Galatasaray’s 5-star jersey adorns Brussels’ iconic Manneken Pis statue

Galatasaray’s 5-star jersey adorns Brussels’ iconic Manneken Pis statue

BRUSSELS

The Manneken Pis, Brussels’ 17th-century statue and cultural symbol, wore the colors of a Turkish football club for the first time in its 406-year history in celebration of Galatasaray’s 25th Turkish Super League title — represented by a fifth star on its jersey.

The iconic bronze statue was dressed in the club’s commemorative five-star kit during a vibrant ceremony held in the heart of the Belgian capital.

Manneken Pis, a globally recognized figure that has donned more than 1,100 costumes over centuries, wore what became its 1,177th outfit: The five-star Galatasaray jersey.

Previously, the statue had only worn the kit of local Belgian club Anderlecht, marking a historic moment not only for Turkish football but also for the Turkish community in Belgium.

The celebration, organized by the Belgium Galatasaray Fans Association, took place at the Grand Place and drew a diverse crowd of officials, fans and dignitaries.

Among the attendees were Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region Rudi Vervoort, Brussels Mayor Philippe Close, Galatasaray General Secretary Eray Yazgan and Belgium Galatasaray Fans Association Chair Hakan Göktepe.

Close opened the ceremony with a speech delivered in Turkish, warmly greeting the attendees and expressing his personal connection to Galatasaray fans, despite being a declared Anderlecht supporter.

“Today, we are all Cimbom,” he declared, using the popular nickname for the Istanbul-based club. He lauded Galatasaray’s international reach and its Belgian connection through players like Dries Mertens, noting, “football brings people together.”

Following the speeches, Close was presented with a five-star Galatasaray jersey, while plaques were exchanged to commemorate the occasion.

The celebration culminated in the unveiling of the jersey on the Manneken Pis statue, accompanied by marching anthems and spirited chants from a large gathering of Galatasaray supporters, proudly flying the yellow and red.


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