25.03.2025 21:20
Arthur Zico, the coach who led Fenerbahçe to a Süper Lig victory in the 2007-2008 season, made a striking confession years later about the then-president of Fenerbahçe, Aziz Yıldırım. The Brazilian coach stated, "I was very happy to be the champion in Fenerbahçe's 100th year. I had to win every match. The president had included a clause in my contract stating that I would be fired if I couldn't become the champion."
Arthur Zico, who experienced both the Süper Lig championship and the quarter-final success in the Champions League with Fenerbahçe in the 2007-2008 season, made important statements about his days in the yellow-navy team. In a program he attended, Zico mentioned the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby with great excitement and praised the atmosphere of the derby. He also shared a special dialogue he had with the then Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım.
"I WITNESSED THE CRAZIEST DERBY IN THE WORLD"
Speaking about the Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray derby, Zico said, "The craziest fans were at Fenerbahçe. I witnessed the craziest derby in the world, Fenerbahçe-Galatasaray. They are really fanatics. It is more intense than the Flamengo-Vasco derby. It is also more intense and fierce than Brazil's biggest rivalry, Gremio-Internacional."
"IF I HADN'T WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP, I WOULD HAVE BEEN FIRED"
Speaking about the former Fenerbahçe president Aziz Yıldırım, with whom he worked, the Brazilian football legend said, "Turkey was tough! I was very happy to have won the derbies and to have become champion in Fenerbahçe's 100th year. I had to win every match. The president had put a clause in my contract that stated he would fire me if I didn't win the championship. I told him, 'You can put that clause, we will be champions.' He had to put up with me for another year."