Müjdat Gürsu

Müjdat Gürsu — Biography

Müjdat Gürsu was a footballer who played for Samsunspor as the club rose to the Turkish First League in the early 1990s and won the Balkan Cup in 1994, and he died at the age of 22. His style of play and physique were likened to Ronald Koeman's, which earned him the nickname "Koeman Müjdat".

He grew up in the Fener Köyü neighbourhood of Silivri in Istanbul, began playing football in primary school and entered Silivrispor's youth system in high school. He played for Silivrispor in the Third League in 1990-91 and for Bandırmaspor in the Second League in 1991-92, scoring 2 goals in 32 games for Bandırmaspor. In 1992-93 he moved to Samsunspor: the team went unbeaten through the classification group, topped the promotion group to reach the First League, and Gürsu scored 3 goals in 31 games. In 1993-94, under Gigi Multescu and alongside Serkan Aykut, Ahmet Yıldırım and Ertuğrul Sağlam, he played 24 games; Samsunspor finished fifth and won the Balkan Cup, held for the last time that year. At the end of the season he renewed his contract with Samsunspor.

In 1992, while still at Bandırmaspor, he was first called up to the Turkey under-21 team; he played 9 games, and both of his goals came in qualifiers for the 1994 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. The team finished second in the group, one point behind Poland. Gürsu died on 21 June 1994. Samsunspor and its supporters mark the anniversary of his death every year, and a sports facility in Silivri bears his name.