Mustafa Denizli (born 10 November 1949 in Alaçatı) is a former Turkish football player and now a coach who currently manages Persepolis in IPL. He has managed many Turkish notable football clubs, including 'Istanbul Big Three' (Fenerbahçe, Galatasaray and Beşiktaş) and has won the Turkish League title three times. He is currently the only manager in history to win the Turkish league with three different clubs. He also has worked in outside of Turkey, Alemannia Aachen in Germany, Pas and Persepolis in Iran. He managed the Turkish national team for four years and reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2000. On 23 December 2011, he was returned to his former club, Persepolis.

He spent 17 years with his hometown club Altay SK in İzmir, gaining a reputation as one of the best left-sided forwards in the league. In 1980, he became topscorer with 12 goals. Denizli transferred then in 1983 to Galatasaray after Altay's relegation in 1982–83 season, but retired at the end of the season 1983–1984 from active sport. During his playing time, he was capped 33 times for the national team.

Denizli is a growing industrial city in the southwestern part of Turkey and the eastern end of the alluvial valley formed by the river Büyük Menderes, where the plain reaches an elevation of about a hundred meters. Denizli is located in the country's Aegean Region.

The city has a population of about 511,751 (2011 census). It jumped from 389,000 in 2007, due to the merger of 13 municipalities and 10 villages. The area of Denizli Municipality has increased almost five times and the population increase become around 50 percent. Denizli (Municipality) is the capital city of Denizli Province.

Denizli has achieved a remarkable economic development in the last decades based notably on textile production and exports. Having become a vibrant center of manufacturing focused on exportation, Denizli is frequently cited, along with a number of other Turkish cities, as one of the foremost examples of "Anatolian Tigers" in reference to its rapid pace of development.

Denizli also attracts many visitors to the nearby mineral-coated hillside hot spring of Pamukkale, and with red color thermal water spa hotels Karahayıt, just 5 km north of Pamukkale. Recently, Denizli becomes a major domestic tourism destination due to the various types of thermal waters in Sarayköy, Central/Denizli (where Karahayıt and Pamukkale towns are located), Akköy (Gölemezli), Buldan (Yenicekent), Çardak districts.

Fatih Terim, Commendatore OSSI, (born 4 September 1953) is a Turkish football former player and manager. Terim was born in Adana, Turkey to Nuriye and Talat Terim. His father Talat, is a Turkish Cypriot who emigrated to Turkey. Terim is regarded as a hard-line motivator whose no-nonsense approach was honed during 11 years as a rugged defender with Galatasaray. His nickname is İmparator, which is the Turkish word for "Emperor". This nickname is also widely used in Italy in his reference.

In a survey conducted by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) in 80 countries, Terim was placed among the best 8 managers in the world. He received his award at a ceremony held in Rothenburg, Germany on January 8, 2001. Terim was nominated to be named UEFA manager of the year 2008. Eurosport named Terim as the best coach at Euro 2008. In December 2008, Terim was ranked the 7th best football manager in the world by World Soccer Magazine. Despite his successful record as the manager of Turkey in UEFA Euro 2008, Terim resigned from his post in October 2009 upon the failure of Turkish national team's qualification for FIFA World Cup 2010.

Rıdvan Dilmen (born on August 15, 1962 in Aydın) is a former Turkish footballer who most notably played for Fenerbahçe and Turkey national football team. During his career Rıdvan established himself as one of the most skilled players of the Turkish Super League. He was either an attacking midfielder or an out and out striker. Although he stated on numerous occasions his dislike for it, he was given the nickname "Şeytan Rıdvan" ("Rıdvan the Devil") mostly for his wits, immense speed with the ball and stupendous fakes. Since retiring as a player, Rıdvan coached several teams before becoming a highly respected color commentator, analyst and sportswriter.

Dilmen made his debut with Aydın Sümerspor in 1977. He transferred to Muğlaspor for 25 footballs in 1979 and then became a renowned player for Boluspor between 1980-1983. After playing for Sarıyer between 1983–1987, he signed for Fenerbahçe and fulfilled his dream.

He was the main actor of the 1988-89 Turkish League season, which Fenerbahçe won the title with 103 goals in 36 matches. In the 1988-1989 season, he scored 19 goals and made 41 assists. After getting injured in 1990 against Trabzonspor by the Serbian defender Miodrag Ješić, he never fully recovered. Rıdvan failed to fulfill the expectations expected of him due to consistent injuries, which required sixteen operations. He retired in 1995 after painful years of injuries. He is one of the symbol players not only for Fenerbahçe but for Turkish football also. The reason that his name is not as well-known worldwide are that he seldom had the chance to prove himself on the big international occasions. The Turkish national side for which he played, mostly in the 80s, was a no-hoper and Fenerbahçe's status on the European club stage was scarcely different.

Ahmet Çakar (born 1962 in Istanbul, Turkey) is a famous Turkish sportscaster and a former football referee. He is famous for the abrasive manner in which he presents the Show TV sports programme Altıpas, being described as "Turkey's most controversial football pundit". He also writes sports articles for Sabah newspaper. He is a medical doctor as well. Currently he is a commentator on the Turkish football television programme Telegol, on Kanaltürk TV.

According to IFFHS, he is one of the world's best referees of the quarter of a century

He was born in Istanbul in 1962. He completed his high school education at Istanbul Erkek Lisesi in 1980. Then he graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Istanbul University.

In 2004 he was shot and wounded in the groin and abdomen in Istanbul.