Analysis
Smart, independent reporting on Turkey's politics, economy and foreign affairs.
Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray, Beşiktaş. The three clubs that come to mind when one speaks of football in Turkey. They are also known as the “Big Three.” In fact, all three are Istanbul clubs. But they have histories stretching back nearly 120 years. They are the teams with the most league titles.
Ali Koç is the president of Fenerbahçe, one of Turkey’s “big three” football clubs, alongside Galatasaray and Beşiktaş. Recently, he was seen eating baklava ahead of Fenerbahçe’s EuroLeague basketball final match in Abu Dhabi. Former minister and current ruling party MP Mustafa Varank was feeding him the baklava, which had been brought from Turkey. Varank said the baklava had been “prayed over,” to which Koç responded with an “amen.” In Turkey, when something is said to be “prayed over,” it means it has been blessed.