Mustafa Yücedağ

Mustafa Yücedağ — Biography

Mustafa Yücedağ was a Turkish international born in Gaziantep who moved with his family to the Netherlands at an early age and played in midfield and defence, especially as a holding midfielder. After turning professional at Ajax he played in Turkey for Galatasaray, and after retiring he returned to the same club as assistant coach and interpreter to Frank Rijkaard.

Because he grew up in the Netherlands, his career began at Ajax, and he also played for PEC Zwolle and De Graafschap. In Turkey he played for Sarıyer as well as Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Gaziantepspor. At Galatasaray he played in Mustafa Denizli's second spell and was in the squad that reached the quarter-finals of the 1991-92 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. He left Galatasaray in 1992-93 during Karl-Heinz Feldkamp's time as coach. In the end an injury made him give up football.

Between 1988 and 1990 he won nine caps for the senior national team, four of them in 1990 World Cup qualifying matches, and he also played once for the under-21 side. On 5 July 2010 Galatasaray appointed him assistant coach and interpreter when Rijkaard took charge. He died on 17 February 2020 in Zaandam in the Netherlands and was laid to rest in his hometown of Gaziantep. The Turkish Football Federation and Galatasaray both published messages of condolence after his death.