Galatasaray's UEFA Cup-winning figures meet at Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities
On the 25th anniversary of the UEFA Cup victory, legendary figures of Galatasaray gathered at the Kemerburgaz Metin Oktay Facilities. Gheorghe Hagi, Gheorghe Popescu, Kerem İnan, Capone, Hakan Ünsal, and Okan Buruk met on the anniversary of this great achievement.
İHA
Galatasaray President Dursun Özbek presented commemorative jerseys to the architects of the UEFA victory as they toured the facilities. Second President Metin Öztürk, Vice Presidents Niyazi Yelkencioğlu and Mehmet Cibara, along with board members, former executives, and prominent members of the community, were present at the visit.
Head Coach Okan Buruk, one of the actors of the victory as a player, shared his feelings and thoughts with the GS TV YouTube Channel:
"Of course, May 17, 2000, is a date we cannot forget. We commemorate it every year. This year, we met here with our former teammates. I am honestly experiencing the excitement of this. The spirit of that team... I get very emotional when I see it on screen. I was truly moved today when I saw the stories on Galatasaray's social media accounts again.
I went back to that time. It was a huge achievement. My other May 17 story is my first official goal for Galatasaray against Bakırköyspor. That also coincides with May 17. That is why today is important and valuable to me.
It is Ergün Penbe's birthday today. Let's celebrate that too. He was also born on May 17, on a beautiful day. I hope it will be granted to the Galatasaray team again, to us, to me. I hope we try to lift the trophy in Europe again.
In this sense, we are always saddened. Our desire for a cup in Europe, our passion, to lift that cup again, to lift trophies, is of course very important. We do this in Turkey, we do it in the league. I hope it will be granted to us to bring another European cup again."
HAKAN ÜNSAL: HAGI HAD SAID 'YOU DON'T REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED'
Hakan Ünsal, one of the unforgettable players, expressed the following:
"The UEFA Cup... You know, there is a saying that it cannot be described, it must be lived; but it cannot be described. Because we are the only ones who lived it. Hagi had said something in the locker room that we didn't quite understand at the time. We were having fun, jumping around, singing songs. He said, 'You don't realize what you have achieved yet.' Five years passed, it's still current. 10 years passed, 15 years passed, there is still an incredible interest and love from fans outside, even from those who are not fans. I mean, it is a very important thing that it is still this fresh and this strong even after 25 years. It is actually the fans who ensure we don't forget this feeling."