Selahattin Torkal

Selahattin Torkal — Biography

Selahattin Torkal was an Istanbul-born international footballer and coach closely identified with Fenerbahçe. He worked at the yellow-and-navy club as a player, a coach and an official, and for his long service he is counted among the club's best-loved former players by fans and the club alike.

His rise began at Ankara Demirspor, whose form earned him a transfer to Fenerbahçe in 1944. Between 1944 and 1952 he made 208 official appearances for the team and won two Istanbul League titles, three National Division championships and three Prime Minister's Cups. In 1952 he moved to Adalet, newly promoted to the Istanbul First League, and continued his career there.

He first played for the national team in 1948, in the match against Greece that came after an eleven-year gap. That same year he competed at the London Olympics, and in 1949 he was in the squad that finished runner-up at the Mediterranean Cup in Athens; he earned nine caps in all. His brother Celal Torkal was also a footballer. After his playing days he turned to coaching and was appointed manager of Beylerbeyi ahead of the 1965-66 season. He died in his native Istanbul on 16 November 2010.