Emre Belozoglu Appointed as New Fenerbahce Manager
Former Newcastle United midfielder Emre Belozoglu has been named the new manager of Fenerbahce, succeeding Ismail Kartal. The 46-year-old returns to his former club as they look to recover from a difficult run that has left them 10 points adrift in the Super Lig title race.
Fenerbahce have announced the appointment of Emre Belozoglu as their new manager. The 46-year-old steps into the role as the successor to Ismail Kartal, who resigned in late October following a 2-1 defeat to fierce rivals Galatasaray in the Intercontinental Derby.
The Istanbul giants are currently navigating a turbulent stretch of form, sitting 10 points behind Super Lig leaders Galatasaray. Having won only one of their last five matches in all competitions, their struggles continued with a 2-1 home defeat against Goztepe during Dirk Kuyt's debut as interim coach. Kuyt will remain in charge for the team's upcoming UEFA Champions League fixture against Liverpool on Wednesday before Belozoglu fully takes the reins.
In their welcoming announcement, Fenerbahce highlighted Belozoglu's enduring devotion to the club, pointing to his long-standing history both as a player on the pitch and as a coach on the sidelines. The 19-time Turkish champions emphasized that representing the team's colours carries profound pride and responsibility as they welcomed him back to the institution, where he previously featured in 227 matches as a player.
Belozoglu makes the switch to Fenerbahce from Kasimpasa, where he had been in charge since December 2025. During his tenure there, he secured 10 victories in 31 matches, leaving the club in fifth place after 10 rounds of the current campaign.
A prominent figure in Turkish football, Belozoglu earned 101 caps for the national team throughout his playing career. He initially broke into senior football with Galatasaray in the late 1990s, winning the UEFA Cup in 2000 as a key milestone. He subsequently transferred to Inter in 2001 before heading to England four years later to join Newcastle United, where he spent three seasons at St James' Park. His playing days also featured stints at Atletico Madrid and Istanbul Basaksehir, alongside seven seasons across three separate spells at Fenerbahce.