History of Turkish football
Encyclopedia
Football was introduced to the Ottoman Empire
by English
men living in the area. The first matches took place in Selanik, now known as Thessaloniki
, in 1875. F.C. Smyrna was the first football club established in Turkey
. The same men brought football from İzmir
to Istanbul
in 1895. The first competitive matches between İzmir
and Istanbul
clubs took place in 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1904. The İzmir team won every match.
, Armenians, and Jewish minorities. The first club made up of Turkish footballers was Black Stockings, in 1899. Police of the Ottoman Empire invaded the pitch, arresting as many players as they could catch. Cadi Keuy FRC
, Moda FC
, Elpis, and Imogene FC followed the precedent set by Black Stockings. The first competitive league was created in 1904. Based in Istanbul and titled the "Constantinople Football League
", it consisted the four aforementioned clubs (Cadi Keuy FRC
, Moda FC
, Elpis, and Imogene FC). However, Turkish players were still prohibited to compete. In the following years, clubs such as Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray
were founded with Turkish players. The club was also known as the Sunday League because the matches took place on Sunday.
Two teams from the Ottoman Empire competed in the football at the 1906 Intercalated Games: Smyrna and Thessaloniki. Both clubs lost heavily to Denmark and Athens, losing 5-1 and 5-0 respectively. However, Athens withdrew from the second place match, allowing Smyrna to compete against Thessaloniki. Smyrna won 3-0, winning the silver medal. Another league was created in Istanbul in 1912. The league was called The Friday League
, and the clubs played their matches on Friday. The league was made up of Darülfünun S.K., İstanbul J.K. (later known as Türk İdman Ocağı
, who became Trabzonspor
in 1967), Anadolu S.K., Sanayii F.K., Şehremini S.K., and Fenerbahçe S.K. (II). The Sunday League remained the dominant league until the 1915-16 season, when both leagues merged.
The İstanbul Türk İdman Birliği was created by Beşiktaş
in 1919. The league was not allowed to join the Friday League. Later on, in 1922, the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı was created. The league was made up of clubs from various cities throughout Turkey. The league helped create the Turkish Football Federation
on 23 April 1923 as Futbol Hey'et-i Müttehidesi. Leagues were being created in other cities such as Adana
, Ankara
, Eskişehir
, İzmir, and Trabzon
. The Milli Küme was created in 1937 as a competition between the top clubs from Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir. The competition lasted until 1950. The first professional leagues were established in 1952 in the big three cities. The first national professional league was created in 1959, known as the Milli Lig. After the creation of the second and third divisions, professional leagues outside of the national league became amateur competitions.
The Milli Lig was first held in 1959 with clubs from Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. Qualification took place in 1958 to decide who would take part in the sixteen club, two group league. Fenerbahçe were the champions of the first Milli Lig, with Metin Oktay
of Galatasaray
finishing top scorer.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
by English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
men living in the area. The first matches took place in Selanik, now known as Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
, in 1875. F.C. Smyrna was the first football club established in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. The same men brought football from İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
in 1895. The first competitive matches between İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
and Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
clubs took place in 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1904. The İzmir team won every match.
Early years (1875–1958)
The first Turkish man to play the sport was the man in the picture on the right, a soldier on assignment in İzmir in 1898. The Ottoman Empire banned Turkish people from playing the sport, which lead to the matches being made up of English, GreeksGreeks in Turkey
The Greeks in Turkey constitute a population of Greek and Greek-speaking Eastern Orthodox Christians who mostly live in Istanbul, including its district Princes' Islands, as well as on the two islands of the western entrance to the Dardanelles: Imbros and Tenedos .They are the remnants of the...
, Armenians, and Jewish minorities. The first club made up of Turkish footballers was Black Stockings, in 1899. Police of the Ottoman Empire invaded the pitch, arresting as many players as they could catch. Cadi Keuy FRC
Cadi Keuy FRC
-History:Cadi-Keuy FC was a club which was founded by Englishmen James La Fontaine and Horace Armitage in 1899.-Istanbul Football League winners 1905-1906 and 1906-1907:-Honours:*Istanbul Football League:**Winners: 1905-1906, 1906-1907-Matches:...
, Moda FC
Moda FC
-Istanbul Football League winners 1907-1908:-Honours:*Istanbul Football League:**Winners: 1907–1908-League tables:*Istanbul Football League:*1904–05 Istanbul Football League: 1) HMS Imogene FC 2) Moda FC 3) Cadi-Keuy FC 4) Elpis FC...
, Elpis, and Imogene FC followed the precedent set by Black Stockings. The first competitive league was created in 1904. Based in Istanbul and titled the "Constantinople Football League
Istanbul Football League
Istanbul Lig or originally Constantinople Football Association League was founded by James La Fontaine and Henry Pears and started with the 1904-05 season with only four teams as "Istanbul Sunday League". The matches between the four teams, Moda FC, HMS Imogene FC, Elpis FC, and Cadi-Keuy FC were...
", it consisted the four aforementioned clubs (Cadi Keuy FRC
Cadi Keuy FRC
-History:Cadi-Keuy FC was a club which was founded by Englishmen James La Fontaine and Horace Armitage in 1899.-Istanbul Football League winners 1905-1906 and 1906-1907:-Honours:*Istanbul Football League:**Winners: 1905-1906, 1906-1907-Matches:...
, Moda FC
Moda FC
-Istanbul Football League winners 1907-1908:-Honours:*Istanbul Football League:**Winners: 1907–1908-League tables:*Istanbul Football League:*1904–05 Istanbul Football League: 1) HMS Imogene FC 2) Moda FC 3) Cadi-Keuy FC 4) Elpis FC...
, Elpis, and Imogene FC). However, Turkish players were still prohibited to compete. In the following years, clubs such as Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
were founded with Turkish players. The club was also known as the Sunday League because the matches took place on Sunday.
Two teams from the Ottoman Empire competed in the football at the 1906 Intercalated Games: Smyrna and Thessaloniki. Both clubs lost heavily to Denmark and Athens, losing 5-1 and 5-0 respectively. However, Athens withdrew from the second place match, allowing Smyrna to compete against Thessaloniki. Smyrna won 3-0, winning the silver medal. Another league was created in Istanbul in 1912. The league was called The Friday League
Istanbul Friday League
The Istanbul Friday League was founded in 1912, and replaced the Istanbul Sunday League in 1915. Seven clubs took part in the league when it was first found in 1912: Anadoluspor, Darülfünun, Terbiye-i Bedeniye, Türk İdman Ocağı, Mümaresatı Bedeniye, Şehremini, and Fenerbahçe S.K.-Champions:-Past...
, and the clubs played their matches on Friday. The league was made up of Darülfünun S.K., İstanbul J.K. (later known as Türk İdman Ocağı
Idmanocagi
İdmanocağı was a Turkish Sports club based in Trabzon. They had a strong rivalry with another club, İdmangücü which matched the Istanbul rivalry between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. İdmanocağı was often compared to Galatasaray, partly because of this rivalry and partly because of their red and...
, who became Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor
Trabzonspor is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Trabzon, Turkey. Formed in 1967 through a merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor won six championships in Turkish Super League. The Club won their first Championship title in 1975 which is also the Club's initiation year...
in 1967), Anadolu S.K., Sanayii F.K., Şehremini S.K., and Fenerbahçe S.K. (II). The Sunday League remained the dominant league until the 1915-16 season, when both leagues merged.
The İstanbul Türk İdman Birliği was created by Beşiktaş
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in 1919. The league was not allowed to join the Friday League. Later on, in 1922, the Türkiye İdman Cemiyetleri İttifakı was created. The league was made up of clubs from various cities throughout Turkey. The league helped create the Turkish Football Federation
Turkish Football Federation
The Turkish Football Federation , also called the Turkish Football Association, is the governing body of football in Turkey. It was formed on 23 April 1923. It organizes the Turkish national teams and the Turkish football league. By 2004, there were 4,956 football clubs organized in Turkey, and a...
on 23 April 1923 as Futbol Hey'et-i Müttehidesi. Leagues were being created in other cities such as Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
, Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, Eskişehir
Eskisehir
Eskişehir is a city in northwestern Turkey and the capital of the Eskişehir Province. According to the 2009 census, the population of the city is 631,905. The city is located on the banks of the Porsuk River, 792 m above sea level, where it overlooks the fertile Phrygian Valley. In the nearby...
, İzmir, and Trabzon
Trabzon
Trabzon is a city on the Black Sea coast of north-eastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. Trabzon, located on the historical Silk Road, became a melting pot of religions, languages and culture for centuries and a trade gateway to Iran in the southeast and the Caucasus to the northeast...
. The Milli Küme was created in 1937 as a competition between the top clubs from Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir. The competition lasted until 1950. The first professional leagues were established in 1952 in the big three cities. The first national professional league was created in 1959, known as the Milli Lig. After the creation of the second and third divisions, professional leagues outside of the national league became amateur competitions.
The Milli Lig was first held in 1959 with clubs from Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir. Qualification took place in 1958 to decide who would take part in the sixteen club, two group league. Fenerbahçe were the champions of the first Milli Lig, with Metin Oktay
Metin Oktay
Metin Oktay nicknamed the Uncrowned King by Galatasaray fans, was a legendary Turkish footballer and one of the most successful goalscorers in Turkey....
of Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
finishing top scorer.