Kemal Faruki

Kemal Faruki — Biography

Kemal Faruki was a forward who played for Galatasaray in the 1920s and 1930s and spent his whole career at that club. He was twice the top scorer of the Istanbul Football League and scored in the first match he played for the national team; because of his unexpected and unconventional moves he was nicknamed "Zıt Kemal". Besides football he also worked as a businessman.

Educated at Galatasaray High School, Faruki was in the club's first team in 1924-25, and in his first years sat on the bench behind Rebii Erkal, Muslihittin Peykoğlu and Mehmet Leblebi. Under Billy Hunter he became a regular in 1928-29, finished as top scorer with 8 goals and contributed to the title. In 1930-31 he formed the front four with Latif Yalınlı, Rebii Erkal and Mehmet Leblebi, and scored 13 goals in 14 matches to become top scorer again. In later years he got little playing time in a squad that grew larger and younger, and he left the pitch in the first half of the 1930s. With Galatasaray he won five Istanbul League titles and the 1933 Istanbul Cup.

For the national team he made his debut on July 17, 1927, in a 3-3 friendly against Bulgaria and scored in that first match; under Béla Toth he scored twice in three matches between 1927 and 1928. He was in the squad for the 1928 Summer Olympics but did not play in any match. He later settled in Egypt, married there, and died in Cairo on January 27, 1988.