.jpg) Buruk in 2025 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1973-10-19)19 October 1973 (age 52) | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Istanbul, Turkey | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Galatasaray (manager) | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1984–1991 | Galatasaray | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 1991–2001 | Galatasaray | 189 | (33) | ||||||||||||||
| 2001–2004 | Inter Milan | 24 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2004–2006 | Beşiktaş | 43 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Galatasaray | 19 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 28 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| Total | 304 | (38) | |||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1990 | Turkey U16 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 1990–1992 | Turkey U18 | 28 | (4) | ||||||||||||||
| 1992–1995 | Turkey U21 | 13 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 1992–2010 | Turkey | 56 | (8) | ||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Elazığspor | ||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Gaziantepspor | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Sivasspor | ||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Göztepe | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Akhisarspor | ||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Çaykur Rizespor | ||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | İstanbul Başakşehir | ||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Galatasaray | ||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||
Okan Buruk (Turkish pronunciation:[[oˈkanbuɾuk]], born 19 October 1973) is a Turkish professionalfootball manager and formerplayer, currently serving as the manager ofSüper Lig clubGalatasaray. With seven Super League titles as a player and four more as a manager, he holds the record for the most championships in the league’s history.
As amidfielder, Buruk enjoyed a successful playing career spanning nearly two decades. He played for prominent clubs, including Galatasaray,Inter Milan,Beşiktaş, andİstanbul Başakşehir. During his time at Galatasaray, he won six Süper Lig titles, fourTurkish Cups, and was an instrumental part of the squad that won the1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish team to achieve this milestone. He was also namedMan of the Match in Galatasaray’s 2–1 victory overReal Madrid in the2000 UEFA Super Cup.
Internationally, Buruk earned 56 caps for theTurkey national team. He represented Turkey atUEFA Euro 2000 and was in the squad that won the bronze medal at the2002 FIFA World Cup, the nation’s best-ever finish in the tournament.
As a manager, Buruk achieved notable success. He guidedIstanbul Başakşehir to their first-ever Süper Lig title in the2019–20 Süper Lig season, becoming only the second manager to achieve this without leading a Big 4 (Beşiktaş, Galatasaray,Fenerbahçe,Trabzonspor) team. His managerial success continued with Galatasaray, where he led the team to three consecutive Süper Lig titles in the2022–23,2023–24 and2024–25 seasons. Buruk is recognized for his high-tempo pressing football and his player-management skills.
On 1 July 1992, Buruk began his professional football career withGalatasaray, where he played until 30 June 2001. During his nine-year tenure, he won sixSüper Lig titles and played a pivotal role in Galatasaray’s European successes. He was part of the team that won the1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish club to achieve this milestone. On 25 August 2000, Okan was namedMan of the Match in the2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeatedReal Madrid 2–1.
In 2001, Buruk transferred toInter Milan. On 26 August 2001, he made his Serie A debut in a match againstPerugia, coming on as a substitute forClarence Seedorf.[1] On 21 October 2001, he provided an assist toMohamed Kallon in theMilan Derby againstAC Milan, although Inter lost 4–2. On 25 September 2002, he made hisUEFA Champions League debut in a home victory againstAjax. He scored his first goal for Inter on 16 November 2002, in the 89th minute, securing a 2–2 draw in an away match againstRoma. Okan played for Inter until 30 June 2004, he was known for his relentless energy and versatility in midfield.[2]
On 21 October 2001, in the derby game againstFatih Terim's AC Milan, Okan made the assist toMohamed Kallon where Inter lost their home game 4–2 against their rivals. Okan scored his first goal on the 89th minute helping his team to earn a 2–2 draw in an away game againstRoma on 16 November 2002. Okan was a non-stop running player with energy; he mentioned that his former coachHector Cuper yelled at him from the bench that he should stay at his position.
On 1 July 2004, Okan signed withBeşiktaş. During his two seasons with the club, he won theTurkish Cup on 3 May 2006, marking a significant achievement in his career. On 1 July 2006, Okan rejoined Galatasaray on a two-year contract. He was part of the squad that secured the2007–08 Süper Lig title on 11 May 2008. However, after his contract expired on 30 June 2008, he departed from the club. On 1 July 2008, Okan signed a two-year deal withİstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor. He continued to play professionally until his retirement in 22 May 2010, after a friendly match against theCzech Republic inLeipzig.[3]
Buruk made 56 appearances for theTurkey national team, representing the country atUEFA Euro 2000 and the2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored Turkey's first everEuropean Championship goal, the equaliser of Euro 2000 in a 2–1 loss toItaly inArnhem. Okan was also part of the2002 FIFA World Cup squad, but due to an injury he made his only appearance as a substitute in the 3–2 win against host nationSouth Korea in thethird-place play-off.
Buruk, who served as Administrative Coordinator of the Turkey national team during theGuus Hiddink era, became assistant coach in November 2011 following Abdullah Avcı’s appointment as head coach.[4]
In August 2013, afterAbdullah Avcı resigned, Buruk left his position with the national team. On 30 October 2013, he signed a two-year contract withElazığspor.[5] Starting his managerial role in the 10th week of the league, this was Buruk’s first managerial experience. However, after the team was relegated, he resigned on 2 June 2014.[6]
In the 2014–15 season, Buruk signed a three-year contract withGaziantepspor.[7] After finishing the season in mid-table, he terminated his contract by mutual agreement due to disagreements about the next season.[8]
On 26 October 2015, Buruk signed a one-year contract withSivasspor afterSergen Yalçın vacated the managerial role.[9] Starting in the 10th week, Buruk resigned after achieving 2 wins, 7 losses, and 2 draws in 11 matches.[10]
On 1 June 2016, Buruk was appointed the head coach ofGöztepe, a club competing in theTFF 1. Lig, Turkey's second-tier football league. He signed a three-year contract with the club, aiming to lead them back to theSüper Lig after a prolonged absence.[11]During the 2016–17 season, Buruk managed the team for 33 matches, achieving 15 wins, 7 draws, and 11 losses, resulting in an average of 1.58 points per game. Despite a promising start, the team experienced a series of inconsistent performances, leading to a decline in form. Consequently, Buruk resigned from his position on 22 March 2017, prior to the season's conclusion.[12] Following his departure, Göztepe went on to secure promotion to the Süper Lig via the playoffs at the end of the season.
On 28 March 2017, Buruk replacedTolunay Kafkas as the manager ofAkhisarspor with a 1.5-year contract.[13] On 11 May 2018, Under Buruk’s management, Akhisarspor achieved a historic milestone by securing their first-everTurkish Cup victory. In the2017–18 Turkish Cup Final Akhisarspor defeatedFenerbahçe 3–2, marking a significant achievement for the club.[14][15] This victory not only secured the prestigious trophy but also earned Akhisarspor a spot in the group stage of the2018–19 UEFA Europa League, allowing them to compete on the European stage for the first time in their history. Despite this success, Buruk parted ways with Akhisarspor at the end of the season due to unsuccessful contract negotiations. Reports indicate that Buruk, who was the lowest-paid manager in theSüper Lig at the time, sought a salary increase in recognition of his achievements, but an agreement could not be reached.[16]
On 19 September 2018, Buruk was appointed the head coach ofÇaykur Rizespor following the departure ofİbrahim Üzülmez.[17] Under his management, the team managed to avoid relegation in the2018–19 Super League season, showcasing an impressive improvement in form during the second half of the season. On 28 May 2019, Buruk announced his departure from Çaykur Rizespor, citing personal reasons and expressing gratitude for his time at the club.[18] In a heartfelt message shared via Instagram, Buruk thanked the club, players, and supporters for their trust and support, describing his decision to leave as difficult but necessary.[19]
On 11 June 2019, Buruk was appointed head coach ofİstanbul Başakşehir following the departure of Abdullah Avcı.[20] In the 2019–20 season, Başakşehir adopted the slogan “New Vision, Same Goal.” After being eliminated byOlympiacos in the2019–20 UEFA Champions League play-off, the team competed in the2019–20 UEFA Europa League, where they were placed in Group J alongsideRoma,Borussia Mönchengladbach, andWolfsberger AC. Despite an initial 4–0 loss to Roma, Başakşehir topped the group with notable wins, including a 3–0 victory over Wolfsberg and a dramatic 2–1 away win against Borussia Mönchengladbach to secure first place.
In the Round of 32, Başakşehir facedSporting CP. After losing the first leg 3–1 in Lisbon, Başakşehir mounted a surprising comeback in the second leg in Istanbul, defeating Sporting CP 4–1 after extra time, thanks to a last-minute goal byEdin Višća, to progress 5–4 on aggregate. This victory was seen as a remarkable achievement for the club in European competition.[21]
In the Round of 16, Başakşehir playedCopenhagen. They won the first leg 1–0 in Istanbul with a penalty goal from Edin Višća. However, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in Europe, all second-leg matches, originally scheduled for 19 March 2020, were postponed indefinitely.[22] When the competition resumed in August, the second leg in Copenhagen saw Başakşehir lose 3–0, resulting in their elimination with a 3–1 aggregate defeat.[23]
On 19 July 2020, Başakşehir were crowned champions of theSüper Lig for the first time in the club’s history under Buruk’s management.[24] They became only the sixth club in the competition’s history to win the league title and the fourth club from Istanbul to do so.
Following their domestic success, Başakşehir qualified directly for the group stage of the2020–21 UEFA Champions League. They were placed in Group H alongsideParis Saint-Germain,RB Leipzig, andManchester United. Despite finishing fourth in the group, Başakşehir secured a historic 2–1 home victory against Manchester United, with goals fromDemba Ba and Edin Višća.[25] This win marked a significant milestone for the club.
Buruk mutually terminated his contract with Başakşehir on 29 January 2021, during the 2020–21 season, after a challenging campaign.[26]
On 22 June 2022, Buruk returned toGalatasaray, this time as head coach.[27] He signed a two-year contract with an additional option for one more year.[28] In his debut season, Buruk guided Galatasaray to a record-breaking 14 consecutive league wins, the longest winning streak in the club’s history.[29] Under his management, the team showcased dominant performances throughout the season, highlighted by derby victories and consistent defensive solidity. Galatasaray secured the2022–23 Super League title two weeks before the end of the season, marking Buruk’s second league championship as a manager and the club’s 23rd overall. The team also finished the season with the best attacking and defensive records, scoring 83 goals and conceding just 27 across 36 matches.[30]
Additionally, Buruk’s tactical approach was praised for reviving the team’s attacking identity and incorporating young talents into the squad. His success in his first season set the foundation for Galatasaray's ambitions to compete both domestically and in European competitions.
In the2023–24 season,Galatasaray qualified for the group stage of theUEFA Champions League by progressing through three preliminary rounds. However, Galatasaray competed in the UEFA Champions League and finished third in Group A, which includedBayern Munich,Copenhagen, andManchester United. Highlights included a dramatic 3–2 victory over Manchester United atOld Trafford and a thrilling 3–3 draw in Istanbul. Their group stage performance secured them a place in theUEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.[31]
In the Europa League, Galatasaray facedSparta Prague in the knockout round play-offs. Despite winning the first leg 3–2 at home, they suffered a 4–1 defeat in the second leg, resulting in a 6–4 aggregate loss and elimination.[32] and moved to the UEFA Europa League, where their European journey ended in the round of 16 playoffs.[33]
In December 2023, the Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray andFenerbahçe, scheduled in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was canceled due to a dispute over the display of slogans and imagery related toMustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey. Both teams intended to honor Atatürk with specific banners and T-shirts considering the timing of the match, which was the centennial of theTurkish Republic, but Saudi authorities prohibited these displays, leading the clubs to refuse participation and the match was rescheduled to April.
On 12 April 2024, Galatasaray finally faced their arch-rivals Fenerbahçe inŞanlıurfa for the2023 Turkish Super Cup final. However, Fenerbahçe had fielded their Under-19 team as a form of protest of Turkish Football Federation, citing "unjust treatment". Just 50 seconds into the game, Galatasaray’sMauro Icardi scored, putting his team ahead 1-0. Following this early goal, Fenerbahçe’s young players, acting on instructions from their technical staff, left the field, leading to the match being abandoned. As a result, the match was awarded to Galatasaray with a default 3–0 victory, and they were crownedTurkish Super Cup champions.[34]
In the highly anticipated derby match against Fenerbahçe during the 37th week, Galatasaray had the opportunity to secure the league title. However, the team suffered a disappointing 1–0 defeat in front of their home crowd at theRams Park. This loss delayed their chance to celebrate the championship and added pressure going into the final matchday.[35]
Despite the setback, Galatasaray bounced back in the final week of the season with a dominant 3–1 away victory againstKonyaspor on 26 May 2024. With this win, the team clinched the2023–24 Süper Lig title, their second consecutive league championship under Buruk.[36] This victory also marked Galatasaray's record-breaking 24thSüper Lig title, solidifying their status as Turkey’s most successful club in the league. During the season, Galatasaray and Okan Buruk broke several league, club and personal records, including the most points won in a season (102) and most consecutive wins in a season (17).[37]
On 7 June 2024, ahead of the2024–25 season season Buruk signed a new two-year contract withGalatasaray, extending his tenure with the club.[38][39] On 3 August 2024, Galatasaray faced their rivalsBeşiktaş in the2024 Turkish Super Cup final. Despite entering the match as favorites, Galatasaray suffered a heavy 5–0 defeat at theAtatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. This result marked one of the club’s most significant losses in a domestic final.[40] Just weeks later, Galatasaray’s bid to qualify for the2024–25 UEFA Champions League group stage ended in disappointment when they facedYoung Boys in the play-off round. In the first leg on 21 August 2024, Galatasaray suffered a 3–2 defeat. In the second leg on 27 August 2024, Galatasaray lost 1–0 at theRams Park in Istanbul and were eliminated on a 4–2 aggregate.[41]
Despite early criticism following their heavy defeat to Beşiktaş and elimination from the Champions League, Galatasaray remained focused on their domestic campaign under Buruk. The setbacks served as motivation for the team to recover in the ongoingSüper Lig season.
On 21 September 2024, Galatasaray faced arch-rivalsFenerbahçe in the firstderby of the2024–25 season at theŞükrü Saracoğlu Stadium inIstanbul. This match also marked the first derby for Fenerbahçe’s new manager,José Mourinho. Galatasaray delivered a commanding performance, defeating Fenerbahçe 3–1 in front of 44,514 spectators.[42] Despite a challenging start to the 2024–25 season, Galatasaray ended the first half on a high note, particularly with their strong performances in theEuropa League league phase. Domestically, they bounced back with consistent performances, including a record-breaking streak of 15 consecutive away wins, continuing into the 2024–25 season.[43] In the second half of the season, Galatasaray suffered setbacks including the elimination fromEurope League and the 0–0 home draw against title rivals Fenerbahçe, although they continue to lead the race with a six-point advantage.
On 2 April 2025, Buruk's nose was grabbed by Mourinho after Fenerbahçe lost 2–1 in the quarter-final at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.[44] Despite losing their unbeaten streak in the Süper Lig following a defeat to Beşiktaş, Galatasaray responded strongly with a series of successful results and maintained their position at the top of the standings. On 14 May 2025, they defeatedTrabzonspor 3–0 in the final of theTurkish Cup, securing the cup.[45] Just days later, on 18 May 2025, Galatasaray clinched the Süper Lig title with a victory againstKayserispor, securing the championship with two matches to spare. With this triumph, Galatasaray were crowned Süper Lig champions for the third consecutive season.[46][47][48]
He is originally fromAkçaabat,Trabzon. He married model and formerMiss Turkey andTop Model of the World 2003 winner Nihan Akkuş on 3 July 2007 and they had a son Ali Yiğit, in 2009. Their marriage ended in February 2024. But after a short time the couple got back together. His brother,Fuat, was also a professionalfootballer and is currently a coach.[49]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Galatasaray | 1991–92 | 1. Lig | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1992–93 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | — | 21 | 0 | |||
| 1993–94 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | 20 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | |||
| 1995–96 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 33 | 1 | |||
| 1996–97 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3[d] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 21 | 3 | ||
| 1997–98 | 24 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 2[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 35 | 6 | ||
| 1998–99 | 28 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 8[c] | 1 | – | 42 | 12 | |||
| 1999–2000 | 28 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 15[f] | 3 | – | 48 | 12 | |||
| 2000–01 | 26 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13[c] | 0 | 1[g] | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| Total | 188 | 32 | 31 | 3 | 52 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 274 | 39 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2001–02 | Serie A | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | – | 11 | 0 | |
| 2002–03 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7[c] | 0 | – | 22 | 2 | |||
| 2003–04 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | |||
| Total | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | – | 41 | 2 | |||
| Beşiktaş | 2004–05 | Süper Lig | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 2 | – | 26 | 2 | |
| 2005–06 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5[b] | 1 | – | 29 | 2 | |||
| Total | 43 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 3 | – | 55 | 4 | |||
| Galatasaray | 2006–07 | Süper Lig | 15 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3[c] | 1 | – | 22 | 2 | |
| 2007–08 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | – | 8 | 1 | |||
| Total | 19 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 1 | – | 30 | 3 | |||
| İstanbul BB | 2008–09 | Süper Lig | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 302 | 37 | 44 | 3 | 80 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 431 | 48 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey | 1992 | 1 | 0 |
| 1998 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2000 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2001 | 9 | 2 | |
| 2002 | 7 | 2 | |
| 2003 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2004 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 56 | 8 | |
| Team | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | Win % | ||||||
| Elazığspor | 30 October 2013 | 2 June 2014 | 33 | 11 | 6 | 16 | 033.33 | |||
| Gaziantepspor | 1 August 2014 | 10 June 2015 | 42 | 15 | 9 | 18 | 035.71 | |||
| Sivasspor | 27 October 2015 | 8 February 2016 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 018.18 | |||
| Göztepe | 1 August 2016 | 22 March 2017 | 32 | 14 | 7 | 11 | 043.75 | |||
| Akhisarspor | 28 March 2017 | 30 June 2018 | 54 | 24 | 11 | 19 | 044.44 | |||
| Çaykur Rizespor | 24 September 2018 | 29 May 2019 | 32 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 034.38 | |||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 11 June 2019 | 29 January 2021 | 79 | 36 | 18 | 25 | 045.57 | |||
| Galatasaray | 23 June 2022 | present | 187 | 136 | 27 | 24 | 072.73 | |||
| Total | 472 | 251 | 92 | 129 | 053.18 | |||||
Galatasaray
Beşiktaş
Turkey
Individual
Order
Akhisarspor
İstanbul Başakşehir
Galatasaray
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