Okan Buruk

Okan Buruk (Turkish pronunciation: [[oˈkan buɾuk]], born 19 October 1973) is a Turkish professional football manager and former player, currently serving as the manager of Super League club Galatasaray. As both a player and a manager, Buruk is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in Turkish football in the 21st century. With seven Super League titles as a player and three more as a manager, he holds the record for the most championships in the league’s history.
As a midfielder, Buruk enjoyed a successful playing career spanning nearly two decades. He played for prominent clubs, including Galatasaray, Inter Milan, Beşiktaş, and İstanbul Başakşehir. During his time at Galatasaray, he won six Süper Lig titles, four Turkish Cups, and was an instrumental part of the squad that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish team to achieve this milestone. He was also named Man of the Match in Galatasaray’s 2–1 victory over Real Madrid in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup.
Internationally, Buruk earned 56 caps for the Turkey national team. He represented Turkey at UEFA Euro 2000 and was in the squad that won the bronze medal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the nation’s best-ever finish in the tournament.
As a manager, Buruk achieved notable success. He guided Istanbul Başakşehir to their first-ever Super League title in the 2019–20 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 consecutive Süper Lig titles in the 2022–23 and 2023–24 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 with Galatasaray, where he played until 30 June 2001. During his nine-year tenure, he won six Süper Lig titles and played a pivotal role in Galatasaray’s European successes. He was part of the team that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish club to achieve this milestone. On 25 August 2000, Okan was named Man of the Match in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeated Real Madrid 2–1.
In 2001, Okan Buruk transferred to Inter Milan. On 26 August 2001, he made his Serie A debut in a match against Perugia, coming on as a substitute for Clarence Seedorf. On 21 October 2001, he provided an assist to Mohamed Kallon in the Milan Derby against AC Milan, although Inter lost 4–2. On 25 September 2002, he made his UEFA Champions League debut in a home victory against Ajax. He scored his first goal for Inter on 16 November 2002, in the 89th minute, securing a 2–2 draw in an away match against Roma. Okan played for Inter until 30 June 2004, he was known for his relentless energy and versatility in midfield.
On 21 October 2001, in the derby game against Fatih Terim's Milan, Okan made the assist to Mohamed 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 against Roma on 16 November 2002. Okan was a non-stop running player with energy; he mentioned that his former coach Hector Cuper yelled at him from the bench that he should stay at his position.
On 1 July 2004, Okan signed with Beşiktaş. During his two seasons with the club, he won the Turkish 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 the 2007–08 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 with İstanbul Büyükşehir Belediyespor. He continued to play professionally until his retirement in 22 May 2010, after a friendly match against the Czech Republic in Leipzig.
Okan made 56 appearances for the Turkey national team, representing the country at UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored Turkey's first ever European Championship goal, the equaliser of Euro 2000 in a 2–1 loss to Italy in Arnhem. Okan was also part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, but due to an injury he made his only appearance as a substitute in the 3–2 win against host nation South Korea in the third-place play-off.
Okan Buruk, who served as Administrative Coordinator of the Turkish national team during the Guus Hiddink era, became assistant coach in November 2011 following Abdullah Avcı’s appointment as head coach.
In August 2013, after Abdullah Avcı resigned, Buruk left his position with the national team. On 30 October 2013, he signed a 2-year contract with Elazığspor. 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.
In the 2014–15 season, Buruk signed a 3-year contract with Gaziantepspor. After finishing the season in mid-table, he terminated his contract by mutual agreement due to disagreements about the next season.
On 26 October 2015, Buruk signed a 1-year contract with Sivasspor after Sergen Yalçın vacated the managerial role. Starting in the 10th week, Buruk resigned after achieving 2 wins, 7 losses, and 2 draws in 11 matches.
In 1 June 2016, Buruk signed a 3-year contract with the TFF 1. Lig team Göztepe. Following a series of poor results, he announced his resignation on 20 March 2017.
On 28 March 2017, Buruk replaced Tolunay Kafkas as the manager of Akhisarspor with a 1.5-year contract. On 11 May 2018, Under Buruk’s management, Akhisarspor achieved a historic milestone by securing their first-ever Turkish Cup victory. In the 2017–18 Turkish Cup Final Akhisarspor defeated Fenerbahçe 3–2, marking a significant achievement for the club. This victory not only secured the prestigious trophy but also earned Akhisarspor a spot in the group stage of the 2018–19 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 the Super League at the time, sought a salary increase in recognition of his achievements, but an agreement could not be reached.
On 19 September 2018, Buruk was appointed as the head coach of Çaykur Rizespor following the departure of İbrahim Üzülmez. Under his management, the team managed to avoid relegation in the 2018–19 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. 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.
On 11 June 2019, Okan Buruk was appointed as head coach of Başakşehir following the departure of Abdullah Avcı. In the 2019–20 season, Başakşehir adopted the slogan “New Vision, Same Goal.” After being eliminated by Olympiacos in the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League play-off, the team competed in the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League, where they were placed in Group J alongside Roma, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Wolfsberger. Despite an initial 4–0 loss to Roma, Başakşehir topped the group with notable wins, including a 3–0 victory over Wolfsberger and a dramatic 2–1 away win against Borussia Mönchengladbach to secure first place.
In the Round of 32, Başakşehir faced Sporting 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 by Edin Višća, to progress 5–4 on aggregate. This victory was seen as a remarkable achievement for the club in European competition.
In the Round of 16, Başakşehir played Copenhagen. They won the first leg 1–0 in Istanbul with a penalty goal from Edin Višća. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, all second-leg matches, originally scheduled for 19 March 2020, were postponed indefinitely. 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.
On 19 July 2020, Başakşehir were crowned champions of the Süper Lig for the first time in the club’s history under Buruk’s management. 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 the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League. They were placed in Group H alongside Paris Saint-Germain, RB Leipzig, and Manchester United. Despite finishing fourth in the group, Başakşehir secured a historic 2–1 home victory against Manchester United, with goals from Demba Ba and Edin Višća. 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.
On 22 June 2022, Buruk returned to Galatasaray, this time as head coach. He signed a two-year contract with an additional option for one more year. In his debut season, Buruk guided Galatasaray to a record-breaking 14 consecutive league wins, the longest winning streak in the club’s history. Under his management, the team showcased dominant performances throughout the season, highlighted by derby victories and consistent defensive solidity. Galatasaray secured the 2022–23 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.
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 the 2023–24 season, Galatasaray qualified for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League by progressing through three preliminary rounds. However, Galatasaray competed in the UEFA Champions League and finished third in Group A, which included Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Manchester United. Highlights included a dramatic 3–2 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford and a thrilling 3–3 draw in Istanbul. Their group stage performance secured them a place in the UEFA Europa League knockout round play-offs.
In the Europa League, Galatasaray faced Sparta 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. and moved to the UEFA Europa League, where their European journey ended in the round of 16 playoffs.
In December 2023, the Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, scheduled in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was canceled due to a dispute over the display of slogans and imagery related to Mustafa 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 the Turkish 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 in Şanlıurfa for the 2023 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’s Mauro 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 crowned Turkish Super Cup champions.
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 the Rams Park. This loss delayed their chance to celebrate the championship and added pressure going into the final matchday.
Despite the setback, Galatasaray bounced back in the final week of the season with a dominant 3–1 away victory against Konyaspor on 26 May 2024. With this win, the team clinched the 2023–24 Süper Lig title, their second consecutive league championship under Buruk. This victory also marked Galatasaray's record-breaking 24th Süper 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).
On 7 June 2024, ahead of the 2024–25 season season Buruk signed a new two-year contract with Galatasaray, extending his tenure with the club. On 3 August 2024, Galatasaray faced their rivals Beşiktaş in the 2024 Turkish Super Cup final. Despite entering the match as favorites, Galatasaray suffered a heavy 5–0 defeat at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul. This result marked one of the club’s most significant losses in a domestic final. Just weeks later, Galatasaray’s bid to qualify for the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League group stage ended in disappointment when they faced Young 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 the Rams Park in Istanbul and were eliminated on a 4–2 aggregate.
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 ongoing Süper Lig season.
On 21 September 2024, Galatasaray faced arch-rivals Fenerbahçe in the first derby of the 2024–25 season at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul. 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. Despite a challenging start to the 2024–25 season, Galatasaray ended the first half on a high note, particularly with their strong performances in the Europa 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. In the second half of the season, Galatasaray suffered setbacks including the elimination from Europe League and the 0-0 home draw agains title rivals Fenerbahçe, although they continue to lead the race with a 6 point advantage.
On April 2, 2025, Buruk's nose was grabbed by Mourinho after Fenerbahçe lost 2-1 in the quarter-final at Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul.
He is originally from Akçaabat, Trabzon. He married model and former Miss Turkey and Top 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. His brother, Fuat, was also a professional footballer and is currently a coach.
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Source:
Galatasaray
Beşiktaş
Turkey
Individual
Order
Galatasaray
İstanbul Başakşehir
Akhisarspor