of the least successful campaigns of Beşiktaş. The team finished the league at the sixth place. Along with the Turkish Cup title, Özdilek's spectacular performance was a source of consolation. Mehmet scored 16 times in the league, becoming third most-scoring among all the players and the most-scoring midfield player. He also scored in the Cup final against Galatasaray. This was Özdilek's fourth Cup title with Beşiktaş. Beşiktaş lost against Valerenga and was eliminated from the Cup Winners' Cup. Then a middle-aged man was shouting behind the crowd behind the wire looms: "Captaaaiiinnn!". The black and white captain, Özdilek, did not remain indifferent to the man's call, facing the other side of the wire. "When the first half is over I told my son to go to bed because he would go to school tomorrow. What am I going to say to this kid when he wakes up in the morning? How will I say that Beşiktaş is being handed down for God's sake?" Özdilek apologized. In 1998–99 season Beşiktaş once again came very close to a double and prevented by Galatasaray. The Black Eagles lost the league with just one point difference. Özdilek scored heavily in this season, too, and netted 13 goals. In the next year, the scenario remained the same. Galatasaray won the league with four-point ahead of Beşiktaş while Mehmet scored 11 goals in the contest. Following season proved to be the last one for Özdilek and he retired from football after playing 14 years for Beşiktaş. He wore the black and white colours for the last time on the pitch in a testimonial honouring his services for his club against the Italian giants, AC Milan. Gathered money was donated to a charity which grants free education to the children in need. With 130 goals under his belt, Mehmet is still, the second most-scoring player of Beşiktaş's history after Feyyaz Uçar. International career During his playing career, he made 31 appearances for the Turkey national football team from 1990 to 1997. He played at UEFA Euro 1992 qualifying, 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification and 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification stages. Style of play Özdilek used both legs with the same skill, turning his opponents head-to-head with unbelievable strikes. Although it was short, it made a very aesthetic head kick. Great goals scored, nice unforgettable goals rust out of the feet. The wrists were soft and he turned