Galatasaray S.K. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Galatasaray S.K.

Full name	Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (Galatasaray Sports Club)
Nicknames	Cimbom (Turkish pronunciation: [dʒimbom]) Aslanlar (The Lions) Gala (referred to by non-Turkish nationals)
School	Galatasaray University Galatasaray High School
Founded	1 October 1905; 119 years ago (1905-10-01) as Galata-Serai Football Club by Ali Sami Yen
Based in	Istanbul, Turkey
Stadium	Ali Sami Yen Sports Complex
Colors	Yellow and red
Anthem	Galatasaray Marşı
President	Dursun Özbek
Head coach	Okan Buruk
Titles	Intercontinental titles: 4 European titles: 17 Balkan titles: 3
Mascot	Lion
Official fan club	ultrAslan
Local media	GSTV
Website	Galatasaray SK

Galatasaray Spor Kulübü, often called simply Galatasaray or by its nickname Cimbom, is a famous sports club from Istanbul, Turkey. It's located on the European side of the city. Galatasaray is known for many sports, including basketball, wheelchair basketball, volleyball, water polo, and esports. The club is a big part of the Galatasaray Community, which also includes Galatasaray University and the well-known Galatasaray High School.

The football team of Galatasaray is the most successful in Turkey. They have won the most titles in the Süper Lig (25 times), Turkish Cup (19 times), and Turkish Super Cup (17 times). These are the top football competitions in Turkey.

In the year 2000, Galatasaray made history by winning the UEFA Cup after beating Arsenal F.C.. They also won the UEFA Super Cup by defeating Real Madrid C.F.. This made Galatasaray the only Turkish football club to achieve such big success in European football.

Beyond football, Galatasaray's wheelchair basketball team has won the Champions Cup multiple times (2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014). They also became world champions by winning the Kitakyushu Champions Cup several times. The Galatasaray women's basketball team won the 2013–14 EuroLeague Women and the FIBA Eurocup (2009, 2018). The men's basketball team won their first EuroCup championship in 2016.

What Does Galatasaray Mean?

Galatasaray is a neighborhood in Istanbul, located near the Golden Horn. The name comes from "Galata," which might be linked to the "Galatians," ancient Celtic tribes. Galatasaray means "Galata Palace" because "saray" means "palace" in Persian. Galatasaray High School, founded in 1481 in this area, is where the sports club and other Galatasaray institutions began.

The club's nickname, Cim-Bom(-Bom), has an unknown origin. Sometimes, English speakers simply call the club "Gala."

How Galatasaray Started

Galatasaray SK was founded in October 1905 by Ali Sami Yen and other students from Galatasaray High School. Ali Sami Yen became the club's first president. His father, Şemseddin Sami, was a famous writer and philosopher from the Ottoman Empire.

The club's first match was against Cadi Keuy FRC, which Galatasaray won 2–0. At first, they thought about names like Gloria (victory) or Audace (courage). But they decided on Galatasaray. Some say the name came from spectators who called them "Galata Sarayı Efendileri" (Gentlemen of Galata Palace) after an early win.

In 1905, there were no laws to officially register clubs in the Ottoman Empire. Galatasaray became legally registered after the 1912 Law of Association. Ali Sami Yen once said, "Our aim is to play together like Englishmen, to have a color and a name, and to beat the non-Turkish teams."

Team Colors and Kit

Galatasaray's classic home kit

When Galatasaray was founded, their colors were red and white. These are the colors of the modern Turkish flag. However, due to political reasons at the time, they temporarily changed to yellow and dark blue.

After more changes in 1908, new colors were chosen: red and yellow. Ali Sami Yen explained, "We were imagining brightness of yellow – red fire over our team and thinking that it would carry us from one victory to another." These colors were also inspired by the roses offered to Sultan Bayezid II by Gül Baba.

Club Crest

The first Galatasaray SK crest with Arabic letters

Galatasaray's first emblem showed an eagle with its wings spread, holding a football. This was designed by Şevki Ege, a student. In 1925, the club adopted its current "Ghayn-Sin" crest, which was designed by Ayetullah Emin.

Sports Teams at Galatasaray

Galatasaray is home to many different sports teams. Here are some of the current departments:

Major Achievements

Galatasaray has won many important titles in various sports:

Club Facilities

Stadiums Where Galatasaray Plays

Galatasaray Store at Nef Stadium

In its early years, Galatasaray played in different fields because there were no stadiums in Istanbul. The first stadium, Taksim Stadium, opened in 1921. Galatasaray played there until 1940. After Taksim Stadium was taken down, Galatasaray planned to build a new, modern stadium.

On December 20, 1964, the Ali Sami Yen Stadium opened. It was named after the club's founder, Ali Sami Yen. This stadium was known as "Hell" because of its intense atmosphere.

After 2002, Galatasaray started playing European matches at Atatürk Olympic Stadium. A record 79,414 fans watched a Galatasaray–Olympiacos match there. However, Ali Sami Yen Stadium remained very important to Galatasaray fans.

The new Nef Stadium was built for Galatasaray. It replaced the old Ali Sami Yen Stadium, which was taken down in 2011. The new stadium has seats for 52,695 fans.

After every goal Galatasaray scores, a part of the song "I Will Survive" by the Hermes House Band is played. Before each game, the Florida State Seminoles' war chant is played. Fans also do a "scarf show," waving their Galatasaray scarves.

Other Important Club Locations

Galatasaray Islet on the Bosphorus

An exterior view of the Nevzat Özgörkey Equestrian Facilities of Galatasaray S.K.

An interior view of the Nevzat Özgörkey Equestrian Facilities of Galatasaray S.K.

• Galatasaray Islet
• Galatasaray Museum
• Florya Metin Oktay Sports Complex and Training Center
• Galatasaray Beyoğlu Hasnun Galip Club Administrative Center
• Galatasaray Küçükçekmece Rowing Center
• Galatasaray Nevzat Özgörkey Equestrian Facilities
• Galatasaray Olympic Aquatic Center
• Galatasaray Gölbaşı Ankara Facilities
• Galatasaray Taçspor Tesisleri

Club Leaders

Board of Directors

Past Presidents

Galatasaray Stores

Galatasaray Store

Galatasaray AŞ owns a chain of 81 Galatasaray Stores. These stores sell club merchandise like jerseys and souvenirs. You can find them in Turkey, Azerbaijan, Netherlands, Germany, and Northern Cyprus.

See also

In Spanish: Galatasaray Spor Kulübü para niños