an unprecedented third place in the tournament. Özalan also featured for Turkey in Euro 1996, Euro 2000 and the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. A very memorable moment in Özalan's career in complete contrast to his general fame was during Euro 1996 in the game between Croatia and Turkey. In a counterattack, he allowed Croatian Goran Vlaović to dribble the ball half the field without fouling him to stop the attack. In consequence, Vlaović scored the single goal of the game and Turkey lost. Özalan was awarded with a fair-play award due to his action. On 24 June 2000, he was sent off during the first half of the Euro 2000 quarter-final against Portugal, which his country lost by a score of 2–0. His final match was against Switzerland in the 2006 FIFA World Cup second leg play-off tie in Istanbul, conceding a second-minute penalty by handball, converted by Alexander Frei which resulted in Turkey's elimination despite a 4–2 victory. Özalan was involved in a brawl at the end of the game and was awarded a six-match ban by FIFA. Politician In the Parliamentary elections of 24 June 2018, he was elected a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey representing Izmir for the AKP. According to his own statement he was more excited the first day in parliament than when playing football before 85'000 people. In 2021, he was involved in a brawl in the Turkish parliament where he was seen fighting against Özgür Özel, a politician of the Republican People's Party (CHP). During the Claw lock military operation against the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), he demanded the cancellation of a concert of Aynur Dogan in Istanbul, because he deems her a supporter of the PKK. Career statistics Club International International goals Scores and results list Turkey's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Özalan goal. Honours Beşiktaş Süper Lig: 1994–95 Turkish Cup: 1994, 1998 Turkish Super Cup: 1998 Aston Villa UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2001 Urawa Red Diamonds Emperor's Cup: 2005 Turkey FIFA World Cup: Third Place: 2002 FIFA Confederations Cup: Third Place: 2003 Individual FIFA World Cup All Star Team: 2002 J1 League Defender of the Year: 2004 Footnotes A. In 2001 Aston Villa were one of three co-winners of the Intertoto Cup with Paris Saint-Germain and Troyes AC. The club also won all of their 2008 Intertoto Cup rounds to be named joint-winners and progress