Rahim Zafer

Rahim Zafer — Biography

Rahim Zafer is a former Turkish international defender and coach who made 342 Süper Lig appearances for Sakaryaspor, Gençlerbirliği and above all Beşiktaş, and who played two matches for Turkey at the 1996 European Championship. After retiring he coached clubs in Turkey and then settled in the United States.

He began at Sakaryaspor in 1987 and played for Gençlerbirliği from 1990 to 1996 and Beşiktaş from 1996 to 2001. He then wore the shirts of Diyarbakırspor (2001-02), Sakaryaspor again (2002-03), South Korea's Daegu FC (2003-04), Adanaspor (2004-05) and MKE Kırıkkalespor (2005-06), and retired in 2006. A graduate of the Sports Academy, he also taught physical education in schools during his playing years. As of August 2023 he is also the player with the most own goals in the Süper Lig, seven.

He started coaching as assistant at Kastamonuspor, Uşakspor and ABB Bugsaş. His first head-coach job was at Kahramanmaraşspor in the 2. Lig, from which he resigned on 1 November 2009. In 2010 he coached Belediye Vanspor, in 2011 İskenderun Demir Çelikspor and in 2012 Adıyamanspor. In September 2013 he settled in Dallas, Texas; his purchase of Dallas City, a side in the National Premier Soccer League, made news in early 2014, and he said he would act as both club manager and head coach.