İlhan Mansız

İlhan Mansız (born 10 August 1975) is a German-born Turkish former professional footballer who played as a forward. He is also a competing figure skater. He is of Crimean Tatar descent.

Playing career

Club career

Mansız gained international recognition at Istanbul's Beşiktaş J.K., and was later acquired by the Vissel Kobe football club in Japan.

After his Japan journey, he signed a contract with Hertha BSC, but, because of his injury, he never had a chance to play for the first team. His contract was cancelled due to a clause in the contract saying that if his knee was injured again, they would release him. After his short stint with Hertha BSC, İlhan signed a one-year contract with Turkish club Ankaragücü. He was slowly but surely coming back from his plague of injuries and helping Ankaragücü in the Turkcell Super League.

Before the 2006–07 season, he declared his decision to retire from football. As of 2007 there were rumors that he was getting training in Los Angeles, US, to make a comeback to football. These rumors are revealed by İlhan Mansız and he declared to sign contract with Ankaragücü again. However, this final comeback attempt was abandoned before the 2007–08 season, as he announced his retirement.

After a car accident in 2007, it seemed the career of İlhan Mansız had ended. In July 2009, after seven knee operations, he tried to make a comeback by training with German second-division side TSV 1860 Munich.

International career

İlhan made his debut for Turkey as a substitute during their final group-stage qualifier against Moldova in October 2001. The speedy striker earned his way onto coach Şenol Güneş' squad on the strength of an outstanding 2001–02 season for Beşiktaş, when he led the Süper Lig in scoring and helped the squad to a third-place finish.

The best goal of his career came in the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarter final against Senegal. He came on as a substitute for Hakan Şükür in the 67th minute, and netted a golden goal in the 94th minute to send Turkey through to the last four of the competition, in which they ended up taking third place. This was the last time where the golden goal was used in World Cup for extra-time matches. In the third place game İlhan Mansız assisted Hakan Şükür to score the fastest goal ever in a World Cup finals match, and went on to score his team's two other goals in the match.

He is also remembered by his rainbow flick against Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos in 2002 World Cup semifinal clash, which was one of the best skill displays of the cup.

Mansız was a relative unknown in international circles prior to the 2002 World Cup. Despite his display of prodigious talent on the world stage, his health concerns and advanced age precluded serious consideration on the part of European clubs. Mansız declared "It is too late for me, I wish I had been discovered sooner in my career."

Coaching career

On 11 July 2018, Beşiktaş J.K. announced via their social media accounts that Mansız was appointed as assistant coach to the club, along with Guti, another former player of club. Mansız quit his job at Beşiktaş on 6 February 2019 due to health concerns.

Figure skating

Mansız learned to skate at the relatively late age of 33 when he competed on the Turkish show Buzda Dans, as a pair skater with partner Oľga Beständigová, who is also his girlfriend.

After winning the show, Mansız announced his goal was to represent Turkey at the 2014 Winter Olympics, hoping to become the first athlete to compete in both the football World Cup and the Winter Olympics since Aleksandar Shalamanov of Bulgaria.

Mansız and Beständigová made their competitive debut at the 2013 Nebelhorn Trophy, which was also the final qualifying opportunity for the 2014 Olympics. They finished 19th and last in the pairs event, ending their hope of skating at the Olympic Games. Nonetheless, they continued to compete.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Gençlerbirliği	1995–96	Süper Lig	2	0
Kuşadasıspor	1997–98	Turkish Second Football League	37	19
Samsunspor	1998–99	Süper Lig	27	4
	1999-00		31	10
	2000–01		31	12
	Total		89	26
Beşiktaş	2001–02	Süper Lig	30	21
	2002–03		23	7
	2003–04		13	8
	Total		66	36
Vissel Kobe	2004	J1 League	3	0	-		0	0	-		3	0
Hertha BSC	2004–05	Bundesliga	0	0
Ankaragücü	2005–06	Süper Lig	9	4
Career total			206	85

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Turkey	2001	2	1
	2002	13	5
	2003	6	1
Total		21	7

Scores and results list Turkey's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mansız goal.

List of international goals scored by İlhan Mansız

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 October 2001	Stadionul Republican, Chişinău, Moldova	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Moldova	flag alias = Flag of Moldova.svg	flag alias-1346 = Flag of Moldavia.svg	flag alias-1917 = Flag of the Moldavian Democratic Republic.svg	flag alias-1925 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1925-1932).svg	flag alias-1937 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic (1937-1938).svg	flag alias-1938 = Flag of Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.svg	flag alias-1940 = Flag of the Moldavian Soviet Socialist Republic (1941-1952).svg	flag alias-1952 = Flag of Moldavian SSR.svg	flag alias-1990 = Flag of Moldova (1990–2010).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Armed Forces of Moldova.svg	link alias-army = Moldovan Ground Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align="center"|3–0 || align="center"|3–0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	17 April 2002	Kerkrade, Netherlands	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Chile	flag alias = Flag of Chile.svg	flag alias-mapuche = Ancient mapuche flag.svg	flag alias-lautaro = Lautaro flag.svg	flag alias-spain = Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg	flag alias-spain1 = Flag of Spain (1785–1873, 1875–1931).svg	flag alias-1812 = Flag of Chile (1812-1814).svg	flag alias-1812a = Flag of Chile (1812-1814, alternative).svg	flag alias-andes = Bandera de la Provincia de Mendoza.svg	flag alias-1817 = Flag of Chile of the transition (1817).svg	flag alias-1817_proposal = Flag of Chile (1817-1818, 2nd).svg	flag alias-1818 = Flag of Chile (1818).svg	flag alias-1818a = Flag of Chile (1818-1854).svg	flag alias-1819 = State Ensign of Chile (1819-1834).svg	flag alias-expedition = Flag of the Liberating Expedition of Peru.svg	flag alias-1826 = Flag of Chile (Civil Use, 1826-1854).svg	flag alias-ap = Flag of the Kingdom of Araucanía and Patagonia.svg	flag alias-easter1 = Easter Island flag 1876 to 1888.svg	flag alias-easter = Flag of Rapa Nui, Chile.svg	flag alias-president = Bandera del presidente de Chile.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Jack of Chile.svg	link alias-naval = Chilean Navy	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Chilean Air Force.svg	link alias-air force =Chilean Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Chilean Army.svg	link alias-army = Chilean Army	flag alias-navy = Flag of Chile.svg	link alias-navy = Chilean Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align="center"|2–0 || align="center"|2–0 || Friendly
3	22 June 2002	Osaka, Japan	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Senegal	flag alias = Flag of Senegal.svg	link alias-air force = Senegalese Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team }} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|1–0 || 2002 FIFA World Cup
4	29 June 2002	Daegu, South Korea	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = South Korea	flag alias = Flag of South Korea.svg	flag alias-1945 = Flag of South Korea (1945–1948).svg	flag alias-1948 = Flag of South Korea (1948–1949).svg	flag alias-1949 = Flag of South Korea (1949–1984).svg	flag alias-1984 = Flag of South Korea (1984–1997).svg	flag alias-1997 = Flag of South Korea (1997–2011).svg	flag alias-army = Flag of the Republic of Korea Army.svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Republic of Korea Air Force.svg	link alias-army = Republic of Korea Army	flag alias-naval = Flag of the Republic of Korea Navy.svg	link alias-naval = Republic of Korea Navy	link alias-air force = Republic of Korea Air Force	flag alias-marines = Flag of the Republic of Korea Marine Corps.svg	link alias-marines = Republic of Korea Marine Corps	link alias-navy = Republic of Korea Navy	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Republic of Korea Navy.svg	flag alias-military = Flag of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Republic of Korea Armed Forces	flag alias-coast guard = Flag of the Korean Coast Guard.svg	link alias-coast guard = Korea Coast Guard	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = }} || rowspan="2" align="center" |2–1 || align="center" |3–2 || 2002 FIFA World Cup
5				3–2	2002 FIFA World Cup
6	16 October 2002	Istanbul, Turkey	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Liechtenstein	flag alias = Flag of Liechtenstein.svg	flag alias-1719 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1719-1852).svg	flag alias-1852 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1852-1921).svg	flag alias-1921 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1921–1937).svg	flag alias-1937 = Flag of Liechtenstein (1937–1982).svg	size =	name =	variant =	altlink = national football team }} || align="center"|3–0 || align="center"|5–0 || UEFA Euro 2004 qualifying
7	19 November 2003	Istanbul, Turkey	{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Latvia	flag alias = Flag of Latvia.svg	flag alias-pantone = Flag of Latvia (Textile).svg	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Latvian Air Forces.svg	link alias-air force = Latvian Air Force	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Latvia.svg	link alias-naval = Latvian Naval Forces	link alias-army = Latvian Land Forces	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Latvia.svg	link alias-navy = Latvian Naval Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || align="center"|1–0 || align="center"|2–2 || UEFA Euro 2004 Qualifying

Honours

Beşiktaş

• Süper Lig: 2002–03

Turkey

• FIFA World Cup: third place 2002

Individual

• Süper Lig top goalscorer: 2001–02

Order

• Turkish State Medal of Distinguished Service

External links

• Template:PAGENAMEBASE – FIFA competition record (archived)Template:EditAtWikidataTemplate:WikidataCheck
• Template:PAGENAMEBASE at National-Football-Teams.com
• Template:J.League player