Şenol Güneş, born on 1 June 1952 in Trabzon, is a prominent figure in Turkish football who made significant contributions both as a player and as a technical director.

Şenol Güneş, born on 1 June 1952 in Trabzon, is a prominent figure in Turkish football who made significant contributions both as a player and as a technical director. Interested in sports from a young age, Güneş initially gravitated toward basketball but, growing up in Trabzon’s football culture, soon developed a stronger passion for football. Developing his skills as a goalkeeper, Güneş began his playing career at Erdoğdu Gençlik Kulübü and joined Trabzonspor’s youth academy at the age of 17.

Şenol Güneş began his playing career in the youth system of Trabzonspor and joined the professional team in 1972. As a goalkeeper, he played a key role in Trabzonspor’s 1975–1976 Süper Lig championship victory. He was called up to the Turkish National Football Team in 1974–1975 and competed internationally. After concluding his playing career at Trabzonspor, he transitioned into coaching.

Additionally, in the 1978–1979 season, he set the Süper Lig record for the longest goalless streak by a goalkeeper, going 1,110 minutes without conceding a goal.

Şenol Güneş began his coaching career in 1988 as head coach of Trabzonspor. In 2000, he took charge of the Turkish National Team and led them to third place at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He was named UEFA’s Coach of the Year in 2002. During his tenure at Trabzonspor, he guided the team to two league runner-up finishes and also coached clubs such as Boluspor, İstanbulspor, Antalyaspor and Sakaryaspor. Between 2007 and 2009, he managed South Korea’s FC Seoul, leading them to finals in both the league and cup competitions. He returned to Trabzonspor in 2009 and became head coach of the team that won the Türkiye Kupası and the Süper Kupa. In 2015, he took over at Beşiktaş and won two Süper Lig titles with the club. In 2019, he returned as head coach of the Turkish National Team and secured qualification for the 2020 European Football Championship. However, due to unsatisfactory results, he stepped down in 2021. He returned to Beşiktaş in 2022 and resigned in 2023. In 2024, he was appointed head coach of Trabzonspor and left the position in 2025.

Güneş has coached various clubs in Türkiye and South Korea and has represented national teams in international tournaments.

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Güneş’s coaching career extended beyond trophies; he also contributed to efforts aimed at enhancing the international recognition of Turkish football and improving its youth development system. He participated in various projects focused on player development and the overall structure of the game. In addition, he has been a prominent voice in public discourse on football, emphasizing that it is not merely a sport but also carries cultural and educational dimensions, and advocating for these aspects to be given greater consideration in Turkish football.

Trabzonspor:

• Süper Lig Championship: 1975–1976
• Türkiye Kupası: 1976–1977, 1983–1984
• Türkiye Süper Kupa: 1976, 1979

Beşiktaş:

• Süper Lig Championship: 2015–2016, 2016–2017
• Türkiye Kupası: 2010–2011, 2015–2016
• Türkiye Süper Kupa: 2015, 2016

National Team:

• Third Place, 2002 FIFA World Cup (2002)
• UEFA European Football Championship: Semi-Final (2008)

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• Süper Lig Coach of the Year: 2016, 2017
• Honorary Award for Contributions to Turkish Football
• Beşiktaş Coach of the Year: 2016–2017

Appointed head coach of Trabzonspor in 2024, Güneş stepped down from the position on 10 March 2025. The Trabzonspor management offered him a position as sporting director, but Güneş declined the offer. As of now, he has no contract with any club.