Kaya Tarakçı

Kaya Tarakçı — Biography

Born in Adana, Kaya Tarakçı is a retired goalkeeper who played for many clubs across Turkey and won the 2016-17 Turkish Cup with Konyaspor. He first played in the Süper Lig in 2014. Since leaving the pitch he has been involved in work in Konya to train the next generation of goalkeepers.

He began his professional career at GASKİ in 1998 and moved to Gaziantepspor a month later. He played for Gaziantep Büyükşehir Belediyespor between 1999 and 2002, returned to Gaziantepspor in 2002 and was called up to the Turkey under-21 national team the same season. Although he was invited to that side twice, he played in only one match: on 20 August 2002 he played the second half against Georgia, which Turkey lost 1-0.

He joined Kocaelispor in August 2006 and moved on to Kayseri Erciyesspor at the mid-season break, where he had a successful season. He then played in turn for Adana Demirspor, Mersin İdman Yurdu and Kartalspor, where his first season is described as the best of his career. During his years at Konyaspor his contract was extended by a year in the summers of 2015 and 2016. He moved to Erzurumspor in 2017, joined Çaykur Rizespor in January 2018 and returned to that club in 2020.