Ümit Birol

Ümit Birol — Biography

Ümit Birol (26 January 1963 in Samsun – 10 July 2023 in Adana) was a Turkish footballer and manager, a right-sided midfielder. He turned professional with Samsunspor in the 1981-82 season, moved to Adanaspor in 1984-85 and to Antalyaspor in 1986-87. At Antalyaspor he broke into Turkey's Olympic national team, winning six caps for that side, five of them at the 1987 Mediterranean Games in Latakia. When Antalyaspor were relegated he joined Adana Demirspor, then played for Altay from 1989 to 1991 before signing for Fenerbahçe in 1991; he started on the right side there for two seasons and won his only senior cap for Turkey in a friendly away to Bulgaria on 22 August 1991, though he never won a title with the club. After Fenerbahçe he moved to Kocaelispor, had loan spells at Çanakkale Dardanelspor and Eskişehirspor, and also played for Erzurumspor, before returning to Adana Demirspor in 1996-97 and finishing his career at Yıldırım Bosnaspor at the end of the 1997-98 season.

He went on to work as a manager after retiring as a player. Birol died of a heart attack in Adana on 10 July 2023, at the age of 60, and was buried in Turgutlu's Damlataş Cemetery; his death was mourned across Fenerbahçe, Altay, Eskişehirspor and Erzurumspor circles.