Ali Beratlıgil

Ali Beratlıgil — Biography

Born on 21 October 1931 in İzmit, Ali Beratlıgil was a Turkish international footballer and later a coach, best remembered as one of the key figures of Galatasaray's standout squad of the 1950s alongside teammates such as Metin Oktay, Suat Mamat, İsfendiyar Açıksöz, Kadri Aytaç and Turgay Şeren.

Because a teammate at Galatasaray also shared the name Ali (Ali Soydan), fans and the press nicknamed Beratlıgil "Büyük Ali" ("Ali the Great") to tell them apart. Known for his versatility, he was capable of playing nearly every outfield position. He was part of Turkey's squad at the 1954 FIFA World Cup, though he did not appear in any matches during the tournament.

After retiring as a player, Beratlıgil went on to work as a coach. He died on 1 February 2016 in Bursa.