Ümit Davala
A dynamic Turkish winger whose pinpoint crosses and tireless runs were instrumental in Galatasaray's historic European triumph and Turkey's World Cup glory.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Turkish footballer and coach·Birthday: July 30·Generation X
Biography
With his distinctive shaved head and boundless energy, Ümit Davala was the turbo-charged wing engine for one of Turkish football's most celebrated teams. His peak years at Galatasaray coincided with their golden era, where his ability to stretch defenses and deliver dangerous balls from the right flank was crucial. He lived his club's greatest night in Copenhagen, playing the full 120 minutes in the 2000 UEFA Cup final victory over Arsenal. That success was a prelude to a national fairy tale. Two years later, Davala was a starter in South Korea, his crosses and set-pieces helping propel an unfancied Turkey to an unexpected third-place finish at the World Cup. His career later took him to the Bundesliga, where he added a German title, before his playing days wound down in Italy and back home.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Ümit was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ümit Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Ümit's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the UEFA Cup with Galatasaray in 2000, a first and only European trophy for a Turkish club.
- Earned a bronze medal with Turkey at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, scoring in the group stage against China.
- Secured four Süper Lig titles and three Turkish Cups during his core years with Galatasaray.
- Won the Bundesliga with Werder Bremen in the 2003-04 season.
Did You Know?
He is known by the nickname 'Çılgın Türk' (The Crazy Turk) for his relentless playing style.
After retirement, he served as a board member and assistant coach at Galatasaray.
He scored Turkey's first goal of the 2002 World Cup tournament.
“On that right wing, my only thought was to run until the defender's legs gave out.”
