Gökmen Özdenak

Gökmen Özdenak — Biography

Gökmen Özdenak was born on 22 June 1947 in Istanbul. A striker, he was best known for his time at Galatasaray and also represented the Turkey national team. Known for his physical strength on the pitch, he earned the nickname “Ayı Gökmen” (“Gökmen the Bear”). He was the older brother of former national team goalkeeper Yasin Özdenak.

After retiring from football, Özdenak became a sports journalist, working for many years as a commentator on the television program Telegol. From 2015 he co-hosted the program Serbest Vuruş alongside Ziya Şengül on the TVem channel. He died in Istanbul on 31 December 2025; his passing was mourned across Turkish football, with tributes from figures including former Galatasaray coach Fatih Terim, and the Turkish Football Federation held a moment of silence in his memory.