Date of birth 1908 Playing position Position Midfielder Place of death Izmir, Turkey Role Footballer | Date of death 10 June 1965 Name Vahap Ozaltay 1922–1923 Altay | |
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Died June 10, 1965, Izmir, Turkey | ||
Place of birth Beirut, Ottoman Empire | ||
Vahap Özaltay (1908 – 10 June 1965) was a Turkish footballer of African descent, notable for his career at Altay S.K., being the first professional football player in Turkey, being the first Turkish player to ever play for a foreign club,. He chose his last name based on his love for Altay (lit. "Pure/Real Altay").
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Özaltay was born in 1908 in Istanbul. He was the son of a civil servant. When he was 10 years old, his family moved to Aydın. Shortly after the Greek Occupation of Izmir on 21 May 1919, his family moved to Kastamonu. He started his football career in Kastamonu.
Playing career
After the Greek presence ended on 8 September 1922, his family moved to Izmir. He was 14 years old when he started playing for Altay. He started playing in the main squad for Altay beginning in 1922. Altay was the leading Turkish football Club in Izmir. He won Izmir League with Altay on 5 occasions (1923–24, 1924–25, 1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31). His brother Saim also played for Altay along with him.
Özaltay was transferred to the French club Racing Club de Paris in 1932, becoming the first Turkish player to do so. He played in France for 5 seasons for Racing Club. Due to his head-made goals, he was nicknamed "Le Tête de Turc" in France.
In 1937 he returned to Turkey and played for Altay again. This time he played for Altay as a professional football player. He is the first Turkish player given a professional football player certificate by Turkish State.
He played for the Turkish National Team on four occasions becoming don the red and white jersey. However, three of these occasions were against the Soviet Union and these matches was not considered by as official games by the UEFA as Soviet Union was not recognised by the organization during the 1920s. His only official game for Turkey was in 1927 against Bulgaria.
Management
After his football career, he worked as a manager for Altay and for the national team of the military. He became famous as being the first manager to use the WM formation. With the national team he won the World Army Football tournament of 1954.
Death
Özaltay died of a heart attack while giving a speech at Altay Sport Club’s general congress in 1965. Altay SK erected his bust at Izmir's Alsancak Square in his honour which was sculpted by Can Şen.