ABSTRACT
Since the murder of two Leeds United fans during a 2000 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Cup game in Istanbul, Turkish fandom has often been stigmatized as particularly violent and nationalistic. This article intends to deconstruct this negative perception through the case study of the UltrAslan, the hardcore fans of Galatasaray. The Turkish reinterpretation of a fandom model born in Italy showed a new model of organization: The ‘footballistic church’. This notion describes an elaborate institution with the Universalist vocation of gathering the largest fan base. It shows how the Turkish ultras have deepened the identification with their club, transcending local, ethnic, political or religious identities. By rejecting the deep schisms that divide the country, the fans’ group can be viewed as a new model of a national community.
