Horror on the Bosporus - The Night of the Shame of Istanbul

(1) The facts

The World Cup qualification playoff matches between Turkey and Switzerland in 2005, known as the "Horror of Istanbul," were marked by intense and controversial events on and off the pitch. These matches were part of the qualifiers for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

First Leg: Switzerland vs Turkey (November 12, 2005)

• Venue: Stade de Suisse, Bern, Switzerland

• Attendance: 31,130

• Referee: Ľuboš Micheľ (Slovakia)

• Managers: Köbi Kuhn (Switzerland), Fatih Terim (Turkey)

• Score: Switzerland 2 - 0 Turkey

• Goals:

  • 41' Philippe Senderos (1-0)

  • 86' Valon Behrami (2-0)

• Key Players: Philippe Senderos, Valon Behrami (Switzerland); Tuncay Şanlı, Hakan Şükür (Turkey)

Second Leg: Turkey vs Switzerland (November 16, 2005)

• Venue: Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey

• Attendance: 42,000

• Referee: Frank De Bleeckere (Belgium)

• Managers: Fatih Terim (Turkey), Köbi Kuhn (Switzerland)

• Score: Turkey 4 - 2 Switzerland

• Goals:

  • 1' Alexander Frei (penalty, 0-1)

  • 22', 36', 89' Tuncay Şanlı (1-1, 2-1, 4-2)

  • 52' Necati Ateş (penalty, 3-1)

  • 84' Marco Streller (3-2)

Despite winning the second leg, Turkey failed to qualify for the World Cup on the away-goals rule, losing the first leg 2-0 in Berne, and Switzerland took the prized slot at the World Cup in Germany​​.

Post-Match Brawl and Sanctions

The second leg match in Istanbul ended in chaos:

• Incidents: After the final whistle, fighting involving players and officials erupted, resulting in injuries. Switzerland's Benjamin Huggel kicked Turkey's assistant coach, Mehmet Ozdilek, and subsequently attacked defender Alpay Ozalan.

• Sanctions:

  • Turkey: Six home games at a neutral venue, a fine of 200,000 Swiss Francs, and suspensions for players Alpay, Emre Belozoglu, and Serkan Balci. Assistant coach Ozdilek was banned from football-related activities for a year.

  • Switzerland: Benjamin Huggel and the team's physiotherapist Stephan Meyer were suspended for six matches and fined.

The match's aftermath was one of the ugliest scenes in international soccer, marked by an intense build-up, bad tempers on the pitch, and a post-match brawl. The situation stained the sport, highlighting how competitive spirit can escalate into aggression and overshadow the game.

 (2) The report

Senol Günes, Turkey's national coach, boldly proclaimed in 2002 after their quarter-final victory against Senegal: "Here we are guests, in 2006 you are invited."

He referred to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, a significant event for the large Turkish community there. However, Turkey's path to this 'home' World Cup turned contentious. Switzerland had the better end, and Turkey suffered one of their most devastating defeats.

Hostility on arrival

When the Swiss team arrived in Istanbul on November 15, 2005, for the World Cup playoff second leg, they were greeted with hostile banners. One notably read "Welcome to Hell," aimed at Swiss striker Alexander Frei, who had scored in the first leg, giving Switzerland a 2-0 lead. "Huren Son Frei," read another one.

The Swiss team faced hostility at the airport and on their way to the stadium, with their bus being pelted with stones and eggs. Even the airport employees testified to the Swiss full of hate songs when they arrived. The hostile environment continued at the stadium, with 46,000 passionate Turkish fans drowning out the Swiss national anthem in boos.

Turkey's desperate race to catch up against Switzerland

Switzerland's early goal in the match seemed to seal Turkey's fate. They now needed four goals to qualify. Tuncay Sanli's brace brought hope, and a penalty by Necati Ates further fueled the fiery atmosphere.

But Marco Streller's goal for Switzerland in the 84th minute dashed Turkey's hopes despite Sanli's late third goal. Switzerland's 4-2 loss was enough to secure their spot in Germany due to the away-goals rule.

Post-match, the situation escalated into what was later dubbed "The Night of the Shame of Istanbul."

Turkish players aggressively confronted their Swiss counterparts, leading to chaotic scenes. Alpay Özalan clashed with Marco Streller, and Benjamin Huggel tangled with a Turkish assistant coach.

"Run in, stay with me!"

A unique one-of-a-kind highlight: Suddenly, Swiss international Raphael Wicky of Hamburger SV hears a loud voice shortly after the final whistle of Belgian referee Frank De Bleekere. "Run in, stay with me!" - This is Hamit Altintop, born in Gelsenkirchen.

Wicky doesn't think twice. He runs off and saves himself from the anger of the Turkish fans.

Swiss player Philipp Degen later describes the scene as unprecedentedly brutal. Raphael Wicky of Hamburger SV recalls the post-match chaos, where even the tunnel to the dressing rooms was a battleground.

"Unbelievable what happened in the cabin aisle," Wicky says in BILD Hamburg. “There were fights everywhere. Stewards, players, and delegates beat each other up. What shocked me the most was how the Turkish players beat each other up."

Two hours behind closed cabin doors

The Swiss have to wait two hours behind closed cabin doors and fear. There is no chance of an orderly departure.

So they start tasting the beer and champagne they brought with them.

"It's great that we're here for the World Cup," Wicky is pleased to say, "for me and the others, a childhood dream has come true.”

“Our inability to handle defeat gracefully is disheartening."

Meanwhile, Halil Altintop of 1. FC Kaiserslautern expressed disappointment over the tarnished reputation of Turkish football. Turkey's hopes for the 'Home World Cup' in Germany were ultimately quashed by their actions on and off the pitch.

Halil Altintop expressed his disappointment candidly: "It's a source of embarrassment that we are the subject of global discussion for the wrong reasons. Our inability to handle defeat gracefully is disheartening."

The stark reality for Turkey in the 2006 'Home World Cup' in Germany was a tough pill to swallow: Despite their fervent hopes and passionate support, their journey ended before it could begin.

Next Sunday: Scandal 24 - Maradona Out of Control

It is not a good idea for Diego Armando Maradona to make the 1994 World Championship his show stage again.

At his fourth and final World Cup, the Argentinian, who is similarly revered to 'God' in his South American homeland, becomes the most prominent doping victim in the tournament’s history and reveals an incredible trick.

Next Wednesday: Start of the new Series

Fate Was Not Kind to These 12 Soccer Icons

If you make a name for yourself in football, this is usually a good prerequisite for a happy life. If you manage to play for your country or even take part in a World Cup, chances are that the rest of your life will also be successful and free from worries.

However, there have been various cases where things went very differently. Cases where former superstars ended up in poverty. Some became alcoholics or committed suicide. Or they died far too early in tragic accidents. Others had psychological problems or became ill.

We tell 12 of the most tragic stories in recent football history. International stars who suffered horrible misfortunes after their careers ended.

We will start with the most tragic World Cup hero from Brazil.