Ali Gültiken

Ali Gültiken — Biography

Ali Kurtuluş Gültiken is one of the most celebrated forwards in Beşiktaş history. The attacking line he formed with Metin Tekin and Feyyaz Uçar became known as “Metin-Ali-Feyyaz” and inspired its own chants from the supporters. Today he works as a television and newspaper pundit; in summer 2026 he signalled that he might run for the Beşiktaş presidency.

He started at Bakırköy Yücespor and moved to Beşiktaş in 1983. He began as a right back, and his career changed when the English coach Gordon Milne moved him into the forward line. In 1987-88 he scored 30 goals in 38 matches, finishing second in the scoring chart behind Tanju Çolak. In 1989 he hit four in a 10-0 win over Adana Demirspor. With Beşiktaş he won five league titles and three Turkish Cups; in the unbeaten 1991-92 season he suffered a serious injury after scoring against Galatasaray and never fully regained his form. He left in 1995 and spent his last season at Kayserispor. For Beşiktaş he scored 91 goals in 262 league matches, and he was capped 38 times at various national levels.

After founding his own menswear brand he worked at Erzurumspor, Yozgatspor and Manisaspor. In 2006-07 he served as football manager at Beşiktaş, and in the second half of 2009 he became sporting director at Göztepe, taking part in the club's promotion to the 1. Lig in 2010-11.