Metin Oktay

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Metin Oktay was born in Karşıyaka, İzmir, on 2 February 1936. His father was an Albanian factory worker and his mother a Turkish homemaker. He married Servet Kardicali on 12 May 1965, in Istanbul. On 9 February 1965, the couple had a daughter named Zeynep, who died the same day she was born. In 1979, Metin and Servet Oktay had a granddaughter from their son Rifat Halil Pala named Zeynep Pala. He lived with his family until he died on 13 September 1991 in Istanbul. He started his career at Damlacık in 1952, moved to Yün Mensucat, then İzmirspor, and was transferred to Galatasaray in 1955. He played for Galatasaray until 1969, with a short period at Palermo in 1961–1962. He scored 18 goals against Fenerbahçe in his career, including four goals in a 5–0 victory against them in December 1960. He played 36 times for Turkey and scored 19 goals. He died in a car accident on 13 September 1991.

In Their Own Story

In 1955, Gündüz Kılıç, trainer and former footballer of Galatasaray transferred Metin Oktay. Oktay, then only 19 years old, signed a five-year contract with Galatasaray in exchange for a Chevrolet car. Despite his young age, he was the top scorer in his first season in the Istanbul League, with 19 goals, and his team Galatasaray won the championship. Oktay was top scorer for four seasons in the İstanbul League and then three more in the Turkish League, thus making it seven consecutive years in the competitions he played in. He made a record-breaking contract with Galatasaray in 1960 and because of this deal he had to divorce his wife Oya Sarı who wanted him to play for his old club İzmirspor.

Reader's Guide

Oktay was a striker known for his goal-scoring prowess. He was top scorer in the Istanbul League for four seasons and in the Turkish League for three more, making seven consecutive years. He set a record with 217 goals in the Turkish League and was the most crowned top scorer six times. He was also assistant coach and head coach of Galatasaray in 1969–70, later coached Bursaspor, and was a board member in 1984 for two years.

Did You Know?

• Metin Oktay scored 18 goals against Fenerbahçe in his career.
• He hit the ball hard enough to open a hole in Fenerbahçe's goal net during a derby in 1959.
• He was the first Turkish footballer to play himself in a movie based on his life while actively playing.
• Galatasaray's training facility is named the Metin Oktay Sports Complex and Training Center.