[2] Mansız gained international recognition at Istanbul's Beşiktaş J.K., and was later acquired by the Vissel Kobe football club in Japan.

[3] After his short stint with Hertha BSC, İlhan signed a one-year contract with Turkish club Ankaragücü.

He was slowly but surely coming back from his plague of injuries and helping Ankaragücü in the Turkcell Super League.

In July 2009, after seven knee operations, he tried to make a comeback by training with German second-division side TSV 1860 Munich.

Despite his display of prodigious talent on the world stage, his health concerns and advanced age precluded serious consideration on the part of European clubs.

[10] Mansız learned to skate at the relatively late age of 33[11] when he competed on the Turkish show Buzda Dans, as a pair skater with partner Oľga Beständigová, who is also his girlfriend.