Football was introduced to the Ottoman Empire by English men living in the area. The first matches took place in Selanik, now known as Thessaloniki, in 1875. F.C. Smyrna was the first football club established in Turkey. The same men brought football from ðzmir to Istanbul in 1895. The first competitive matches between ðzmir and Istanbul clubs took place in 1897, 1898, 1899, and 1904. The ðzmir team won every match.