He represented Turkey at UEFA Euro 2000 and was in the squad that won the bronze medal at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the nation’s best-ever finish in the tournament.

He guided Istanbul Başakşehir to their first-ever Super League title in the 2019–20 Süper Lig season, becoming only the second manager to achieve this without leading a Big 4 (Beşiktaş, Galatasaray, Fenerbahçe, Trabzonspor) team.

During his nine-year tenure, he won six Süper Lig titles and played a pivotal role in Galatasaray’s European successes.

He was part of the team that won the 1999–2000 UEFA Cup, making Galatasaray the first Turkish club to achieve this milestone.

On 25 August 2000, Okan was named Man of the Match in the 2000 UEFA Super Cup, where Galatasaray defeated Real Madrid 2–1.

Okan was a non-stop running player with energy; he mentioned that his former coach Hector Cuper yelled at him from the bench that he should stay at his position.

[3] Okan made 56 appearances for the Turkey national team, representing the country at UEFA Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup.

Okan was also part of the 2002 FIFA World Cup squad, but due to an injury he made his only appearance as a substitute in the 3–2 win against host nation South Korea in the third-place play-off.

[13] On 11 May 2018, Under Buruk’s management, Akhisarspor achieved a historic milestone by securing their first-ever Turkish Cup victory.

Reports indicate that Buruk, who was the lowest-paid manager in the Super League at the time, sought a salary increase in recognition of his achievements, but an agreement could not be reached.

On 28 May 2019, Buruk announced his departure from Çaykur Rizespor, citing personal reasons and expressing gratitude for his time at the club.

[22] When the competition resumed in August, the second leg in Copenhagen saw Başakşehir lose 3–0, resulting in their elimination with a 3–1 aggregate defeat.

[23] On 19 July 2020, Başakşehir were crowned champions of the Süper Lig for the first time in the club’s history under Buruk’s management.

Despite finishing fourth in the group, Başakşehir secured a historic 2–1 home victory against Manchester United, with goals from Demba Ba and Edin Višća.

[29] Under his management, the team showcased dominant performances throughout the season, highlighted by derby victories and consistent defensive solidity.

[30] Additionally, Buruk’s tactical approach was praised for reviving the team’s attacking identity and incorporating young talents into the squad.

However, Galatasaray competed in the UEFA Champions League and finished third in Group A, which included Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Manchester United.

[33] In December 2023, the Turkish Super Cup final between Galatasaray and Fenerbahçe, scheduled in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was canceled due to a dispute over the display of slogans and imagery related to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey.

However, Fenerbahçe had fielded their Under-19 team as a form of protest of Turkish Football Federation, citing "unjust treatment".

Following this early goal, Fenerbahçe’s young players, acting on instructions from their technical staff, left the field, leading to the match being abandoned.

As a result, the match was awarded to Galatasaray with a default 3–0 victory, and they were crowned Turkish Super Cup champions.

[36] This victory also marked Galatasaray's record-breaking 24th Süper Lig title, solidifying their status as Turkey’s most successful club in the league.

[40] Just weeks later, Galatasaray’s bid to qualify for the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League group stage ended in disappointment when they faced Young Boys in the play-off round.

[41] Despite early criticism following their heavy defeat to Beşiktaş and elimination from the Champions League, Galatasaray remained focused on their domestic campaign under Buruk.

Domestically, they bounced back with consistent performances, including a record-breaking streak of 15 consecutive away wins, continuing into the 2024–25 season.