Yusuf Tunaoğlu

Yusuf Tunaoğlu

Personal information
Full name	Yusuf Kemal Tunaoğlu
Date of birth	(1946-01-01)1 January 1946
Place of birth	Istanbul, Turkey
Date of death	23 October 2000(2000-10-23) (aged 54)
Place of death	Kuşadası, Aydın, Turkey
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
1958–1962	Beşiktaş B
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1962–1974	Beşiktaş	172	(23)
1974–1975	Altay	16	(0)
1975–1976	Beşiktaş	9	(0)
Total		197	(23)
International career
1963–1964	Turkey U-18	5	(1)
1966–1967	Turkey U-21	3	(1)
1964–1971	Turkey	6	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Yusuf Tunaoğlu (1 January 1946 – 22 July 2000) was a Turkish former international footballer[1] and sports writer.[2][3]

Career

Yusuf Tunaoğlu started to play football at the age of 8.[4] Tunaoğlu started to play club football at Beşiktaş J.K in 1958, where he was promoted to senior team at the age of 17 in 1962–63 season.[5] In June 1970, Tunaoğlu was linked with Belgian side Anderlecht.[6] Tunaoğlu retired from professional football in 1976.[7]

Yusuf Tunaoğlu represented Turkey, making 6 appearances between 1964 and 1971.

With support from senior sports writer, İslam Çupi,[8] Yusuf Tunaoğlu joined Turkish nationwide newspaper Milliyet as a sports writer in 1987.[9]

Style of play and reception

Yusuf Tunaoğlu is regarded as an "unforgettable player" by Beşiktaş J.K.[10] His former teammate Sanlı Sarıalioğlu described his style "magical" whereas his other former teammate Vedat Okyar once expressed about him: "While playing alongside [him], sometimes I was stopping to play for a moment and ruminating as watching him play. This great football talent [Tunaoğlu] astonished everybody".[11]

During his professional career, Tunaoğlu possessed renown attributes of vision on pitch, playmaking, precision passing and ball control.[12] He also possessed a high level upper body strength.[13]

Death and legacy

Tunaoğlu died due to cardiac arrest in Kuşadası on 22 July 2000. He was buried in Zincirlikuyu Cemetery.[14] Since then, Tunaoğlu is commemorated annually by Beşiktaş J.K. representatives upon his grave.[15][16]

In 2001, a charity game held after Tunaoğlu's name where former Big Three players competed at a single-game 6-on-6 teams honorary tournament, including former Beşiktaş players Mehmet Ekşi, Rıza Çalımbay, Metin Tekin, Ziya Doğan, Cem Pamiroğlu, Uğur Tütüneker and Özcan Kızıltan held at Süleyman Seba Hall in Fulya, Beşiktaş.[17]

In 2009, owned by Ministry of Youth and Sports, Yusuf Tunaoğlu Stadium with 2,500 seating capacity was opened in Ayazağa Neighbourhood of Sarıyer District, Istanbul.[18]

On 16 October 2019, Beşiktaş J.K. announced "Yusuf Tunaoğlu Football Directorate" is openened at Nevzat Demir Facilities of the club, located in Ümraniye, Istanbul.[19]

Achievements

Beşiktaş J.K

• Süper Lig (2): 1965–66, 1966–67
• Turkish Super Cup (1): 1966–67
• TSYD Cup (4): 1964–65, 1965–66, 1971–72, 1972–73

Turkey

• ECO Cup (1): 1969

Individual

• Beşiktaş J.K. Squads of Century (Golden Team)[20]

Filmography

Year	Title	Role	Director
1974	Arkadaş	The Drunk	Yılmaz Güney[21]

References

1. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu - Player Details - TFF". Turkish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
2. "Farkı Simoviç Önledi". Milliyet (in Turkish). 26 October 1987. p. 15.
3. ""Bu Futbol Alkışlanır"". Milliyet (in Turkish). 1 November 1987. p. 15.
4. "Soru Yağmuru Altında: K. Yusuf "Bu Yıl Kuapalara Abone Olduk"". Milliyet (in Turkish). 11 June 1966. p. 8.
5. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu Anıldı" (in Turkish). Goal. 19 November 2008. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
6. "Yusuf Fransa ve Belçika'ya Gidecek". Milliyet (in Turkish). 24 June 1970. p. 10.
7. "Yusuf Efsanesinde İkinci Kuşak". Milliyet (in Turkish). 16 February 1993. p. 22.
8. Çupi, İslam (25 July 2000). "Beşiktaş ve Tunaoğlu". Milliyet (in Turkish). p. 36.
9. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu Milliyet'te". Milliyet (in Turkish). 13 August 1987. p. 16.
10. "Büyüklerimizi Anıyoruz" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 20 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
11. Çongur, Elif (20 July 2011). "Beşiktaş'ın öz oğlu Yusuf Tunaoğlu" (in Turkish). Hürriyet. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
12. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu'nu Kabri Başında Anacağız" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 21 July 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020. Büyük top tekniği, driplingleri, arkadaşlarına attığı milimetrik paslar ve oyun kuruculuktaki zekası ile oldukça yetenekli bir futbolcuydu.
13. Yiğit, Kartal (23 July 2000). "Hüzünlü Merhaba" (in Turkish). Milliyet. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
14. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu'nu Andık" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 22 July 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
15. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu'nu Andık" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 22 July 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020. Unutulmaz futbolcumuz merhum Yusuf Tunaoğlu vefatının 11. yıldönümünde kabri başında anıldı. Zincirlikuyu Mezarlığı'ndaki anma törenine Onursal Başkanımız Süleyman Seba, Kulüp Genel Koordinatörümüz Levent Çifter, Divan ve Kurul Üyelerimizin yanı sıra Yusuf Tunaoğlu'nun ailesi ve sevenleri katıldı. Yönetim Kurulumuzun çelenk gönderdiği anma tören okunan dualarla sona erdi.
16. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu'nu Anıyoruz" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 22 July 2012. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
17. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu salonda anıldı" (in Turkish). NTV (Turkey). 24 January 2001. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
18. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu Stadı" (in Turkish). www.istanbulsporenvanteri.com. Archived from the original on 10 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
19. "Yusuf Tunaoğlu Futbol Direktörlüğü'nün Açılış Töreni Yapıldı" (in Turkish). Beşiktaş J.K. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
20. "Beşiktaş J.K. Squads of Century (Golden Team)".
21. "Arkadaş Full Cast & Crew" (in Turkish). IMDb. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2020.

External links

• Profile at Turkish Football Federation
• Yusuf Tunaoğlu at National-Football-Teams.com