In the rugged hills of Diyarbakır’s Silvan district, one house doesn’t just stand out – it roars.
Painted in Galatasaray’s iconic yellow and red, it’s more than a home; it’s a tribute to a lifelong passion.
Mehdi Keskinkılınç, a father of four and die-hard supporter of the Istanbul giants, turned his dream into a brick-and-mortar reality.
Using his earnings from plastering and insulation work, he transformed his home’s facade two years ago, proudly inscribing the name of Mauro Icardi – the Argentine striker who led Galatasaray to back-to-back titles.
That alone was enough to catch the eye of Icardi himself, who reposted a photo of the house to his 13.9 million Instagram followers with the caption, “Minik aslanlar büyüyor” (“Little lions are growing up”).
It was the kind of attention that turns a humble village home into a national shrine.
But Keskinkılınç wasn’t done.
This summer, after Galatasaray signed Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen and clinched a record 24th league title, he added Osimhen’s name next to Icardi’s.
Alongside the names, he painted the coveted fifth star – symbolizing the club's dominance – and two lion figures: one for each striker.
“They said Osimhen was coming. I thought, if Icardi helped make us champions, why not Osimhen too?” Keskinkılınç told local reporters. “I put his name up, added a star, and gave both players their lion.”
For Keskinkılınç, football is faith. “If I had 20,000 houses, I’d paint them all in yellow and red,” he said. “I promised myself that if I ever owned a home, I’d decorate it with Galatasaray’s badge and Icardi’s name. I kept that promise.”
Yet beyond celebration, he dreams of opportunity. “We don’t ask to be taken to the stadium anymore,” he said. “Just give our kids a small pitch – a place to play. Let it be named Galatasaray.”
He also had a message for critics who insulted him and his family online. “If you respected your own families, you wouldn’t insult someone else’s. No one has the right to be cruel behind a screen.”
And then came a plea – to the man he now calls a Lion.
“Osimhen, don’t leave us. Don’t be lured away, brother. There are traps out there,” he said, reciting a heartfelt rhyme. “Galatasaray has peace, love, and everything you need. We believe in you – just believe in us too. One cup is still missing in the museum: the Champions League. Let’s bring it home together.”
