Burhan Sargun

Burhan Sargun — Biography

Burhan Cahit Sargun was a Fenerbahçe forward of the 1950s, remembered in Turkish football above all for the three goals he scored against South Korea at the 1954 World Cup. He is described as the first and only Turkish player to score a World Cup hat-trick. Fans called him "Canavar Burhan" (Burhan the Monster) for his high scoring rate and a dynamic style that wore opponents down.

He began at Hacettepe and moved to Fenerbahçe in 1951. As a centre forward he wore the yellow-and-navy shirt in two spells, 1951-1956 and 1960-1961, and scored 112 goals in total. He also played for the youth national side, and for the senior Turkey team he made 8 appearances and scored 7 goals. His goal against Spain in the 1954 World Cup qualifiers opened Turkey's way to the finals, and he scored his hat-trick against South Korea at the tournament in Switzerland.

His bond with Fenerbahçe continued after he stopped playing: he served the club in management and became a member of its high advisory council. He died on 15 September 2023 aged 94 and was buried the next day at Karacaahmet Cemetery.