Of Armenian origin,[2][3] he was born in Kadırga neighbourhood of Fatih, Istanbul.
İstanbulluoğlu was the first [citation needed] Armenian origin footballer that represented Turkey.
[8] In the 1967–68 season he was assistant manager of Mehmet Ali Has when Taksim SK at the Turkish 2.
Following year, he was appointed to as a technical director (manager) of Taksim SK until 1974 when the team relegated to Amateur League from Turkish 3.
İstanbulluoğlu died on 17 February 1994 in Istanbul and buried in Şişli Armenian Cemetery.