Turgutluspor have made history in Turkish football by appointing a 22-year-old woman as the new manager of their men’s team.
The club, which currently compete in Turkey’s sixth tier, officially announced the decision while wishing the young manager success in her new role.
“Our club has reached an agreement with Zeynep Mestan for the role of coach in accordance with the structure and goals of the new season,” Turgutluspor stated.
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Zeynep Mestan, the new manager of Turkish club Turgutluspor. Photo by Instagram/@zeynepmestn |
Mestan is no stranger to the Turkish football scene. Before making her transition to coaching, she played for various women’s teams across the Izmir and Manisa regions. She began her professional career in 2019 with Karsiyaka BES Spor, The Sun reported.
Bornova Genc Yildizlar Spor was the most recent club she played for in 2025. Now, just six weeks after turning 22, Mestan has made a special career shift by becoming the first woman to coach Turgutluspor’s men’s squad.
The young female coach faces a massive challenge ahead. Turgutluspor are enduring a difficult period, having recently been relegated to the sixth tier of Turkish football. Last season, the team suffered a relegation after finishing 10th in the Bolgesel Amator Lig. That was the second consecutive relegation for the club, as they fell down from the TFF 3. Lig in the 2024-2025 season.
Mestan will begin this new chapter in her career when the season kicks off in October. While the arrival of a 22-year-old female coach is sure to attract attention, on-field results will be the most important measure of Turgutluspor’s bold new direction.