Nihat Akbay

Nihat Akbay — Biography

Nihat Akbay (1945, Istanbul - 24 March 2020, Istanbul) was a Turkish international footballer who played as a goalkeeper. The 1 January date held in Wikidata is a year-precision placeholder; the sources record only the year 1945. The French Wikipedia and the local Beykoz press give his birthplace as the Beykoz district of Istanbul.

His career is closely identified with Galatasaray, where club and supporter sources count him among the most important goalkeepers in the team's history. He took over the captaincy in 1976 after the departure of Yasin Özdenak and wore the armband until he left the club. He also played for the Turkey national team and the under-21 side.

He died on 24 March 2020; his death was announced by Galatasaray and reported by outlets including Hürriyet, Milliyet, Habertürk and T24. A masters tournament held in his name in Beykoz keeps his memory alive.