Hazal, Sport Management Student
Wool Cardigan: Vintage
Football means different things to different people. For some people it's their living. For some people it's a passion. For some people it's almost a religion. Some love it, some like and some find it quite enjoyable, and of course some people think it's a waste of time. Hazal loves football. Not only because she studies sport management. Her heart beats for Beşiktaş. When she told me about her football passion I thought this is a perfect opportunity to write about the football phenomenon in Istanbul. Football is taken extremely seriously in whole Turkey - not only in Istanbul. Even by the high European standard of football fanaticism, it's rare to find such large scale, life and death investment surrounding a match by two competitors from the same cities. The majority of Turks support one of the nations's big three teams: Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe and Beşiktaş - all based is Istanbul. Each of the Istanbul teams has its own stereotype. Galatasaray, the oldest is associated with the élite Ottoman-era Galatasaray Lycée. Fenerbahce has the biggest budget and the most illustrious fan base. Beşiktaş is the underdog, the working class team, known for the ardor of its fans. The language of Beşiktaş is also characterized by the poetry of longing and love. I was impressed by Hazal's style of casualness and her passion for football and sports in general. She makes me think of the footballing metaphor: Football is about what you are and how you meet the world. Football is about doing all that can, irrespective of what happens beyond your control.
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