Mohamed Salah’s influence in Turkey reaches beyond football

Mohamed Salah’s arrival in the Turkish league quickly became about more than a football transfer. Within a few months, his move to Trabzonspor had grown into a social and popular phenomenon across Turkey. A photograph taken on a rock, chants heard in different settings and scenes of joy around his signing all point to the influence the forward has gained in his new country after several eventful seasons at Liverpool.

At Kurt Dere, in Trabzon province, that popularity brought a new life to an otherwise ordinary spot. Salah visited the site and posted a photograph of himself sitting on one of its rocks. The location now draws tourists, some of whom recreate his pose. Residents have named it “Salah Taşı”, or “Salah’s rock”.

The enthusiasm can also be heard in song. “Allah Allah Allah… Mohamed Salah”, echoing the “Mo Salah” chant sung by Liverpool supporters, has spread in Turkey. Pupils have sung it at a school, and it has also been heard at some weddings. In the stands, a Trabzonspor supporter enthusiastically sang the song dedicated to Salah; similar scenes have followed at Turkish stadiums.

Club president Ertuğrul Doğan summed up what Salah’s arrival means to him: “Salah is not just a transfer, but a contribution to the city’s vision.” Salah joined Trabzonspor on a free transfer last August, after spending nine seasons with the “Reds”, during which he won nine titles. He has since helped his team secure victories, further strengthening his popularity among football fans.

The signs of that attachment extend beyond the rock and the stands. Content about Salah is widely shared on Turkish social media, and football websites have even described him as one of the country’s most influential sporting figures. As soon as his transfer was completed, a young girl filmed her father in tears of joy. The appearance of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s daughter and her husband at a Trabzonspor match also drew attention. Together, these moments show how the player’s arrival has become a focus of popular enthusiasm around the club and the city.