At the beginning, the stated goal was "To play together like Englishmen, to have a color and a name, and to beat the other non-Turkish teams" according to him.

Ali Sami Yen founded the colours of Galatasaray, stating, "We were imagining brightness of yellow-red fire over our team and thinking that it would carry us from one victory to another."

Besides founding Galatasaray SK, he made numerous other contributions to Turkish sports.

As founder and first president of Galatasaray SK, Ali Sami Yen's name was given to the Galatasaray's long time Ali Sami Yen Stadium which was built in 1964 and situated in the center of Istanbul in Mecidiyeköy.

However, in January 2011, the club moved to its new home in the Rams Park in the Kâğıthane district while the old stadium was demolished to make way for the construction of a new commercial development.