Zeynep Mestan, a 22-year-old former footballer, has become the first woman to manage the senior men's team of Turkish club Turgutluspor. The appointment marks a historic moment for the club, which competes in the lower tiers of Turkish football.
Club Announcement and Reaction
In a statement, the club confirmed the agreement: “Our club has reached an agreement with Zeynep Mestan for the role of coach in accordance with the structure and goals of the new season.” The statement added: “We wish success to Zeynep Mestan, who will take the lead of the new formation and technical work initiated in our club under our red-black armor; we hope this new era will be good for our community, club and all of our fans.”
Mestan, who has gained attention on social media, has seen her Instagram followers rise to over 31,000. She previously played football in the Izmir and Manisa regions but left the game due to the state of women's football.
Mestan's Vision for Women's Football
Speaking after her appointment, Mestan said: "As a woman who faced various challenges during her own playing career, I am taking the first step in this regard. I hope that the number of women involved in Turkish football will continue to grow after me. Coaching was a major goal for me; I would have liked to continue playing as well, but unfortunately. The value currently placed on women's football in our country is very low."
She added: "The Federation is doing good work, and I hope that we - as coaches and administrators - will also take the right steps to elevate women's football in Turkey to European standards."
New Challenge at Turgutluspor
Mestan acknowledged both support and criticism: "There are insults and threats, but also very positive comments. I thank everyone who offers their support. We will focus entirely on the pitch and the success we aim to achieve at the end of the season."
Turgutluspor were relegated to the sixth tier of Turkish football after finishing tenth in the Bolgesel Amator Lig last season. It is the club's second relegation in two years, and they will now play in the Manisa Super Amateur League for the first time, having previously competed in the second tier as recently as 2001.
