Hayrettin Yerlikaya

Hayrettin Yerlikaya — Biography

Hayrettin Yerlikaya (born 13 August 1981 in Sivas) is a former Turkish footballer who played as a left-back and defender. He spent his entire career at Sivasspor, the club that produced him, and is regarded as one of the most important players in its history.

He wore the captain's armband for long stretches, took part in the club's greatest successes and held its record for Süper Lig appearances with 179, a mark that stood until Kadir Bekmezci passed it in May 2015. He won his first cap for Turkey in 2007. A road accident in September 2008 was widely covered in the sports press and drew get-well messages from across Turkish football, rival clubs included.

After retiring he turned to coaching, taking charge of Sivas Belediyespor and leading his first training session there in December 2022. He continued to work on bringing young players through and made appearances with students in Sivas, keeping his standing as a club legend.