Yavuz Şimşek

Yavuz Şimşek — Biography

Yavuz Şimşek is known as a former Turkey international goalkeeper who guarded Fenerbahçe's goal from the late 1960s to the mid-1970s and had a share in four league titles. Away from the pitch, he is also remembered for playing the character Duvar Ahmet in Kemal Sunal's film Gol Kralı.

He began his professional career in 1965 with PTT Ankara and moved to Fenerbahçe in 1967. He stayed a full ten years, until 1977, and played 251 matches. In the first round of the European Champion Clubs' Cup he played well in the first leg against Manchester City on 18 September 1968, and he contributed greatly as Fenerbahçe went through to the second round after winning the return leg 2-1.

At Fenerbahçe he won league titles in 1967-68, 1969-70, 1973-74 and 1974-75, as well as two Federation Cups (now the Turkish Cup), one Balkan Cup and one President's Cup. He completed his higher education in 1972 at the Istanbul Private Journalism College. He is the brother of footballer Yusuf Şimşek and the uncle of Murat Şimşek.