Alpay Özalan

Alpay Özalan is a Turkish politician and former professional footballer who has served as a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey representing Izmir since 2018. Before entering politics, he enjoyed a prominent career as a central defender, playing for clubs such as Beşiktaş, Aston Villa, and Urawa Red Diamonds, and earning 87 caps for the Turkey national team. He was a key member of the Turkish squad that finished third in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. As a politician with the Justice and Development Party (AKP), he has been involved in several high-profile parliamentary incidents and debates regarding national security and cultural policy.