Colin Kâzım-Richards

Colin Kâzım-Richards — Biography

Colin Kâzım-Richards, known in Turkey as Kâzım Kâzım, was a forward and Turkey international of Cypriot Turkish heritage who grew up in England. After retiring as a player he moved into coaching, and since March 2026 he has managed Crawley Town in England's fourth tier, EFL League Two. He became known in Turkish football through Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray, and as a well-travelled player whose clubs stretched from Europe to South America and Mexico.

After the youth sides of Queens Park Rangers and Arsenal he joined Bury at 15 and turned professional there. Brighton & Hove Albion signed him for £250,000 won in a Coca-Cola competition, which earned him the nickname "Coca-Cola Kid", and at Sheffield United he played in the Premier League. In 2007 he moved to Fenerbahçe, won the Super Cup and scored against Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-final. He went on loan to Toulouse, joined Galatasaray in 2011, and at Olympiacos won the Greek league and cup. He later played for Blackburn Rovers, Bursaspor, Feyenoord, Celtic, Coritiba, Corinthians, Lobos BUAP, Veracruz, Pachuca, Derby County and, from 2022, Fatih Karagümrük.

He qualified for Turkish citizenship through his mother's heritage, chose Turkey in 2007 and earned 37 caps and two goals for the senior side until 2015, also playing for the under-21s and the B team. A goal he scored in his first season at Galatasaray went into the record books as the last ever scored at Ali Sami Yen Stadium.