Sezer Özmen

Sezer Özmen — Biography

Sezer Özmen is a defender who came up through Beşiktaş's youth system and plays at left center-back and as a sweeper. The turning point of his youth career was the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, where Turkey reached the quarter-final; he went on to play for Çaykur Rizespor, FC Metz and a string of Turkish clubs, and he now plays for Fethiyespor.

He started at Bakırköyspor in 2005 and, noticed for his performances in the Istanbul championship, moved to Beşiktaş a year later, becoming a regular in the reserve side. In 2010 he signed a professional contract and was loaned to Çaykur Rizespor to gain experience; the loan was extended for a year, and in 2011-12 he played 28 matches and scored twice. Recalled to Beşiktaş when Samet Aybaba took charge, he failed to impress and was sold to Rizespor, signing a four-year deal. In July 2015 he agreed terms with Metz in France and, after seven league games, left by mutual consent in December 2015. In later years he played for Alanyaspor, Yeni Malatyaspor, Adana Demirspor, Hekimoğlu Trabzon and Turgutluspor, and from December 2022 for Fethiyespor.

He played for Turkey at under-17, under-18 and under-19 level. At the 2009 U-17 World Cup he came on after a red card against the UAE and made his mark, and he started in the quarter-final in which Turkey went out to Colombia on penalties. In a 2023 interview he talked about his Beşiktaş days and the racist treatment he experienced in France, and said he wants to become a referee, a "homegrown Collina", after football.