By Ercan Cakar

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s former football veteran and national team goalkeeper Turgay Seren has died at the age of 84 in Istanbul, a Turkish football club announced Thursday.

Seren, who only played with Istanbul-based Galatasaray club apart from the national team in his career spanning 18 years, had been undergoing treatment in Istanbul when he died early Thursday, Galatasaray said.

The legendary footballer was nicknamed the “Berlin panther” after a match against West Germany in 1951 when he made heroic saves.

Seren played with Galatasaray in 405 matches in Turkish and European leagues as well as cup matches.

He was born in 1932 in the capital Ankara. His father Sabit Sevki Seren was one of the vice executive assistants of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

He started his football career at Galatasaray after graduating from high school in 1949.

When Galatasaray played for the first time in Europe as part of the Champion Clubs’ Cup against Dinamo Bucuresti in 1956, he was the goalkeeper.

His last game was in 1967 against a mixed team consisting of footballers playing in the Turkish league.

Seren also had a coaching career, which he began in 1968 with Turkey’s eastern Mediterranean team Mersin Idmanyurdu.

He also worked for other teams such as Vefa, Samsunspor and Galatasaray.

Seren also worked as a sports columnist and television commentator.

He leaves behind four children from three marriages.