Naci Erdem

Naci Erdem — Biography

Naci Erdem (28 January 1931 – 28 March 2022) was a Turkish footballer and later a football manager who spent his playing career mainly with Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. A centre-back, he began his career at Fatih Karagümrük before joining Fenerbahçe in the early 1950s.

Between 1953 and 1963 he made 605 appearances for Fenerbahçe, scoring 168 goals and ranking among the club's most-capped players, while winning the Turkish league title four times with the side. After moving to Galatasaray in 1964 he added a further league title there. Erdem also earned 34 caps for the Turkish national team, captaining the side on three occasions, and was part of Turkey's squad at the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

Following his playing career he worked as a coach, and he remained closely tied to Fatih Karagümrük, where over the years he served as a player, manager and club president. He died in Istanbul on 28 March 2022.