The Best Football Teams in Turkey
When talking about football in Turkey, we really need to turn our attention to one city – Istanbul.
Yes, there are other football teams in other cities across Turkey, but they really don’t match up to the quality, history, and craziness of Istanbul’s biggest teams! We are of course talking about Turkey’s big three – Galatasaray, Besiktas, and Fenerbahce. Over the couple of years, another team has made waves in the Turkish Super League, a team called Basaksehir, but again, history and craziness comes into it!
Galatasaray are the new Turkish champions, having welcomed back their old hugely successful manager of the past, Fatih Terim. With massive players such as Gomis, Muslera, Belhanda, and Rodrigues, amongst many others, they won the league this year and therefore a spot in near season’s Champions’ League.
Besiktas have some big names too, in particular they have the Portuguese star Quaresma, and Talisca too. Fenerbahce aren’t short, with Soldado, Fernandao, and Skrtel too.
With these names and the passion of the fans, you might wonder why Turkish teams aren’t quite as famous as their European counterparts. Well, that comes down to many factors. Many people argue that the standard of football in Turkey just don’t come to the same level as Germany, Italy, England, and Spain, and in many ways that would be correct. What they lack in high skill however, they don’t lack in passion! It is also thought that this is likely to change very soon, as more investment in big players takes place, and a focus on grassroots football across the country, to bring up exciting Turkish talent to the fore.
Experiencing an Istanbul Derby
If you manage to time your visit just right, you could find yourself in the city for one of the big derby matches. This means that the two of the big three play each other. These matches are often sold out affairs, but it’s not impossible to get tickets if you’re lucky. The price will be higher than regular matches, but it’s definitely worth it!
The biggest match in the calendar is Galatasaray V Fenerbahce, and this is where the biggest and strongest rivalry between teams is. Whilst you’ll get a passionate affair when Besiktas play one of these two, nothing beats the age old rivalry of this match.
The most obvious thing? The sound. Inside the stadium, whether your team are playing at home or away, the noise will be very, very loud! Galatasaray fans in particular are known for their volume, and this match at the Turk Telekom Arena will certainly give you a ringing in the ears for a few days afterwards! You’ll also notice that dedicated fans take this match very, very seriously!
Families attend, groups, couples, everyone, and it’s a real coming together kind of atmosphere. Whilst getting into and out of the stadium might take you some time, becuase of the crowds, you’ll find everyone talking to each other and laughing, it’s a real fun day out, and probably not at all what you would expect.
If you can’t manage to get tickets, you can go and watch these matches at various bars and cafes around the city. You might have to pay a small amount to get in and watch the match on these days, but you normally get a drink free, so it evens itself out.
This really is an experience you can’t miss, and you’ll quickly find yourself swept up in the excitement of it all! Pick a side, make sure you’re sat in the right part before you start singing, and get yourself thrown into the fun of it! You’ll be exhausted by the end of it, but win or lose, there really is no derby experience like one in Istanbul!
