he started his career at Hertha BSC II and then moved to Manisaspor.
Balta then joined Galatasaray in September 2007, and he became a reliable defender, who could play as a center-back and left-back.
He made 253 appearances for the team and scored 11 goals. His first season was great, with Galatasaray winning the Süper Lig title in 2007-08, scoring a crucial goal in the last match that secured the championship.
Balta had many highlights with Galatasaray. He was instrumental in the 2011-12 season when the team won the league title under manager Fatih Terim.
Known for his strong defense and leadership, he became a team captain in the 2012-13 season and helped Galatasaray win the Turkish Super Cup against Fenerbahçe. Balta also played for Turkey from 2006 to 2016, registering 50 caps and scoring 2 goals.
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8. Suat Kaya

Suat Kaya, born on August 26, 1967, is a legendary figure in Turkish football, known for his time with Galatasaray S.K. as both a player and a manager.
He played for Galatasaray from 1986 to 2001 and made a massive impact on the team, having started his professional career with Galatasaray in the 1986-87 season.
Though he had a few appearances early on, he later became a pivotal player for the team. Throughout his career with Galatasaray, he played in 353 matches and scored 44 goals, winning eight Süper Lig championships and four Turkish Cups.
One of Kaya’s most memorable achievements was being part of the team that won the UEFA Cup in 2000. This was a historic win as Galatasaray became the first Turkish club to win a major European trophy.
They also won the UEFA Super Cup later that year. Suat Kaya’s contributions were among what made Galatasaray a top team in Turkish football during the late 1990s and early 2000s.
9. Selçuk İnan

Selçuk İnan is considered one of the top players in Galatasaray S.K.’s history. He was born on January 10, 1985, in İskenderun, Turkey, and started his professional career at Trabzonspor.
İnan joined Galatasaray in May 2011 on a free transfer and became one of the best during his time with the club. He was also a strong leader and became the team’s captain, winning five Süper Lig titles (2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2017–18, and 2018–19), four Türkiye Kupası titles, and five Süper Kupa titles.
İnan was fabulous in set-piece situations, such as free-kicks and corners, because he often turned these opportunities into goals.
In the 2011–12 season, he was the top assister in the Süper Lig.
Even though İnan was not part of the team that won the UEFA Cup and UEFA Super Cup in 2000, he was Instrumental in keeping Galatasaray competitive in European competitions during his time with the club.
10. Xhevat Prekazi

Dževad Prekazi is one of the great players in Galatasaray’s history and one of the club all all-time top scorers. He played as a midfielder for the club from 1985 to 1992, having started his career at FK Partizan.
However, his arrival in 1985 was the start of a successful period for both him and the club. Prekazi became a fan favorite because of his excellent technical skills, vision, and ability to control the midfield.
His style of play included precise passing and great game-reading, which helped create many scoring chances for his teammates.
Prekazi was instrumental to the team’s success. His impact on the team and his impressive skills have earned him a place among Galatasaray’s all-time great players.
Kenneth is a an avid soccer follower, fan and writer. He is a consistent follower of the sport and is a fan of Chelsea FC.



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