ðsmail Kartal (born 15 June 1961), colloquially known by the given nickname "Arap ðsmail" due to his tanned skin, is a Turkish professional football manager and former player who recently was the manager of Persian Gulf Pro League club Persepolis.
Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Kartal began his football career at Sarñyer. He later transferred to Gaziantepspor. After two years at the club, he transferred to Fenerbahce and played there from 1983 to 1993, playing 235 matches and scoring 15 goals, nine of which came from penalties. He won two national league titles with Fenerbahce in 1984âÂÂ85 and 1988âÂÂ89 seasons.
He enjoyed the most productive period of his playing career with Denizlispor in the 1993âÂÂ1994 season, scoring 12 goals in 32 matches. After playing for Adanaspor in the 1994âÂÂ1995 season, he retired from active football. Kartal played twelve seasons from 1981 to 1993 in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Kartal two appearances for the senior Turkey U21 national football team from 1982 through 1984 and made six appearances for the senior Turkey national football team from 1982 through 1985.
After his retirement as a professional football player, worked in the Fenerbahçe Academy between 1997 and 1999. He made his first professional managerial debut at Karabükspor in the TFF First League. He then took over at Sivasspor, leading the YiÃÂidolar to the TFF First League championship at the end of the season and into the Süper Lig for the first time in their history. He also managed Mardinspor, Altay, Malatyaspor, Orduspor and Konya Anadolu Selçukspor.
He led Ankaragücü to became second of TFF First League and promoted to the Süper Lig in 2018.
Between 2010 and 2014, he was the assistant coach at Fenerbahce.
After Ersun Yanal's resignation, Kartal took over as manager.
At the end of the 2014âÂÂ15 Süper Lig season, he officially announced his resignation as manager of Fenerbahçe, though it was clear beforehand that he would not be manager for the next season.
On 12 January 2022, following the departure of Vitor Pereira, Kartal signed with Fenerbahçe for the rest of the season. At the end of the season, Fenerbahçe finished in second place, by eight points behind Trabzonspor. Kartal finished with a record of twelve wins, five draws and four losses in 21 matches.
On 28 June 2023, Kartal signed a one-year contract with Fenerbahçe for his third managerial spell at the club. In the 2023âÂÂ24 season, he led the club to achieve 99 points in the Süper Lig, yet they finished second behind their rivals Galatasaray with 102 points. Upon the conclusion of the season, he left the club on 31 May 2024.
On 24 January 2025, Persepolis signed Kartal to a 18-month contract for the rest of the 2024âÂÂ25 season.
In June 2025, following the outbreak of the Twelve-Day War, ðsmail Kartal terminated his contract with Persepolis F.C. and left the club by mutual agreement.
Sarñyer
Fenerbahçe
Fenerbahçe
Sivasspor
Fenerbahçe