Rüştü Reçber

Rüştü Reçber (pronounced [ˈɾyʃty ˈɾetʃbeɾ]; born 10 May 1973) is a retired Turkish international footballer and a current sports executive.[4] During his professional career, he played as a goalkeeper for Antalyaspor, Fenerbahçe, Barcelona and Beşiktaş.

Rüştü Reçber
Reçber playing for Beşiktaş in 2010
Personal information
Full name Rüştü Reçber
Date of birth (1973-05-10) 10 May 1973
Place of birth Korkuteli, Antalya, Turkey
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Playing position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1985–1988 Korkutelispor[2][3]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1988–1991 Burdurgücü 1 (0)
1991–1993 Antalyaspor 34 (0)
1993–2003 Fenerbahçe 240 (0)
1993–1994 → Antalyaspor (loan) 33 (0)
2003–2006 Barcelona 4 (0)
2004–2006 → Fenerbahçe (loan) 46 (0)
2006–2007 Fenerbahçe 8 (0)
2007–2012 Beşiktaş 99 (0)
Total 432 (0)
National team
1992–1993 Turkey U21 11 (0)
1994–2012 Turkey 120 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Rüştü was part of the Turkish national squad that reached the semi-finals at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2008. At the former, where Turkey finished third, his performances saw him selected for the tournament's all-star team. He is Turkey's record appearance holder, having earned 120 caps.[5] He made his debut against Iceland in 1994 and his final appearance came against Finland in 2012.[6]

Rüştü was named the best goalkeeper in European competitions in 2002, selected for the 2002 UEFA Team of the Year by public vote.[7] In 2004, he was selected to FIFA 100 by Pelé as one of the 125 best living footballers in the world.[8]

Club career

1985–2003: Early years and Fenerbahçe

Born in Korkuteli, Rüştü began his career at nearby Antalyaspor, having converted from a forward to a goalkeeper. Early in his career, he missed out on moves to two of the Istanbul-based Big Three of Turkish football: he rejected Galatasaray at the age of 17 because coach Mustafa Denizli wanted him to start off at the youth team, and in 1993 a move to Beşiktaş fell through when he was seriously injured in a car crash.[9]

After debuting for Turkey under-21, Rüştü was told by national manager Fatih Terim in 1992 that he would become the greatest goalkeeper in the nation's history.[9] In 1993 he joined the last remaining of the Big Three, Fenerbahçe, spending his first season back on loan at Antalyaspor. He gained his big break in October 1994, when club and national starting goalkeeper Engin İpekoğlu injured his foot against Kayserispor; he debuted against Petrol Ofisi and went on to make 240 appearances in his first spell, also becoming captain and winning the Süper Lig twice.[9]

2003–2004: Barcelona

In July 2003, Rüştü was very close to signing for Arsenal, but he had a dispute with manager Arsène Wenger who he felt insulted his fitness. Instead, he joined La Liga club Barcelona.[10] After manager Frank Rijkaard chose to play Víctor Valdés in the first two league matches because Rüştü's Spanish was still very weak Rüştü was upset by this, saying "It is not normal for a goalkeeper of my history and caliber to be left out because I don't speak Spanish."[11][12]

Rüştü made his debut on 15 October 2003 in the UEFA Cup first round second leg at home to Slovakia's MŠK Púchov, an 8–0 win.[13] He totalled only seven games – four in the league, of which the first was a 3–1 win at RCD Espanyol in the Derbi barceloní on 13 December.[14]

2004–2012: Return to Fenerbahçe, Beşiktaş
Rüştü (in orange) in action for Beşiktaş against Trabzonspor in March 2008

Having played just four league games (seven overall), Rüştü was loaned back to Fenerbahçe on 27 August 2004 for the season.[15] On 28 July 2005, this was extended for another year.[16] In his combined two spells, Rüştü is the Fenerbahçe goalkeeper with second-most appearances, with 294 games, following Volkan Demirel.[17]

After winning the league title for a third time with Fenerbahçe in 2006–07, Rüştü moved to city rivals Beşiktaş on a three-year deal, along with teammate Mehmet Yozgatlı.[18] Rüştü won the league with his new team in 2008–09. He also won 2010–11 Turkish Cup where he played all 120 minutes, including penalties, as the club won the tournament.

International career

2002 FIFA World Cup
Reçber (top left) played in all of Turkey's fixtures at the 2002 World Cup, and conceded 6 goals in 7 games

Turkey finished third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. Rüştü was one of two goalkeepers in the 16-man Team of the Tournament, alongside Germany's Oliver Kahn.[19]

On 26 March 2005, captain Rüştü earned his 100th cap in a 2–0 home win over Albania in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification.[9]

Euro 2008

With first choice goalkeeper Volkan Demirel suspended, Rüştü started the UEFA Euro 2008 quarter-final match against Croatia. A questionable foray from his goalmouth allowed Croatia to score the match's first goal with a minute remaining in extra time. Rüştü immediately made amends for his mistake though, assisting on Semih Şentürk's injury time goal in the 122nd minute. In the ensuing penalty shootout, he faced four kicks, saving the last one from Mladen Petrić to secure Turkey's victory in the shootout and enabling Turkey to progress to the Euro semi-finals for the first time ever.[20]

In the aftermath of the 3–2 semi-final loss to Germany, a game in which he was captain, he announced his retirement from the national team.[21] However, he was since called up against Spain for a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying match. He was called up for the last time for Turkey in a game against Finland on 26 May 2012, the last of his 120 caps.[22]

Style of play

Rüştü was renowned as a gifted shot-stopper,[23][24] possessed an excellent positional sense.[23] Using his height, he was also able to come up for high balls.[23] He also possessed strong reflexes[25][26] and good deflecting ability.[25][27] Known as a penalty stopper, his shoot-out performance against Croatia in the UEFA Euro 2008 quarter-finals was described as heroic by UEFA in 2015.[28] He was featured in a UEFA Training Ground series video under the title of Rüştü's Turkish Delight, in which he was described as a Master of Penalties.[Video 1] He was an eccentric goalkeeper,[29] who also stood out for his charismatic personality.[30][31] Physically, he was recognisable for his long hair and anti-glare paint under his eyes.[32] He was also adept at taking goal kicks and clearing backpasses.[29]

Personal life

Rüştü is married to Işıl Reçber (née: Kepe)[33] and the couple have a son and a daughter.[34][35][36] The couple first met in period when Rüştü just signed for Fenerbahçe from Antalyaspor, in 1994.[34] Rüştü used to be a Galatasaray supporter in his childhood.[37] His son, Burak, born in 2007,[38] plays football at Galatasaray academy.[39]

In March 2020, Reçber tested positive for COVID-19 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. He was admitted to hospital for care where he was put under isolation.[40] He was discharged in April.[41]

Career statistics

Club
Reçber (left) in 2005

Source:[42][43]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup European Competition[lower-alpha 1] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Burdurgücü 1990–91 3. Lig 10––––10
Total 10––––10
Antalyaspor 1991–92 2. Lig ––––––––
1992–93 10––––10
1993–94 330––––330
Total 340––––340
Fenerbahçe 1994–95[44] 1. Lig[lower-alpha 2] 9020––110
1995–96[44] 2906040390
1996–97[44] 2702080370
1997–98[44] 3305020400
1998–99[44] 300––40340
1999–00[44] 2501020280
2000–01[44] 33050––380
2001–02[44] Süper Lig 3001080390
2002–03[44] 240––60300
Total 24002203402960
Barcelona 2003–04[45] La Liga 40––3070
Total 40––3070
Fenerbahçe 2004–05[44] Süper Lig 2904080410
2005–06[44] 17020––190
2006–07[44] 80––70150
Total 54060150750
Beşiktaş 2007–08 Süper Lig 2202030270
2008–09 2901030330
2009–10 2501040300
2010–11 1104010160
2011–12 1201050180
Total 990901601240
Career total 43203706805370
  1. Includes appearances in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League/UEFA Cup.
  2. Named respectively as Milli Lig between 1959–1962, Türkiye 1. Futbol Ligi (1. Lig) between 1962–2000, and Süper Lig from 2001 to present

International

Sources:[46][47][43][48]

Turkey national team
YearAppsGoals
199420
1995100
1996100
199770
199850
199970
200090
2001100
2002130
2003130
2004120
200540
2006100
200720
200830
200910
201210
Total1200

Honours

Player

Fenerbahçe

Beşiktaş

Turkey

Individual

Awards

gollark: 150, but yes.
gollark: Allegedly. This is mostly just marketing.
gollark: Unlike cool™ technological civilization™, their knowledge worsens every year.
gollark: Also very backward.
gollark: The magical community is very small and they probably get random dark lords popping up a lot.

References
Citations
  1. "UEFA Europa League Statistics Handbook - Knockout phase" (PDF). UEFA. 2010. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  2. "Rüştü: Maçlara Dua İle Başlarım" (in Turkish). Zaman. 15 January 2009. p. 45. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  3. Özpınar, Zekai (27 June 2005). "Rüştü'yü Bir Galatasaraylı Yetiştirmiş" (in Turkish). Aksiyon. Archived from the original on 19 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  4. "Milli Takımlar Reçber'e emanet" (in Turkish). Sabah. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  5. Mamrud, Roberto (6 April 2011). "Turkey – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  6. Mamrud, Roberto (29 October 2009). "Reçber Rüstü – Century of International Appearances". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 20 December 2011.
  7. "UEFA Team of the year 2002". .uefa.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  8. "Pele's list of the greatest". BBC Sport. 4 March 2004. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  9. Tozar, Türker (1 April 2005). "Turkey trust in Rüstü". UEFA. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  10. "Recber: Arsenal disrespected me". The Guardian. 24 July 2003. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  11. Kendall, Mark. "Recber baffled by Rijkaard snub". SkySports. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  12. Calero Bejarano, Miguel Angel (4 January 2016). "Rüstü, el otro turco antes de Arda, también debutó contra el Espanyol, en un partido con récord de expulsiones: seis". lavozdelbarcelona.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  13. "El Barça goleó al Matador Puchov (8-0)" (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 15 October 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  14. "El Barça se impone al Espanyol en un partido con seis expulsados y graves incidentes en las gradas". ABC (in Spanish). 13 December 2003. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  15. "Rustu goes on loan to Fenerbahce". CNN. 27 August 2004. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  16. "Rüstü to stay at Fenerbahçe". UEFA. 28 July 2005. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  17. "'Fenerbahçe Volkan Demirel yerine yabancı kaleci alacak'" (in Turkish). t24.com.tr. 29 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  18. "Rüştü opts for Beşiktaş switch". UEFA. 17 June 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  19. "FIFA Announces All-Star Team for the 2002 World Cup". People. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  20. Harrold, Michael (21 June 2008). "Turkey triumph in Vienna shoot-out". UEFA. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  21. "Turkey's Rustu announces international retirement". Reuters. 26 June 2008. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  22. "Turkey plays Finland on friendly tour". Hurriyet Daily News. 26 May 2012. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  23. "BBC Sport World Cup Squad Rustu". BBC Sport. 9 April 2002. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  24. "Happy Birthday to you!" (in Turkish). FIFA. 4 May 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  25. Gökçe, Atilla (11 October 1998). "Yaşa Rüştü, Hans düştü" (in Turkish). Milliyet. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  26. "Rüştü and Şükür star as Belgium fall to Turkey" (in Turkish). UEFA. 6 October 2003. Retrieved 9 January 2015.
  27. "Otoritelere Göre Rüştü" (in Turkish). Fotomaç. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  28. "Saving grace: Europe's favourite goalkeepers". UEFA. 30 June 2015. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  29. Tozar, Türker (1 April 2005). "Turkey trust in Rüstü". UEFA. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  30. Cassia, Luca (20 June 2018). "Calciomercato, comete Mondiali: Rustu idolo in Turchia, flop al Barça" (in Italian). sport.sky.it. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  31. Agave, Claudio (15 January 2016). "Rustu Recber, leggenda in Turchia e riserva al Barcellona" (in Italian). www.contra-ataque.it. Retrieved 14 March 2020.
  32. Kelly, James (11 December 2017). "Rüştü Reçber: the Turkish warrior capable of the brilliant and the baffling". These Football Times. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  33. "LIFE Portre - Işıl Reçber" (in Turkish). Akşam. 18 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  34. ""İçimde muhafazakâr bir taraf var"" (in Turkish). Habertürk. 31 March 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  35. "Germany vs. Turkey coverage: Penalty hero's dark past – News" (in German). Bild.de. 25 June 2008. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  36. Wallace, Sam (15 April 2003). "Wenger leads head-to-head race with Ferguson for Rustu". The Daily Telegraph.
  37. Gökçe, Atilla (2 March 2014). "Rüştü Reçber: Küçükken Galatasaraylıydım şimdi Fenerbahçeliyim" (in Turkish). Milliyet. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  38. "Velihatı 4 yaşındaki oğlu" (in Turkish). Akşam. 5 October 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2016.
  39. Er, İsmail (7 January 2014). "Rüştü'nün Aslan oğlu" (in Turkish). Hürriyet. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  40. Erözden, Can (29 March 2020). "Turkey: Legendary goalkeeper positive for COVID-19". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  41. Asikci, Emre (6 April 2020). "Legendary Turkish goalie discharged from hospital". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  42. "Rüştü Reçber (Beşiktaş) @ Maçkolik". mackolik.com. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  43. "Rüştü Reçber". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  44. Duruk, Alper. "Rüştü Reçber'in Performansı" (in Turkish). turkfutbolu.net. Archived from the original on 14 May 2004. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  45. "Rüstü: Rüstü Reçber 2003–04". BDFutbol. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  46. Mamrud, Roberto (4 December 2014). "Turkey - Record International Players". RSSSF. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  47. "FIFA Century Club" (PDF). FIFA. 26 September 2014. p. 7. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
  48. "Rüştü Reçber - National Team Player". eu-football.info. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  49. "FIFA Announces World Cup All-Star Team - 2002-06-28". Voice of America. 27 October 2009. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  50. "Reyna Named to FIFA World Cup All-Star Team". www.ussoccer.com. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  51. "Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, June 28, 2002 FIFA Announces All-Star Team for the 2002 World Cup". 28 June 2002. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  52. "Team of the Year 2002". UEFA. 25 November 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  53. "Team of the Year 2002". UEFA. 11 January 2011. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  54. Pierrend, José Luis (14 February 2004). "IFFHS' World's Best Goalkeeper of the Year 2002". IFFHS. Retrieved 19 December 2015.
  55. "30. Bradley Howard Friedel – Kalecinin kralları – Sporx Galeri". Live.sporx.com. Retrieved 29 June 2012.
  56. Davies, Christopher (5 March 2004). "Pele open to ridicule over top hundred". The Telegraph. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  57. "FIFA 100". bestfootballplayersever.com. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
Video References
  1. Rüştü's Turkish delight (UEFA video). UEFA. Retrieved 19 December 2015.

Bibliography
  • Haşin, Şahin (2002). Tuana'nın Babası Rüştü (in Turkish). Günizi Yayıncılık. ISBN 9758731041.
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