Galatasaray

Galatasaray Spor Kulubu is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul. The club is mostly known for its football department which is considered one of the biggest in Turkey. Galatasaray currently feature in the Tukish Super Lig and are the reigning domestic champions.

Galatasaray were established in 1905 by the students of Galatasaray Lisesi as a football club and their first president was Ali Sami Yen. They were the first Turkish football to be established officially.

In the 1905-1906 season Galatasaray entered the Istanbul League that consisted of English and Greek sides. They won hosts of Istanbul League championships and joined the Turkcell Super League when it was formed in 1959.

Galatasaray continued achieving success in the Turkish Super Lig and are now the most successful Turkish club and the only the club from Turkey to have won a major European title. They won the UEFA Cup in 2000 by defeating English Premier League club Arsenal in the final and then defeated the then reigning European champions Real Madrid in the European Cup. They are the only team to have won the Turkish League title, the Turkish Cup, the UEFA Cup and the UEFA Super Cup in the same season.

Galatasaray play their home matches at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium that can accommodate 24,990 spectators. They bear the nickname the Yellow Reds.

Some of the club’s major achievements include: -17 Turkish Super League Championships -14 Turkish Cups -11 Turkish Super Cups -1 UEFA Cup