Süreyya Özkefe

Süreyya Özkefe — Biography

Mehmet Süreyya Özkefe (8 May 1939 – 29 July 2025), known simply as Süreyya Özkefe, was a Turkish international footballer and later a manager who played as a defensive midfielder. His Crimean Tatar background earned him the nickname "Tatar Süreyya".

Long service with Beşiktaş made him synonymous with the club, and he was an important part of the side that won back-to-back Turkish championships for the first time in its history. His name was among the legends printed as a watermark on the shirt worn during the 2002-03 centenary season. He is also remembered as a significant figure at Eskişehirspor, and he made nine appearances for the Turkey national team between 1961 and 1965.

He died in July 2025 in Eskişehir, the city of his birth, and was mourned in tributes from the Turkish Football Federation and his former clubs.