Sedat Özden

Sedat Özden — Biography

Sedat Özden is a name inseparable from Bursaspor: a midfielder and club captain who spent his whole playing career at the team of the city where he was born and raised. He is known by the nickname "Sedat 3", counted among the club's legends, and has had a bridge in Bursa named after him.

He started in Bursaspor's youth side, played for Sölöz Gençlerbirliği and Bursa Gençlerbirliği, and joined Bursaspor in 1973. His first official match was on 17 March 1974 against Samsunspor. Two other players in the squad were also called Sedat and players were not then known by surname, hence "Sedat 3". He turned down offers from Istanbul clubs, won the Turkish Cup with Bursaspor in 1985-86 and retired in summer 1986. With 336 games he has made more first-division appearances for the club than anyone, and his 53 league goals put him third on its Süper Lig scoring list behind Okan Yılmaz and Murat Sözkesen.

He made his senior Turkey debut on 23 March 1977 against Romania in a Balkans Cup match, won 34 caps and captained the side three times, including the 1986 World Cup qualifier at Wembley against England on 16 October 1985. Right after retiring he coached Bursaspor for five weeks as a caretaker in 1986-87, and he later worked as a columnist and television pundit. A book on his life was published in 2026 and handed out to schoolchildren.