Pierre Esser

Pierre Esser — Biography

Pierre Esser is a German-raised goalkeeper who entered Turkish football history through a single match for Galatasaray. When he took Turkish citizenship he adopted the name Cengiz Dülgeroğlu and was registered under it at the club as a Turkish-status player. After football he worked in financial services for footballers and as a player agent.

He began his professional career at Viktoria Köln, the local club of Cologne. In goal for the third-division side he reached the last 16 of the 1991-92 German Cup; the team knocked out Waldhof Mannheim and went out to Stuttgarter Kickers on penalties. In 1994 he joined 2. Bundesliga club Fortuna Düsseldorf, where he first played as a replacement for the injured Georg Koch, kept goal for the full 90 minutes the following week and saw the team promoted to the Bundesliga at the end of the season. In the top flight, however, he found no opportunities; in 1996-97 he played in just one cup match and left at the winter break.

Galatasaray, dissatisfied with their goalkeepers, signed him on 15 January 1997. Two days later he kept goal for the first time against Vanspor; a goal he conceded in the 90th minute made it 1-1 and he was moved to the bench. The team won the league that season. His contract was ended by mutual agreement in March 1998. He later played for Eintracht Trier in Germany and retired in 1999.