Arif chrome corresponding to Euro 2000 (PANINI).
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We continue this week with football and again we will remember a player from the golden age of Ottoman football: Arif Erdem.
Who was?: A Turkish striker from the 90s and 2000s.
Why are you reminded ?: Well, for being a legend of Galatasaray, for being part of the Turkey that was third in the 2002 World Cup and for his brief stint at the Royal Society.
What became of him ?: He retired in 2005 in the ranks of Galatasaray. After a brief experience as a coach, he found himself involved in a shady affair. The Turkish authorities linked him to the failed coup against Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. Erem left Turkey and after a stint in Greece, he now resides in the United States.
Did you know…?: He is of Albanian origin.
– His family comes from North Macedonia.
– In the Real Sociedad he played only six months. He only played two games and scored a goal, in a stay marked by injuries.
– After returning to Istanbul, he regretted his signing: “I just wanted to sign for a European club, I didn’t think about it. I signed the first offer I received ”.
Recent image from Erdem (WIKIPEDIA).
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– In 2016, he was accused, along with colleagues like Hakan Sukur, of supporting the FETO organization, considered a terrorist by the Erdogan government and led from exile in the United States by Fethullah Gulen. In the summer of 2016, this organization maneuvered to carry out an alleged coup that killed more than 250 victims before failing. Following these events, Erdem fled to Greece and later settled in the United States, where his former teammate and Galatasaray teammate Hakan Sukur also live.
– Although Erdem always denied any connection with the Gulen movement, both the Turkish federation and Galatasaray, as has happened with Sukur, have eliminated their record.
– With his team he played the Euro Cups in 1996 and 2000 and the World Cup in 2002.
– In 2002 he was the top scorer in the Turkish league.
– He is married and he has two children.
– It measures 1.80 meters.
Biography, honors, statistics: Arif Erdem was born on January 2, 1972 in Istanbul, Turkey. He made his professional debut in 1991 at Galatasaray. After nine seasons, in 2000 he signed for Real Sociedad, but after six months, he returned to Galata, where he retired in 2005. In his record he has seven leagues, five cups, three super cups and one UEFA, all with Galatasaray. With his selection he played 60 games and scored 11 goals.
See you tomorrow.
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