2017 - 2018 Spor Toto Turkish Super League İlhan Cavcav Season's "Supers" awards were given with the ceremony held at İstanbul Congress Center.
The ceremony was made for the first time and co-ordinanted by Turkish Football Federation and Digiturk. Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu, Turkish Football Federation President Yıldırım Demirören, Turkish Football Federation board members, UEFA Honorary President Lennart Johansson, UEFA Executive Committee Member Juan Luis Larrea Sarobe, Cyprus Turkish Football Association President Hasan Sertoğlu, FIFA and UEFA member associations' General Secretaries and delegates, Turkish A National Team Manager Mircea Lucescu, beIN Media Group CEO Yousef Al-Obaidly, club presidents and board members, Turkish football family members and media members attended the ceremony.
Famous figures of football such as Marcel Desailly and Ruud Gullit were also attended to night that the supers of the very exciting 2017- 2018's were awarded.
TFF President Demirören: "We believe we will host EURO 2024"
Turkish Football Federation President Yıldırım Demirören gave a speech on the ceremony night and stated the following:
" First of all, let me welcome you to the very first of the Supers of Football Awards Ceremony which will be a monument of pride for us. I would like to thank our international guests and members of our football family for being here with us. I also would like to express our gratitude to our valued business partner Digiturk and to my dear friend, Yousef Al-Obaidly.
Tonight, we will crown the bests of the 2017 - 2018 Spor Toto Turkish Super League. Championship and relegation race was still on until the last week of that unforgotabble season and the ceremony night of this very exciting season will also be unforgottable. I believe that this ceremony will show the organization capability and strenght of Turkish football to the world.
I would especially like to remind to our international guests and viewers that as Turkish Footbal Federation, we attach great importance to respect, Fair-Play and sportsmanship. We are an innovator, high standing football country and this picture of unity and solidarty is a clear proof of that.
95 years old Turkish Football Federation set high goals and ideals as a result of 100th years vision. The leading goal of this vision is to host EURO 2024 European Football Championship. Through our unique location, young population, modern transportation network, modern and young stadiums, our sports investments and with the leadership of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, with our guarantor state, and with the high support of our nation; our strong associated and accostumed federation to work together with UEFA and FIFA, we believe we will host EURO 2024.
As the President of Turkish Football Federation, i'm aware of the praises from our international friends. These praises motivates us. I would like to remind you that our rich cultured football country is ready to contribute to development of European football and therefore we say: Now It's Turkey's time."
Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu: " We will carry out EURO 2024 successfully"
Minister of Youth and Sports Dr. Mehmet Kasapoğlu gave a speech on the ceremony night. Kasapoğlu said that Turkey is in the home stretch for hosting EURO 2024 and stated the following:
"Tonight, we form a great picture of togetherness here. This picture represents this country's footsteps to the future with a new and high synergy which excites us entirely. I hope our excitement will be crowned with the decision to determine the host of EURO 2024. This country deserves to host such a big event. We've been working hard to make Turkey a sports country since 16 years. With the deep interest and strong support of our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we can easily state that Turkey is now a sports country and a heaven for hosting organizations. I strongly believe we will carry out EURO 2024 successfully, and I believe all well experienced members of our football family share the same ideas with me.
We need to build a strong, sustainable financial and administrative construction for our football clubs and we need the have more productive clubs like Bursaspor, Altınordu. I would like to underline that under my directorship we will make youth our priorty and we will encourage the clubs to be productive. As the ministry, our approach to football is macro and strategic."
Yousef Al-Obaidly: " We are proud to air Turkish Super League in 95 countries."
Digiturk CEO Yousef Al-Obaidly also gave a speech on the night and stated the following:
" I believe the Supers of Football Awards will create a new tradition that gathers us all together for long years. Football is a shared language throughout the world no matter our gender, age or nation. It gathers billions of people and reminds us what holds us together. We are proud to air this special night and Turkish Super League in 95 countries, we are proud to present these special football players and managers to the globe. This night is theirs.
As beIN Media Group, we invest over 20 billion Turkish Liras on sports and media in Turkey. We believe in Turkish Republic's strong foundation and high potential. This investment is also an investment to Turkish Republic's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's vision. BeIN Media Group will keep working for Turkish football and beIN Media Group supports Turkey's EURO 2024 Candidacy."
Awards given in 10 different categories
Supers of Football Awards was given in 10 different categories based on voting of the public and of a special jury consisted of legends of Turkish football, international football stars and Spor Toto Turkish Super League players.
Categories and winners:
Super Goalkeeper of the Year: Fernado Muslera (Galatasaray)
Super Defender of the Year: Pepe (Beşiktaş)
Super Midfielder of the Year: Emre Belözoğlu (Medipol Başakşehir)
Super Forward of the Year: Bafetimbi Gomis (Galatasaray)
Super Player of the Year: Bafetimbi Gomis (Galatasaray)
Super Manager of the Year: Fatih Terim (Galatasaray)
Super Goal of the Year: Quaresma (Beşiktaş)
Super Fair-Play of the Year: Muhammed Demir (Demir Grup Sivasspor)
Super Representative of Turkey: Cengiz Ünder (AS Roma)
Super 11 of the Year: Fernando Muslera (Galatasaray), Mariano (Galatasaray), Pepe (Beşiktaş), Martin Skrtel (Fenerbahçe), Adriano (Beşiktaş), Edin Visca (Medipol Başakşehir), Talisca (Beşiktaş), Emre Belözoğlu (Medipol Başakşehir), Garry Rodrigues (Galatasaray), Bafetimbi Gomis (Galatasaray), Burak Yılmaz (Trabzonspor)