Trabzonspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional

sports club A sports club or sporting club, sometimes an athletics club or sports society or sports association, is a group of people formed for the purpose of playing sports. Sports clubs range from organisations whose members play together, unpaid, and ...

located in the city of

Trabzon Trabzon, historically known as Trebizond, is a city on the Black Sea coast of northeastern Turkey and the capital of Trabzon Province. The city was founded in 756 BC as "Trapezous" by colonists from Miletus. It was added into the Achaemenid E ...

, located in northeastern

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. Established in 1967 through the merger of several local clubs, Trabzonspor is one of the most prominent

football clubs A football team is a group of players selected to play together in the various team sports known as football. Such teams could be selected to play in a match against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-st ...

Turkish history The history of Turkey, understood as the history of the area now forming the territory of the Republic of Turkey, includes the history of both Anatolia (the Asian part of Turkey) and Eastern Thrace (the European part of Turkey). These two prev ...

. The men’s football team has won seven

Süper Lig The Süper Lig (, ''Super League''), also known as Trendyol Süper Lig for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in Turkey and the highest level of the Turkish football league system. In the 2023–2024 season, twen ...

championships, making Trabzonspor the first non-

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

-based club to achieve this feat in the Turkish league system. In addition to their football achievements, Trabzonspor also operates a women’s football team, a men’s basketball team, and several other sports branches, reinforcing its status as a multi-sport club. Trabzonspor rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, dominating

Turkish football Association football, Football is the most popular sport in Turkey, followed by basketball, tracing its roots to the Ottoman Empire. The first matches were played in Ottoman Thessaloniki, Salonica in 1875. The sport was introduced by English pe ...

with six league titles between the 1975–76 and 1983–84 seasons. This golden era marked the club as a powerhouse, with Trabzonspor becoming a symbol of regional pride and the only club to challenge the dominance of

-based teams, such as Fenerbahçe,

Galatasaray Galatasaray Spor Kulübü (, ''Galatasaray Sports Club''), more commonly referred to as simply Galatasaray and familiarly as Cimbom, is a Turkish sports club based on the European side of the city of Istanbul including basketball, wheelchair ...

, and

Beşiktaş Beşiktaş () is a district and municipality of Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 18 km2 and its population is 175,190 (2022). It is located on the European shore of the Bosphorus strait. It is bordered on the north by Sarıyer and ...

. During this period, they also won nine Turkish Cups, including a streak of three consecutive league titles in 1978–79, 1979–80, and 1980–81. After their sixth league title in 1983–84, Trabzonspor endured a 38-year championship drought, marked by near-misses and structural rebuilding. This drought ended triumphantly in the 2021–22 season, as Trabzonspor clinched their seventh league title, led by a strong squad and under the management of

Abdullah Avcı Abdullah Mucib Avcı (; born 31 July 1963) is a UEFA Pro Licensed Turkish football manager and a former professional footballer. He is the former manager of Trabzonspor. He has also managed the Turkey national team. Avcı's coaching career beg ...

. The victory sparked massive celebrations across the city and reaffirmed the club’s status as one of Turkey’s most decorated and respected teams. The club’s colors are claret and sky blue, reflected in their iconic striped shirts, symbolizing the identity and culture of the Trabzon region. Trabzonspor has played its home matches at the

Şenol Güneş Sports Complex The Papara Park, officially known as the Şenol Güneş Spor Complex Papara Park (Turkish: Şenol Güneş Spor Kompleksi), is a stadium located in Trabzon, Turkey. It opened to public on 18 December 2016 and has a capacity of 40,980 spectators. ...

since the 2016–17 season, a state-of-the-art stadium that replaced the historic

Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium Hüseyin Avni Aker Stadium is the stadium located in Trabzon, where Trabzonspor Trabzonspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional sports club located in the city of Trabzon, located in Black Sea region, northeastern Turkey. Established in 1967 th ...

.TRABZONSPOR A.Ş.
tff.org , accessed 23 May 2010

History

Early Years and Local Rivalries (1923–1962)

There were four clubs in Trabzon in Early years : İdmanocağı (1921), İdmangücü (1913), Necmiati (1923) and Trabzon Lisesi. All four clubs competed against each other in the Trabzon Amateur Regional League. in 1923, two of the clubs, İdmanocağı and İdmangücü, held a fierce rivalry that was equal to the Fenerbahçe and

rivalry.Trabzonspor Tarihçe
trabzonspor.org.tr , accessed 6 June 2010 The rivalry reached its peak from 1930 on. İdmanocağı won five titles in a row from 1929 to 1933, with İdmangücü besting the record with seven titles in a row from 1934 to 1940. The league was dominated by Lise for six years, before İdmangücü took back the title in 1947–48.Sivritepe, Erdin�

turkish-soccer.com, accessed 6 June 2010 More clubs were being founded in Trabzon at the time, including Doğan Gençlik,

Akçaabat Sebatspor Akçaabat Sebatspor was a Turkish association football, football club located in the Akçaabat district of Trabzon Province. They played their home games in the Akçaabat Fatih Stadyumu. The club was founded in 1923. History Akçaabat Sebatspor ...

, Sürmene Gençlik, Zafer Gençlik, Yolspor, and Yalıspor. The rivalry between

Trabzon İdmanocağı İdmanocağı or İdman Ocağı is a Turkish sports club based in Trabzon, Turkey. The club had a strong rivalry with another club, İdmangücü, which matched the Istanbul derby between Fenerbahçe and Galatasaray. İdmanocağı were compared ...

and İdmangücü split

into two, with one side taking the red and yellows ( İdmanocağı), and the other taking the green and whites ( İdmangücü). The split frustrated the fans as well as the players, which led to some of

's biggest talents moving to

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

and

to play football. These included Hasan Polat and Ali Polat ( Gençlerbirliği), Selim Satıroğlu and Ahmet Karlıklı (

), Zekeriya Bali ( Fenerbahçe), and Nazmi Bilge (

The Merger and the Birth of Trabzonspor (1962–1973)

At the start of the 1962–63 season, then president of the

Turkish Football Federation The Turkish Football Federation (; TFF) is the governing body of association football in Turkey. It was formed on 23 April 1923, and joined FIFA the same year and UEFA in 1962. It organizes the Turkey national football team, the Turkish Foo ...

, Orhan Şeref Apak, asked cities to combine their football clubs into one representative team, and have them compete in the Milli Lig (

). However, due to the rivalry between İdmanocağı and İdmangücü, the city of

weren't able to merge. City and club officials would meet every morning and night to iron out an agreement, but it never materialized. Instead, only İdmanocağı, Martıspor, and Yıldızspor merged on 21 June 1966. They began wearing yellow and red kits and competed in the 1.Lig (Second Division). They finished eighth place in their first season, as well as runners-up for the Başbakanlık Kupası.Sivritepe, Erdin�
1966–1967 1. Lig
turkish-soccer.com, accessed 6 June 2010 A month later, İdmangücü, Karadenizgücü, Martıspor, and Yolspor merged to form Trabzonspor. Their club colours were red and white. İdmanocağı opposed the merger and took up a lawsuit against the newly founded Trabzonspor. Ulvi Yenal, head of Physical Education, decided to step in and announce that neither İdmanocağı nor İdmangücü would be accepted into the 1.Lig. This sent a shockwave thru both clubs. Until these two clubs decided to unify into one club, the city of

would not have a professional representative. In the end, İdmanocağı and İdmangücü decided to merge, along with Karadenizgücü and Martıspor, to become Trabzonspor on 2 August 1967. Everything was set up, but the club still ran into another roadblock: club colours. The club came to the decision after five meetings with fans and club officials. At first, it was suggested the club should wear the predecessor colours together (yellow-red and green-white), but it was deemed not suitable. It was then suggested that a poll be held, but that was also quickly cast aside. The fans and club officials began to lose patience until

General Manager Ulvi Yenal came up with a compromise. He suggested that both clubs, İdmanocağı and İdmangücü, should choose a colour opposite of their own club colours. It was then both clubs came up with maroon and blue.

Founding Years and the Journey to the Top (1967–1973)

This period is remembered as the years Trabzonspor played in the Turkish Second Football League. In 1967, the Trabzonspor was established under the roof of Trabzonspor and started competing in the Second League White Group during the 1967-68 football season. Trabzonspor completed its first year in professional leagues in 6th place among 20 teams in this league, following

Boluspor Boluspor, known as Geosis Boluspor due to sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Bolu. The clubs plays in red and white kits, and have done so since their formation in 1965.Turkish First Football League (currently called the

) by two points. A year later, Trabzonspor experienced the same fate; despite having the same points as the leader (

Kayserispor Kayseri Spor Kulübü, commonly known as Kayserispor, and also called Bellona Kayserispor due to sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional football club based in Kayseri. They play their home matches at the RHG Enertürk Enerji Stadium ...

), it finished second due to goal difference and failed to achieve promotion to the Turkish First Football League. In the 1973–74 season, Trabzonspor won the Red Group by finishing six points ahead of its closest rival,

Sakaryaspor Sakaryaspor Kulübü Derneği is a Turkish professional football club playing in the TFF First League, which is the second level of Turkish football. History The club was formed in 1965 after the merger of ''Adapazarı Gençlerbirliği'', ''Adap ...

. Although Trabzonspor lost the championship match against the winner of the other group ( Zonguldakspor) in a penalty shootout, it finally earned promotion to the Turkish First Football League. During these years, players like Necmi Perekli,

Şenol Güneş Şenol Güneş (, born 1 June 1952) is a Turkish football manager and former player who is currently the director of professional football for Süper Lig club Trabzonspor. His most notable managerial achievements to date include coaching the T ...

, and

Cemil Usta Cemil Usta (10 April 1951 – 5 March 2003) was a Turkish football player who played as a leftback. A one-club man, Usta solely represented Trabzonspor at a senior level and was a long-time captain of the team in their golden age. Usta twice ...

, who would later become part of the championship-winning team, started to feature in the squad. Perekli became the league’s top scorer twice while playing for Trabzonspor.

1973–1984: The Golden Era of Championships

Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı took over as manager in 1973. Özyazıcı played for İdmanocağı, the precursor club to Trabzonspor. This period covers Trabzonspor’s phase after being promoted to the Turkish First Football League. Trabzonspor was promoted to the Turkish First Football League in 1974. Its first season in this league was the 1974–75 season, during which Trabzonspor finished 9th with 30 points. In addition, during the same year, Trabzonspor reached the final of the

Turkish Cup The Turkish Cup () is a football cup competition in Turkish football, run by the Turkish Football Federation since 1962. During a brief sponsorship period with Fortis, its sponsored name was ''Fortis Türkiye Kupası''. Now Ziraat Bankası is ...

but failed to win the trophy after defeating

1–0 at home and losing 2–0 in

. The 1975–76 football season was the first time Trabzonspor won the Turkish First Football League championship. During this season, Trabzonspor climbed to the top of the league after defeating Fenerbahçe 1–0 in

and maintained its lead until the end of the season. Under the leadership of Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı, the team secured the championship with 43 points, three points ahead of Fenerbahçe. From its first championship in the 1975–76 season until the 1983–84 season, Trabzonspor won six league titles. In this period, Trabzonspor missed out on the championship in the 1977–78 and 1981–82 seasons by one point and the 1982–83 season by two points. Trabzonspor secured its sixth league title in the 1983–84 season, finishing five points ahead of Fenerbahçe. During the 1976–77 season, Necmi Perekli became the first player from Trabzonspor to become the league’s top scorer, scoring 18 goals. During this era, Trabzonspor’s goalkeeper

achieved an extraordinary feat by not conceding a goal for 1,110 minutes between 17 September 1978 and 18 February 1979. This record made him the longest unbeaten goalkeeper in

’s leagues and the 15th longest in world football history. During this period, Trabzonspor also made their mark in

European football UEFA competitions (), referred improperly by the mass media as European football, are the set of tournaments organised by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), generally in professional and amateur association football and futsal. T ...

. The club famously defeated the then- English champions

Liverpool Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...

1–0 in the first leg of their second-round match-up in the

1976–77 European Cup The 1976–77 season of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by Liverpool in the final against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Three-time defending champions Bayern Munich were knocked out by Dynamo Kyiv in the quarter ...

, although they were eliminated after losing the second leg 3–0.Champions' Cup 1976-77
rsssf.org, accessed 9 June 2010 Additionally, during this period, Trabzonspor won 3 Turkish Cups, 6 Presidential Cups, 3 Prime Minister's Cups, and the Cyprus Peace Cup. Two of these championships came under the management of Özkan Sümer, while the other four were achieved under Ahmet Suat Özyazıcı. Özyazıcı currently serves as Trabzonspor’s Football Advisor, while Sümer served as Trabzonspor’s president for a time but resigned in protest after an incident in a match against Fenerbahçe.

1984–1995: Transition and Renewed Ambitions

From 1984 to the 1994–95 season, Trabzonspor finished seasons in rankings ranging from third to seventh place. Undergoing a new squad restructuring, Trabzonspor, during the tenure of head coach Georges Leekens in the 1992–93 season, fell 10 points behind the leader in the first ten weeks of the season. The team went six weeks without a win, experiencing one of the worst periods in its history. However, players like

Ünal Karaman Ünal Karaman (born 29 June 1966, in Konya) is a former Turkish professional footballer and a UEFA Pro Licensed manager. In the 2023 Turkish parliamentary election, he was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from the Good Party r ...

(who later became captain of the national team) and

Tolunay Kafkas Hakkı Tolunay Kafkas (born 21 March 1968) is a Turkish professional football manager and former player. He is currently managing Fatih Karagümrük. Playing career Kafkas was born in Ankara, he is of Circassian origin. Kafkas played as a def ...

were brought into the squad during this time. They became key players in Trabzonspor’s starting lineup as the team finished second in the league during the 1994–95 and 1995–96 seasons and re-entered the championship race. During this period, Trabzonspor’s most notable achievements were the

titles won in 1992 and 1995, the Presidential Cup in 1995, and the Prime Minister’s Cup victories in 1985 and 1994.

1995–96 Season: Triumphs, Tragedies, and Missed Glory

With the end of the 1993–94 season, Trabzonspor appointed its former captain

, who had been managing

İstanbulspor İstanbulspor Kulübü is a Turkish association football, football and sports club founded by Istanbul High School students in 1926. In 2004–05, they were relegated from the Turkish Süper Lig (Super League) to the TFF First League. For many d ...

, as the head coach. Alongside

Hami Mandıralı Hami Mandıralı (born 20 July 1968) is a Turkish football manager and former footballer. He played for Trabzonspor nearly all of his career. Club career Mandıralı was born in Arsin, Trabzon, Turkey. joined Trabzonspor aged 10, and continued ...

, who is Trabzonspor’s all-time top scorer with 218 goals, and Ogün Temizkanoğlu, players like

Shota Arveladze Shota Arveladze ( ka, შოთა არველაძე; born 22 February 1973) is a Georgian professional Manager (association football), football manager and former Football player, player who most recently coached Turkish club Fatih Karag� ...

and

Archil Arveladze Archil Arveladze ( ka, არჩილ არველაძე; born 22 February 1973) is a Georgian former professional footballer who played as a striker for various sides in Europe. Club career Born in Tbilisi, Arveladze spent his youth ...

were added to the squad. Shota made a significant impact by scoring numerous goals in his first year. Trabzonspor lost the championship to

in the 1994–95 season but managed to win both the

and the Presidential Cup. In the 1995–96 season, where Shota became the league’s top scorer, Trabzonspor missed the championship once again. On 5 May 1996, in a match held at

, Trabzonspor took a 1–0 lead but lost 2-1 to Fenerbahçe after goals from

Oğuz Çetin Ahmet Oğuz Çetin (born 15 February 1963) is a Turkish football manager and former football player who played as a midfielder. Career Born in Adapazarı, Çetin began playing football with the local side Sakaryaspor. He started to play regular ...

in the 55th minute and

Aykut Kocaman Aykut Kocaman (, born 5 April 1965) is a former Turkish footballer, who played as a striker. He is the former manager of İstanbul Başakşehir. Before he made his debut 1980 with the amateur club Kabataş Altınmızrak in Istanbul, Kocaman ...

in the 82nd minute. This loss is considered a significant trauma in Trabzonspor’s history. Following the match, a fan in

Görele Görele is a town in Giresun Province on the Black Sea coast of eastern Turkey. It is the seat of Görele District.

Giresun Giresun () is a city in the Black Sea Region of northeastern Turkey, about west of the city of Trabzon. It is the seat of Giresun Province and Giresun District.Prime Minister's Cup at the end of the season. However, the effects of the missed championship lingered into the next season. After an away match against

Kocaelispor Kocaelispor is a Turkish professional football club based in İzmit, Kocaeli. They were founded in 1966 and played in the top level between 1980 and 1988, 1992–2003, and the 2008–09 seasons. Their best finish was in the 1992–93 season, w ...

, fans were involved in a fatal car accident on their way back. At the funeral of the victims, players faced significant backlash, and captain Ogün Temizkanoğlu was attacked by fans. By the early 2000s, the team underwent significant changes. Players like

Abdullah Ercan Abdullah Ercan (born 8 December 1971 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a retired Turkish international footballer and manager. Coaching career Honours Trabzonspor *Turkish Cup: 1992, 1995 * Turkish Super Cup: 1995 * Chancellor Cup: 1994, 1996 Fenerb ...

, Ogün Temizkanoğlu, and

were let go, and expensive signings like Rune Lange were made. However, players such as Rune Lange, Kevin David Campbell, and Jean-Jacques Missé-Missé failed to deliver successful performances for Trabzonspor. In some cases, such as with Rune Lange, disputes arose, leading to cases being taken to

FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...

2000s: Struggles, Restructuring, and Revival

The early 2000s were one of the most unsuccessful periods in Trabzonspor’s history. In the 2001–02 season, the team finished 14th in the league, marking the worst season in its history. Additionally, this season went down in history as the one where Trabzonspor conceded the most goals and suffered the most defeats. Following this season, the then-president Özkan Sümer decided to restructure the team by appointing

Samet Aybaba Samet Aybaba (born 3 February 1955, Adana) is a UEFA Pro Licensed Turkish football manager and former player. Career He was born 2 March 1955 in Adana. He began a football career in İskenderunspor. He transferred to Beşiktaş JK in 1977–78 ...

as the head coach. This restructuring included bringing in foreign players such as Ibrahim Yattara, who became the club’s top assist provider and the foreign player with the longest tenure, and Michael Petković, as well as homegrown talents like

Gökdeniz Karadeniz Gökdeniz Karadeniz (born 11 January 1980) is a Turkish professional football coach and a former player who played as a winger or as an attacking midfielder, making over 250 appearances each for Turkish club Trabzonspor and Russian club Rubin K ...

and Fatih Tekke. This foundation led Trabzonspor to win the

in the 2002–03 and 2003–04 seasons and contend for the championship in the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons, finishing second behind Fenerbahçe in both seasons. After Trabzonspor lost a match to Fenerbahçe in

in 2004, Trabzonspor fans accused referee Cem Papila of making incorrect decisions that cost the team the championship. Fans organized a protest in

attended by 40,000 people, calling for the resignation of the

Federation A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

and the Central Referee Board. Following the backlash, Cem Papila announced his retirement from refereeing. Under the presidency of Nuri Albayrak, Trabzonspor sought success by signing high-profile foreign players like

Marcelinho Marcelinho is a diminutive form of the given name Marcelo, and may refer to: Sports Football *Marcelinho Carioca (born 1971), born ''Marcelo Pereira Surcin'', Brazilian attacking midfielder * Marcelinho Paulista (born 1973), born ''Marcelo José d ...

and

Kiki Musampa Kizito Musampa (born 20 July 1977) is a former professional footballer who played as a left winger. Musampa had a journeyman career, taking in notable spells at AFC Ajax, Bordeaux, Malaga CF, Atlético Madrid and Manchester City. Born Zaire, he ...

. However, these players struggled to adapt to the team. In 2008, Sadri Şener was elected as president. Following this, a large part of the squad was replaced, with

Ersun Yanal Kazım Ersun Yanal (, born 17 December 1961) is a Turkish football manager and former player. His style has always been attacking football doubled up with tactics unprecedented in Turkish football. He enjoys a very respectable place amongst Turki ...

being appointed as head coach and 25 new players being transferred. With these transfers, Trabzonspor competed for the championship until the final weeks of the 2008–09 season, ultimately finishing third.

2010s: Challenges, Rebuilding, and Financial Restructuring

The Trabzonspor management appointed Hugo Broos as head coach for the following season, but his contract was terminated after poor results.

was then hired as his replacement. With Güneş at the helm, the team achieved positive results. In the 2009–10 season, Trabzonspor won both the

Turkish Super Cup The Turkish Super Cup, known as Turkcell Super Cup () for sponsorship reasons, is a super cup tournament in Turkish football. Founded in 1966 as a two-team competition, the current version has been contested since 2025 by four teams: the winners ...

and the

. Trabzonspor finished the first half of the 2010–11 season as league leaders. However, despite finishing the season with 82 points, Trabzonspor lost the title to Fenerbahçe on goal difference. That season, following the match-fixing case involving Fenerbahçe on 3 July 2011, Trabzonspor requested that the championship trophy be awarded to them. During the same period,

UEFA The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA ; ; ) is one of six continental bodies of governance in association football. It governs football, futsal and beach soccer, beach football in Europe and the List of transcontinental countries#A ...

banned Fenerbahçe from European competitions for two years. Trabzonspor decided to take the matter to CAS and

. While this process was ongoing, Trabzonspor lost several key players and entered the 2011–12 season with a significantly different squad, finishing in third place. In the 2012–13 season, Sadri Şener was succeeded by İbrahim Hacıosmanoğlu as club president. After losing 3–1 to

Elazığspor Elazığspor is a Turkish professional football club located in Elazığ and currently competes in the TFF Second League. They play their home games at Elazığ Atatürk Stadium in Elazığ, which has a maximum capacity of 18,423. The club was ...

in the 19th week of the season,

, who had been managing the team since 2009, resigned, and

was appointed as interim head coach until the end of the season. The team performed poorly compared to the previous season, finishing ninth in the league, but qualified for the

UEFA Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...

by reaching the

final, where they lost 1–0 to Fenerbahçe. In the 2013–14 season, Trabzonspor signed players such as Florent Malouda and

José Bosingwa José Bosingwa da Silva (born 24 August 1982) is a Portuguese former professional association football, footballer who played as a right-back. An attacking fullback, his pace and ability to get up and down the flanks created problems for the op ...

and appointed Mustafa Reşit Akçay as head coach. Despite struggling in the league, Trabzonspor successfully qualified for the

group stage by defeating Derry City, Dinamo Minsk, and Kukesi in the qualifying rounds. In the group stage, they were drawn with

Lazio Lazio ( , ; ) or Latium ( , ; from Latium, the original Latin name, ) is one of the 20 Regions of Italy, administrative regions of Italy. Situated in the Central Italy, central peninsular section of the country, it has 5,714,882 inhabitants an ...

Apollon Limassol Apollon Limassol FC (, ''Apollon Lemesou'') is a Cypriot sports club, based in Limassol. It has football, basketball and volleyball teams. Founded in 1954, Apollon FC currently plays in the Cypriot First Division and has won the championship tit ...

, and

Legia Warsaw Legia Warszawa (), commonly referred to as Legia Warsaw or simply Legia, is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. Legia is the most successful Polish football club in history, winning a record 15 champions titles, a record 2 ...

, finishing as undefeated group leaders with 14 points. However, they were eliminated in the Round of 32 by

Juventus Juventus Football Club (; from , ), commonly known as Juventus or colloquially as Juve (), is an Italian professional Association football, football List of football clubs in Italy, club based in Turin, Piedmont, who compete in Serie A, the ...

, losing both legs 2–0. After Akçay resigned in the 20th week of the league,

was appointed as head coach. Trabzonspor finished fourth, qualifying for the

Europa League The UEFA Europa League (UEL), usually known simply as the Europa League, is an annual association football, football club competition organised since 1971 by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European footb ...

once again. Before the 2014–15 season,

Vahid Halilhodžić Vahid Halilhodžić (; born 15 May 1952) is a Bosnian professional football manager and former player. He is regarded as one of the most controversially successful Bosnian football managers, due to his successful tenure in coaching various nation ...

was appointed as head coach, and the squad underwent significant changes, with nearly 20 new signings, including

Óscar Cardozo Óscar René Cardozo Marín (; born 20 May 1983), best known as Tacuara (Guarani language, Guarani for Guadua), is a Paraguayan professional association football, footballer who plays as a striker (association football), striker for Club Liberta ...

Mehmet Ekici Mehmet Ekici (; born 25 March 1990) is a professional footballer who most recently played as a central midfielder for Fenerbahçe. He previously played for Werder Bremen, 1. FC Nürnberg, Bayern Munich, and Trabzonspor. Born in Germany, Ekici ...

, Kévin Constant, Waris, and Yatabare. However, poor results led to Halilhodžić’s dismissal after the 10th week, and

returned for a second stint. Under Yanal’s management, Trabzonspor performed better, advancing to the Europa League Round of 32 by finishing second in a group that included Metalist Kharkiv,

Lokeren Lokeren () is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality located in the Belgian Provinces of Belgium, province of East Flanders, and belongs to the Waasland, also called ''Land van Waas'', of which it is the second ...

, and

. They were eliminated by

Napoli Naples ( ; ; ) is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its province-level municipality is the thir ...

, losing 4–0 at home and 1–0 in the return leg. Trabzonspor finished the league in fifth place, and Yanal departed at the end of the season. Before the 2015–16 season,

was appointed head coach but resigned after an 11th-week loss to İstanbul Başakşehir. On 6 December 2015, Muharrem Usta was elected president. The team was temporarily managed by

Sadi Tekelioğlu Sadi Tekelioğlu (born 15 January 1955) is a Turkish football manager. References

1955 births Living people Turkish football managers Gençlerbirliği S.K. managers Konyaspor managers Trabzonspor managers Akçaabat Sebatspor mana ...

until the mid-season break, after which

returned as head coach. During this period, Trabzonspor faced financial difficulties and disputes over player payments, leading to some foreign players leaving before the season ended. The team finished the league with 12 wins, 4 draws, and 18 losses, totaling 40 points and finishing in 12th place. They suffered their worst defeat in league history, losing 7–0 to

Antalyaspor Antalyaspor Kulübü is a Turkish professional multi-sport club based in Antalya, southern Turkey. The club's colours are red and white. The association football, football side play their home matches at the Antalya Stadium. In Turkey, the cl ...

in the 33rd week.

resigned after the match. Ahead of the 2016–17 season,

returned for his third stint as head coach. Under the leadership of president Muharrem Usta, Trabzonspor initiated a restructuring process ahead of the club’s 50th anniversary. Many players were released, and due to financial restrictions imposed by

, the club focused on signing low-cost players. After a disappointing first half of the season, finishing 13th with 18 points, Trabzonspor strengthened their squad during the mid-season break. Moving to their new stadium,

Şenol Güneş Stadium Şenol is a Turkish masculine given name. Notable people with the name include: * Şenol Can (born 1983), Bulgarian footballer and manager * Şenol Çorlu, Turkish footballer * Şenol Güneş (born 1952), Turkish footballer and manager See also ...

, the team improved significantly, climbing to fifth place. Trabzonspor played their first official match at

on 29 January 2017, defeating

Gaziantepspor Gaziantepspor was a Turkish football club located in the city of Gaziantep. Formed in 1969 and dissolved in 2020, Gaziantepspor were nicknamed the ''Şahinler'' (The Falcons). The club colours were black and red, and they played their home matc ...

4–0, with Fabian Castillo scoring the first goal in the new stadium’s history. Trabzonspor suffered their first defeat at the new stadium on 8 April 2017, losing 4–3 to

. In the 2018–19 season,

Ahmet Ağaoğlu Ahmet Ağaoğlu, also known as Ahmet Bey Ağaoğlu (; or Ahmet Akif Agaoglu (December 1869, Shusha – May 19, 1939, Istanbul) was a public and political figure of Azerbaijan and Turkey, thinker, publicist, educator, writer, Turkologist, and ...

was elected as president, highlighting the club’s financial difficulties. Under Ağaoğlu’s leadership, the club restructured its debts, and

, a club legend from the 1990s, was appointed head coach. Despite injuries to key players and a transfer ban during the mid-season window, the team finished fourth, five points behind champions

. However, a crisis between Karaman and Ağaoğlu at the end of 2019 led to Karaman’s resignation, and assistant coach

Hüseyin Çimşir Hüseyin Çimşir (born 26 May 1979) is a Turkish football coach and former player. Playing career Çimşir spent most of his playing career at Trabzonspor, where he captained the side from 2006 to 2009. At Trabzonspor, he helped the team to su ...

, who had previously won the league with

Bursaspor Bursaspor Kulübü Derneği, commonly known as Bursaspor, is a Turkey, Turkish professional sports club based in the city of Bursa. Founded in 1963, the club is best known for its football team, which has a rich history in Football in Turkey, Turk ...

as a player, was appointed as head coach.

2020s: Resurgence and the Long-Awaited Championship

In the 2019–20 season, thanks to debt restructuring and appropriate transfers, the team became one of the strongest candidates for the championship from the beginning of the season. It experienced its brightest period in the last 10 years, entering the break due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

as league leaders with 8 weeks remaining. However, just before the season resumed, Trabzonspor was banned from European competitions by

for violating financial fair play regulations. Following the pandemic break, the team experienced a performance drop and on 19 July 2020, missed out on what was its closest shot at the championship in 36 years. At the end of the season, İstanbul Başakşehir claimed the title. After the loss of the championship, head coach

was dismissed, and his assistant, Eddie Newton, was appointed as the new head coach. That season, despite narrowly missing the

title, Trabzonspor defeated

Alanyaspor Alanyaspor Kulübü, known as Corendon Alanyaspor due to sponsorship reasons, is a Turkish professional football club located in the city of Alanya in Antalya Province. Formed in 1948, the club colours are orange and green. Home matches are play ...

in the Turkish Cup final, securing the trophy for the first time in 10 years, marking their 9th

victory. Trabzonspor continued with Eddie Newton for the 2020–21 season. However, after failing to deliver the expected performance in the first 8 weeks, Newton was dismissed, and the club signed

as head coach. Under Eddie Newton’s management, the team had dropped to the relegation zone, but with

’s arrival, Trabzonspor climbed to 4th place and finished the season in that position. Additionally, the

, which had been postponed the previous season due to the pandemic, was played on 27 January 2021, and Trabzonspor defeated İstanbul Başakşehir to claim the trophy for the 9th time in their history. In the 40 matches played in the league that season, Trabzonspor recorded 19 wins, 14 draws, and 7 losses, amassing 71 points to finish 4th. This result earned them a place in the

2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League The 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League was the inaugural season of the UEFA Europa Conference League, Europe's tertiary club football tournament organised by UEFA. The final was played at the Arena Kombëtare in Tirana, Albania, with Rom ...

starting from the

third qualifying round Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', i.e., the third in a series of fractional parts in a sexagesimal number system Places * 3rd Street (dis ...

. However, in the

2020–21 Turkish Cup The 2020–21 Turkish Cup () was the 59th season of the tournament. Ziraat Bankası was the sponsor of the tournament, thus the sponsored name was Ziraat Turkish Cup. The winners earned a berth in the play-off stage of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa ...

, Trabzonspor was eliminated in the 5th round by

Adana Demirspor Adana Demirspor Kulübü is a multi-sports club based in Adana, Turkey. The football department is the most popular department which relegated to TFF 1. Lig on 16 March 2025 after 4 seasons at the Super Lig. Founded by railway workers of Turk ...

, losing 4–3 on penalties after a 2–2 draw in regular and extra time. Trabzonspor made a strong start to the

2021–22 Süper Lig The 2021–22 Süper Lig, officially called the Spor Toto Süper Lig Ahmet Çalık season, was the 64th season of the Süper Lig, the highest tier football league of Turkey. Trabzonspor clinched their 7th league title, and first since 1983-84 se ...

season. On 30 April 2022, Trabzonspor clinched the

title, marking their first league championship in 38 years. The club’s previous league triumph was in the 1983–84 season, and this historic victory ended nearly four decades of longing for their passionate fanbase. Trabzonspor secured the title after a 2–2 draw with

at their home ground,

. The result ensured an unassailable lead at the top of the table with three matches remaining in the season. Under the management of

, Trabzonspor demonstrated consistent performances throughout the season, maintaining a dominant position in the league standings. Their balanced squad and tactical discipline were instrumental in their success, with standout performances from key players such as

Anastasios Bakasetas Anastasios "Tasos" Bakasetas (; born 28 June 1993) is a Greek professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Super League club Panathinaikos and captains the Greece national team. Club career Asteras Tripolis Bakasetas came ...

and Anthony Nwakaeme. The championship victory was met with widespread celebrations across

and among the club’s global supporters. Fans filled the streets of

, waving the club’s maroon-and-blue colors and chanting songs of triumph. The joyous occasion underscored the significance of the title, which reaffirmed Trabzonspor’s status as one of Turkey’s most historic and successful football clubs. This title was Trabzonspor’s seventh

championship and their first since the introduction of the modern Turkish league format. It also marked a significant moment in Turkish football history, breaking the Istanbul-based dominance of

, Fenerbahçe, and

, which had collectively won every league title since 1984.

Crest and colours

In the long-standing rivalry between İdmanocağı and İdmangücü in

, the dominant colors were Red-Yellow and Green-White, respectively. It was decided that Trabzonspor’s colors should be different from these and should symbolize

and the Black Sea region. Various options were considered, including holding a competition to decide the colors, but this idea was later abandoned. Lengthy discussions were held day and night, but no conclusion was reached in the first four meetings. By the fifth meeting, tensions were high, and fans had run out of patience. During these discussions, the then-president of the

, Orhan Şeref Apak, attempted to mediate. At a meeting in the office of the Federation’s General Manager, Ulvi Yenal, representatives from both clubs engaged in intense debates about selecting colors that were distinct from those of the rival clubs. Frustrated with the lack of progress, Yenal demanded that each club representative choose one color. As a result, the İdmanocağı group proposed “dark claret,” while the İdmangücü group suggested “light blue.” Ultimately, the founding members of Trabzonspor agreed on the colors Claret and Blue ''(“Bordo-Mavi”)'', which became the club’s official colors. The letters “T” and “S” in the club emblem also reflect the identity of Trabzonspor. Although a number of theories have been put forward as to why the club colours of Trabzonspor are claret and blue, it has been claimed that they were adopted after the club were sent a set of kits by the English club

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club (commonly referred to as simply Villa) is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club, founded in 1874, compete in the Premier League, the top tier of English football. The team have p ...

after their formation in 1967.

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

Rivalries

Rivalries with Istanbul’s “Big Three”

Trabzonspor’s rivalries with

’s “big three”— Fenerbahçe,

, and

—are deeply rooted in

history, but their rivalry with Fenerbahçe stands out as the most intense. The rivalry with Fenerbahçe began in the 1974

, but it escalated during the 1995–96 season when Trabzonspor lost a critical home match late in the season, surrendering the league title to Fenerbahçe. This moment remains a painful memory for Trabzonspor fans. Tensions reached a boiling point again in the 2010–11 season when the two clubs competed fiercely for the league title. While Fenerbahçe secured the championship, 2011 Turkish football match-fixing allegations led to Fenerbahçe’s European ban, allowing Trabzonspor to make their first

UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...

appearance. The rivalry is fueled by these high-stakes battles, off-field controversies, and the passionate fan bases of both teams, making it one of the most heated in

. The rivalry with

began in Trabzonspor’s inaugural top-flight season in 1974–75. Over the years, this rivalry has been defined by competitive matches and the contrasting identities of the clubs, with Trabzonspor representing the Anatolian heartland against

’s

dominance. While the intensity doesn’t match that of Fenerbahçe, matches between these two teams remain highly anticipated. Trabzonspor’s rivalry with

also dates back to the 1970s, with their first league meeting in 1974. While not as fiery as the Fenerbahçe rivalry, the competition with Beşiktaş is characterized by hard-fought matches and the shared ambition to challenge for top honors in Turkish football. Although Trabzonspor shares rivalries with all three

giants, the conflict with Fenerbahçe is unparalleled in its history, drama, and impact, solidifying it as the club’s most significant rivalry.

Rivalry with Samsunspor

The

Samsunspor Samsunspor Kulübü, officially known as Samsunspor Football Club Joint Stock Company, or as Reeder Samsunspor due to sponsorship agreements, is a Turkey, Turkish Football club (association football), professional football club that competes in t ...

–Trabzonspor rivalry is a significant contest in the Black Sea region of

. It is fueled by geographical proximity and cultural ties, with both teams representing regional pride. Although Trabzonspor has historically achieved more national success, matches against

are marked by high stakes, passionate fan engagement, and regional identity. The rivalry showcases the Black Sea region’s deep footballing traditions and competitive spirit.

Stadium

Since December 2016, Trabzonspor has played its home matches at the

, a state-of-the-art stadium located in

. The stadium has a capacity of 40,980, offering modern facilities that meet international standards. Named after

, a legendary figure in Trabzonspor’s history as both a goalkeeper and manager, the complex represents a new era for the club. The stadium is equipped with advanced technology, including interactive media systems installed in the press areas, and regularly hosts important national and international football matches. It also serves as a symbol of Trabzonspor’s growth and ambition, as well as a hub for the city’s sports and cultural activities. Plans are underway to connect the stadium to Trabzon’s city center through a new tram project, improving accessibility for fans and visitors. Prior to moving to the

, Trabzonspor played its home matches at the

, which had a capacity of 24,169. Built in 1951, the stadium served as Trabzonspor’s home ground until January 2017. Over its long history, the venue underwent several renovations to expand its capacity and modernize its facilities, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s.

holds a special place in Trabzonspor’s history, having hosted countless memorable matches during the club’s golden era. It was also the site of key events like the 1st

Black Sea Games The Black Sea Games was a multi-sport event intended to be held every four years, mainly for nations bordering the Black Sea. The first such event was held in Trabzon, Turkey July 2 to July 8, 2007. A total of 1,277 athletes (937 men and 340 wo ...

and the 2011 European Youth Olympic Games, as well as matches in the

2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup The 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the nineteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, since its inception in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship. It ran from 21 June to 13 July 2013. At the FIFA Executive Meeting in Zürich on 3 March 2011, ...

. Despite its closure, the stadium remains an iconic symbol of Trabzonspor’s roots and legacy.

Honours

: *

**Champions (7): 1975–76, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1980–81, 1983–84, 2021–22 ** Runners-up (9): 1977–78, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1994–95, 1995–96, 2003–04, 2004–05,

2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

, 2019–20 * 1.Lig **Champions (1): 1973–74 ** Runners-up (2): 1971–72,

1972–73 Year 197 ( CXCVII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Magius and Rufinus (or, less frequently, year 950 ''Ab urbe condita''). The denomination 197 for this y ...

** Winners (9): 1976–77, 1977–78, 1983–84, 1991–92, 1994–95, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2019–20 ** Runners-up (8): 1974–75, 1975–76, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1996–97,

2012–13 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number, numeral, and glyph. It is the first and smallest positive integer of the infinite sequence of natural numbers. This fundamental property has led to its unique uses in other fields, ranging from science to sp ...

, 2023–24, 2024–25 *

** Winners (10): 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1995,

2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...

2020 The year 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of even ...

2022 The year began with another wave in the COVID-19 pandemic, with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, Omicron spreading rapidly and becoming the dominant variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus worldwide. Tracking a decrease in cases and deaths, 2022 saw ...

** Runners-up: 1981, 1984, 1992 * Prime Minister's Cup **Winners (5): 1976, 1978, 1985, 1994, 1996

Statistics

Results of League and Cup Competitions by Season

European competitions record

Trabzonspor first competed in Europe in the 1976–77 season, and reached the group stages of the Champions League in the 2011–12 season.

Players

Current squad

Out on loan

Affiliated clubs

Trabzonspor U21

Trabzonspor U21: The U21 team serves as Trabzonspor’s youth development squad, competing in Turkey’s U21 league. This team has produced notable players such as

, Trabzonspor’s all-time highest appearance maker with 558 matches,

, who holds the record for most national team caps by a Trabzonspor player (50), and Fatih Tekke, the

2004–05 Süper Lig The 2004–05 Süper Lig was 47th edition of Turkish league and 4th edition of Turkish Super League. Fenerbahçe won their 16th title, being 3 points ahead Trabzonspor and 4 points ahead Galatasaray. In the final fixture, Diyarbakırspor were 1 ...

top scorer with 31 goals.Trabzonspor Genel Bilgi
trabzonspor.com.tr , accessed 9 June 2010Turkcell Süper Lig Arşivi – 2004–2005 Sezonu
tff.org , accessed 9 June 2010

Trabzonspor Women

Trabzonspor Women: is the club’s women’s football team, established in 2007. They compete in the Turkish Women’s Football Super League and achieved notable success by winning the league title in the 2008–09 season.

1461 Trabzon

1461 Trabzon: Founded in 2008 as ''Trabzon Karadenizspor'', this feeder club acts as a development team for Trabzonspor. It provides young players with first-team experience, while Trabzonspor retains the first purchasing rights for players and can loan them out to gain further experience.

Club officials

Board members

Source:

Coaching staff

Source:

Coaches

Notable coaches

''Trabzonspor coaches to have won major honours. Table correct as of 29 December 2024''

Presidents

Notes

References

External links

*
Trabzonspor
on TFF.org
Squad, results and fixtures
at UEFA {{Turkish Cup Sports clubs and teams in Trabzon Football clubs in Turkey Association football clubs established in 1967 1967 establishments in Turkey Süper Lig clubs