Galatasaray’s crowning glory came in 2000, when they became the first Turkish club to win a major European trophy. These are the ten greatest of the Istanbul giants.

1. 1

   Gheorghe Hagi

   Galatasaray · Romania

   The Maradona of the Carpathians, the genius who led the club to European glory.

2. 2

   Metin Oktay

   Galatasaray · Turkey

   The Uncrowned King, a legendary and prolific goalscorer of Turkish football.

3. 3

   Hakan Şükür

   Galatasaray · Turkey

   The club’s all-time top scorer and a hero of the 2000 UEFA Cup triumph.

4. 4

   Fatih Terim

   Galatasaray · Turkey

   The Emperor, an iconic figure as both a commanding player and a title-winning coach.

5. 5

   Bülent Korkmaz

   Galatasaray · Turkey

   A one-club defender and the captain who lifted the UEFA Cup.

6. 6

   Cláudio Taffarel

   Galatasaray · Brazil

   A World Cup-winning goalkeeper whose saves helped win the 2000 UEFA Cup.

7. 7

   Gheorghe Popescu

   Galatasaray · Romania

   A classy defender who scored the winning penalty in the 2000 UEFA Cup final.

8. 8

   Arif Erdem

   Galatasaray · Turkey

   A prolific homegrown forward and a key figure of the European-winning side.

9. 9

   Wesley Sneijder

   Galatasaray · Netherlands

   A world-class playmaker and a brilliant, decisive presence in Istanbul.

10. 10

    Cüneyt Tanman

    Galatasaray · Turkey

    A loyal, long-serving midfielder and a much-loved club figure.

A LeaguePaper editorial ranking — opinion, offered for argument.