Yalçın Rzazadə

Sergen Yalçın

Ali Rıza Sergen Yalçın (born October 5, 1972 in Istanbul) is a former Turkish football attacking midfielder. He has played most of his career for Beşiktaş J.K, scoring more than 100 goals in the Turkcell Super League. He is now a football pundit in Turkey.

Playing style

The man who "pulls all the strings," according to former Germany coach Erich Ribbeck. Sergen was capable of turning on the style and bamboozling the most resilient defence almost at will. A smooth, tidy player with an unhurried air, he is predominately left-footed and an excellent passer and free-kick expert. His legendary left foot earned him the nickname Süper Sol Ayak (super left foot). He scored outstanding goals, which are referred to as Bir Sergen Klassigi (another Sergen classic).

Club career

In his youth days, Sergen was one of Turkish football's most touted prospects, and was quickly snapped by Beşiktaş J.K, joining the first team in 1991. Between 1991-1997, he would play 137 matches scoring 43 goals overall, while also winning the Turkish League twice.

After a huge dispute with the board, Sergen signed for Istanbulspor, which was highly controversial at the time. During his two-year spell, he scored 14 goals in 36 matches, but was reportedly unhappy, so midway through 1998-99, his contract was uniquely bought by a car company called Siirt-Jet. Turkish giants Fenerbahçe SK signed him on loan from the car company. As part of the contract, Sergen wore a personalized shirt promoting the car. In his first season, he found the net 7 times in 15 matches.

Midway through the 1999-2000 season, Sergen had his contract terminated by Fenerbahçe, due to his poor disciplinary record. He finished the season at arch-rivals Galatasaray SK, playing a combined 20 matches that season for both clubs, netting 6 goals. After his loan was finished, Trabzonspor loaned him in the 2000-2001 season. This was the most unsuccessful season of his career, playing 21 matches and scoring only 1 goal, while also displaying poor attitude.

Ahead of the 2001-2002 season, then-Galatasaray manager Mircea Lucescu took a gamble and signed Sergen on loan (still from Siirt-Jet). He saw Sergen as the replacement to retired Gheorghe Hagi. Sergen repayed his manager's faith, starring in the UEFA Champions League with 2 goals and 3 assists, as Galatasaray made the second group stage. The side also won the league that season, as Sergen was finally maturing.

In the 2002-2003 season, Lucescu and Sergen moved to Beşiktaş, who won the league, with Sergen the key instigator, scoring a vital 11 goals. This was the last time the player ever won the Turkish league.

2003-2004 would see Beşiktaş' re-entry to the Champions League, where Sergen was to feature in the most memorable match of his career against Chelsea F.C.. Roman Abramovich became the owner of the English club, spending a huge £100,000,000 on players. Chelsea were undefeated under the Abramovich-era ahead of the match with Beşiktaş, at Stamford Bridge. Unexpectedly, Beşiktaş won it 2-0, both goals courtesy of Sergen. Beşiktaş were eliminated in the group stage, but Sergen once again proved his class by scoring 2 goals and providing 3 assists in the six matches. He continued playing in Beşiktaş for another two years, becoming a fan-favourite of the club. In his second stint at the club, he played 91 matches and scored 28 goals.

Before the 2006-2007 season, manager Jean Tigana did not see Sergen as part of his future plans, and therefore, Beşiktaş terminated his contract with immediate effect. This enraged the team's fans, as Sergen, upon his departure, stated that he would always be a Beşiktaş fan. He spent that season at lowly Etimesgut Şekerspor, before moving to Eskişehirspor, retiring at the end of 2007-08, as his team achieved promotion to the top flight.

International career

For the Turkish national team, Sergen scored 5 goals in 37 matches. In his first cap, he came on as a substitute, and scored within 3 minutes. He would feature for his nation in Euro 1996 and 2000.

Most of his time in the national team was during his days of complete unprofessional behaviour (rows with coaches, absences from training, outbursts in the press, gambling, and with a love for nightlife, combined with hair-trigger temper), one of the reasons he was not able to duplicate club form with the national team. His final match for Turkey was during the 2004 UEFA European Football Championship qualifier against England in 2003, which ended 0-0.

Miscellaneous

He has a reputation as a playboy and a gambler and owns several racehorses. Has a hair-trigger temper, which can get him into trouble.
Sergen is now a football pundit in Turkey. When he was asked why he never moved to Europe, he answered "If I was 20 again, I would've left Turkey within 3 days."
Sergen is the only player in the history of the Turkcell Super League to play for all the four main teams in Turkey.