Faruk Sağnak

Faruk Sağnak — Biography

Faruk Yakup Sağnak was born on 19 February 1924 in Istanbul. He began his football at Beşiktaş and wore only that club's shirt from 1943 to 1955, twelve years in which he made 273 appearances and scored 28 goals. He played across the pitch, in defence, midfield and on the left of the attack, with equal success, and his stubborn, unyielding style earned him the nickname Keçi Faruk ("Billy-goat Faruk").

His playing years coincided with the hardships of the Second World War, when the senior national team played few matches, so he was capped rarely. He was in the squad for the match against Germany on 17 June 1951, remembered as the "Berlin Victory" and one of the most unforgettable games in Turkish football history. With Beşiktaş he won the Istanbul Football League four times (1944-45, 1945-46, 1949-50, 1950-51), the Millî Küme twice (1944, 1947), the Turkish Football Championship in 1951 and the Istanbul Professional League in 1952 and 1953-54.

After retiring he served on Beşiktaş's boards at various times, and helped bring young players to the club as the 1959-60 championship side was assembled. He died in February 2012 at the age of 88; a ceremony was held in front of the club building at Akaretler and he was buried at Merdivenköy Cemetery.