Bilgin Defterli

Bilgin Defterli — Biography

Bilgin Defterli is one of the best-known Turkish women forwards to have played in Germany. She represented the Turkey women's national team from 1999 to 2014, captained it for a time, and became the first foreign player to win the top-scorer title in the German women's 2. Bundesliga. After leaving the pitch she moved into coaching and, as of October 2020, was an assistant coach at Türkspor Dortmund, an amateur-league side in Germany.

She was the youngest of six children. As a girl she played with the boys in her neighborhood and on the school boys' team, until her physical education teacher spotted her talent and persuaded her parents. In 1996 she joined Dinarsuspor in Istanbul. A short loan to Feriköy brought a second-league title, promotion to the first league and 29 goals in 20 matches. She then won first-league championships with Delta Mobilyaspor and Kuzeyspor. When Turkey's women's leagues were dissolved in 2003, she went abroad.

She was admitted to the FSV Frankfurt squad in 2004, and with no foreign language the early months were hard. At Brauweiler Pulheim she scored 28 goals in 24 matches, and when that club folded in 2009 she joined 1. FC Köln, where 22 goals in 20 matches in her first year made her the division's top scorer. In 2014 she moved to Alemannia Aachen. Fans called her Billy, and she is known for turning a somersault after scoring.