İlhan Mansız

İlhan Mansız

Personal information
Full name	İlhan Mansız
Date of birth	(1975-08-10) August 10, 1975
Place of birth	Kempten, West Germany
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
0000–1995	1. FC Köln
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1995–1996	Gençlerbirliği	2	(0)
1996–1997	SV Türk Gücü München	0	(0)
1997–1998	Kuşadası Gençlikspor	28	(12)
1998–2001	Samsunspor	89	(26)
2001–2004	Beşiktaş	66	(36)
2004	Vissel Kobe	3	(0)
2005	Hertha BSC II	1	(0)
2005–2006	MKE Ankaragücü	9	(4)
Total		198	(78)
National team
2001–2003	Turkey	21	(7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

İlhan Mansız (born 10 August 1975) is a former Turkish football player.

Career

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 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, USA to make a come back 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.

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

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 München.

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 2001-2002 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 3rd place. In the 3rd place game İlhan Mansız assisted Hakan Şükür to score the fastest goal ever in a World Cup finals match also scoring two goals in the same match.

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

Figure skating

He learned to skate at the relatively late age of 33 when he competed on the Turkish show Buzda Dans. He competed as a pair skater with partner Oľga Beständigová, who is also his girlfriend. After winning the show, he announced his goal to represent Turkey at the 2014 Winter Olympics. If he qualifies, Mansız will be the only athlete to compete in both the football World Cup and the Winter Olympics.

Personal

He has a daughter named Aimee who was born in 2003.

Career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Turkey			League		Türkiye Kupası		League Cup		Europe		Total
1996-97	Gençlerbirliği	Super League	2	0
1997-98	Kuşadası Gençlikspor	Turkish Second Football League	37	19
1998-99	Samsunspor	Super League	27	4
1999-00			31	10
2000-01			31	12
2001-02	Beşiktaş	Super League	30	21
2002-03			23	7
2003-04			13	8
Japan			League		Emperor's Cup		League Cup		Asia		Total
2004	Vissel Kobe	J. League Division 1	3	0	-		0	0	-		3	0
Germany			League		DFB-Pokal		Premiere Ligapokal		Europe		Total
2004-05	Hertha BSC	Bundesliga	0	0
Turkey			League		Türkiye Kupası		League Cup		Europe		Total
2005-06	Ankaragücü	Super League	9	4
Total	Turkey		166	66
	Japan		3	0	-		0	0	-		3	0
	Germany		0	0
Career total			206	85

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

Honours

• Turkey
  • FIFA World Cup 2002: 3rd place