Merih Demiral's intimidation against Spain: 'We're all waiting!' Vincenzo Montella, Cristiano Ronaldo and the World Cup promises...

National footballer Merih Demiral, who plays for Saudi Arabia team Al Ahli, said that he believes they will go to the 2026 World Cup and that this generation will achieve great things.

Merih Demiral, who started football at the age of 9 in Karamürsel, said, "I didn't have such big dreams at the time, but with the experiences I have had over the years, I have dreamed of great things in football. I am happy to have achieved these dreams. I entered Fenerbahçe's youth team at the age of 13 and played until I was 18. I had very good days there, I made very good friends and worked with very good coaches."

Merih, who left Fenerbahçe at a young age and headed to Portugal, said: "I spent 4 months at Alcanenense and then I spent 1.5 years at Sporting Lisbon. I had a very good education there and it contributed a lot to me. Portuguese football is a great advantage especially for young players. I benefited from that advantage, I feel very lucky. Then I returned to Alanyaspor for another 4 months, I think we made a very good decision there. It had a great impact on my career. After that, my journey to Italy started, Sassuolo, Juventus and Atalanta. Italy has always been a special place for me, a place where I have very good memories. Now I am in Saudi Arabia, I am very happy, I continue my career."

Merih, who wore the National Team jersey for the first time against Ukraine in Antalya, said: "At that time, the coach was Lucescu, I was playing for Alanyaspor. I wasn't expecting it at all, I was sitting on the bench, suddenly Lucescu turned around and said, 'Merih, get ready, you're going to play'. I think it was the last 10 minutes, I was very excited, it was incredible. It was a very nice thing, wearing the national team jersey is not something that everyone gets. It was a very good memory for me."

'I am excited and proud to be in the national team jersey'

Underlining that being in the national team is very important for him, Merih said the following about EURO 2020 and EURO 2024 process

"I'm always excited and proud to be in the national team jersey. We didn't have a very good tournament in EURO 2020. We had some big situations. We were a young team, we were inexperienced. Of course, there were some mistakes, but when we look at it, we gained experience. It was a bad tournament for us and a tournament we would like to forget, but I think we took the good aspects. We reflected that in EURO 2024. There was a really good atmosphere at EURO 2024. Everyone was close to each other, talking and helping each other. Our camp in Germany was also very good, it was a place where national teams prepare very well. We were very comfortable, we were always together and that was a big advantage. We enjoyed being together, we enjoyed playing together, I think that was one of the biggest factors. We could have done much better, we were sure that we would do much better, but of course sometimes things don't go the way you want. But I am sure and believe that this generation will achieve much greater success."

To the question "When you close your eyes, what comes to your mind about EURO 2024?", Merih said, "Really many things come to mind. We have incredibly good memories. We were all sad when we left, we wanted to stay longer. We have very good memories, we were all together at meals, in training. The things that come to mind are of course the matches. The love of our fans, their support was unbelievable. I can't say just one thing. Every match and every day had a different story."

"The Austria match was very special for me"

Merih talked about the match in which the national team defeated Austria with the 2 goals he scored in EURO 2024 as follows:

"The Austria match was very special for me. It is a match that I will always remember, a match that I will watch with a smile while looking back. Because I didn't get much time before the tournament. After that, I started playing. Austria had beaten us 6-1 in the match we played in March. That also had something special in us. We prepared very well for the match. Our coach put us on the field with a very good tactic and we had his confidence. We were sure of each other in training and in the match. The match started with the goal I scored in the 50th second, I was very happy. After scoring the goal, I said, 'This match will hopefully be our match, my match.' It was a great match for all of us who played and came in later. The atmosphere was incredible. The feeling I had when I was a little boy watching the matches I watched at EURO 2008 came to me in that match. I felt it, so it was an incredible match. I can say it is unexplainable."

Merih, on being reminded of the tensions they experienced with Austrian fans from time to time during the match, said: "We didn't feel any pressure. I saw Turks everywhere. I didn't see many Austrian fans. When I watched them later, I saw them behind the goal, but I can say that I didn't hear them in the match. Especially for our second goal, they threw something at Arda and were saying something. At that moment I went to the referee and said, 'Please be careful, it's very dangerous stuff if it happens to you'. After that, God gave me the chance to score the goal 10 seconds later. Very different emotions, I felt the presence of our fans on the pitch, their support for us. Nothing else is even in my mind right now. I could only see it when I watched it afterwards. So I would like to thank all our fans very much."

"I'm happier when we don't concede a goal"

Merih, who has 4 goals in the national team and scored 2 goals in 2 matches, said: "Our job is not to score goals first of all. Our job is not to concede goals, so I am happier when we don't concede goals. Of course, scoring goals is an extra job for us defenders. We have very good center cutters. Hakan, Arda, Orkun, all of them... We always talk before training and matches. Thanks to them, when I tell them to throw the ball there, they always throw the ball there and I meet them there. That's why I am lucky to score goals. We are a very dangerous team in set-pieces. I hope we will continue this."

About the goals he scored in the Georgia match played in his hometown Kocaeli, the national footballer said, "It was a different pride to play in my hometown. It was the first time I played in Kocaeli. We really wanted to play in Kocaeli, especially Kerem and I. When I was playing football on the street in Karamürsel when I was 9-10 years old, maybe I didn't even dream of this, but now I was fortunate to score goals and win in my hometown with the national team jersey. I am very happy and proud, it was an incredible feeling. I had relatives who came to support me, my relatives, my family, we arranged a lot of tickets. I hope we will play a match in Kocaeli again. Because Kocaeli fans, Kocaeli city really deserve national matches. They supported us until the end. There was an incredible atmosphere. The stadium is also incredibly beautiful."

"I hope we will be able to participate in the World Cup"

Merih Demiral evaluated the situation of the national team, which is in second place after Spain in the World Cup qualifiers and will play its last two matches, and said, "We started the World Cup journey well. Now we have two more matches. We can say that we have guaranteed the play-offs, but in football everything is possible, you never know what will happen. Spain has one more match, Georgia away is not easy for me. We will play the last match against Spain and the first match against Bulgaria. I hope we will finish in the best way possible. If we play in the play-offs, our matches will be in March. Hopefully we will finish in the best way and I believe we will qualify for the World Cup. I really believe in our team and I think we deserve it. Hopefully we will be able to qualify for the World Cup. When I see my teammates, when I am with them, I see how much everyone wants it. I hope it will be ours."

Merih made the following statements about the heavy defeat against Spain and the next match against Spain:

"There were many factors that contributed to this defeat. Actually, we were very motivated, we prepared very well, we all believed that we would win, or at least not lose. I can really say that. Konya fans were incredible. The way they welcomed us before the match, etc... Maybe we were very motivated, maybe we overestimated it in our minds, because we are a young team. We didn't actually start the match badly. I never expected it to be like this, we never thought about it. We had the shock of it. All of a sudden the goals came and we fell out of the game. We couldn't intervene at all, we couldn't reflect the tactics on the pitch, we couldn't show how we work in training. I feel sad because we didn't deserve it, but hopefully there is one more match. You never know what will happen in the rematch. Spain is the best team in the world right now. But we can do much better and I think we will. I hope it will be a good match for us."

"We are all waiting for the Spain match"

"Did the defeat against Spain create despair in the players? We got a rematch in the championship after a heavy defeat against Austria. Can we get a similar rematch against Spain?" he answered the question as follows:

"We never had despair, we had sadness. The whole team talked for 15-20 minutes in the locker room. We couldn't reflect our talents, our identity on the field, that was our sadness. Otherwise, nothing came to our minds that we would not go to the World Cup. We were just sad. It was upsetting to be in this situation in front of 50 thousand people in our own field, not being able to show our identity, but we didn't despair. I think everyone has a motivation for the rematch. First, hopefully we will beat Bulgaria in Bursa. We need to beat them anyway. After that match, we play Spain. I think it will be a very good match. I don't want to comment too much because it's football, but I think it will be a very good match for us. Of course we can be beaten, we can win, but the important thing is that we have to show the way we always play on the field. I am sure we will show that. We are all looking forward to the Spain match."

When reminded of National Team Technical Director Vincenzo Montella's words that we have a chance to go directly to the World Cup, the national footballer said, "This is football, we can go directly or we can go through the play-offs. I'm only thinking about going to the World Cup, it's possible both ways. So the important thing is to be at the World Cup. It doesn't matter how we go. I just want to be at the World Cup."

Merih Demiral, on the fact that the play-offs will be played according to the single match procedure, said, "We never say it is easy. There are no easy matches at the national team level. Play-offs are always difficult. Of course we know the difficulty of this. We would like to go directly. That is also possible, I hope it will happen, but it seems more realistic to make it to the play-offs right now. Of course the play-offs will be difficult, but I believe we will overcome. We have a really good team, a really good coach, a really good team. I hope we will overcome it."

"We will be really sad if we can't go, but we believe we will go"

"We have a perfect environment in the National Team," said Merih, "We are very lucky, we are a team that loves, respects and is happy to be with each other. Both on the field and especially off the field. That's why we are very happy because we are always together, always together. I think this is the most important factor that makes us a team and allows us to achieve these successes."

Merih said, "When we talk to the fans, we hear the words 'It would be a shame if this generation doesn't go to the World Cup'. Do you have such dialogues when you talk to each other?" Merih replied, "Of course we do, we all want to be at the World Cup. We have a very good generation, very talented footballers. If we don't go, we will be really sad, so of course, thinking about these things puts you under a little pressure, but we are all footballers who can handle it. Of course I believe we will go, but everything is possible in football, the important thing is to be ourselves on the pitch and I believe we will be in the best places."

"For me, the national team is above everything"

The national footballer said, "When Merih Demiral is mentioned, comments such as 'flag man, warrior' are made. How do you feel when you see these?" he answered his question as follows:

"For me, the national team is above everything. When I go to the national team, even when I talk about the national team, I get really emotional and it has a very special place for me. Being in the national team is always very important and very proud for me. Every time I play, I try to play as if it is my first game. The national team is above everything for me. I attach great importance to it and our nation sees this. Because the national team, national feelings are above everything for me. That's why every time I take the field, I try to perform as if it's my first match, never give up and give my best. Our nation can be sure that I will never give up under the national team jersey, never give up on the field. Of course we can be beaten, we can lose, but I always give my best. So when I see such things, of course I feel very proud, I feel very happy, it motivates me a lot. I believe that people see my heart, my feeling, that's why I'm happy and proud. It's indescribable, unbelievable. I hope I will always be blessed with such things."

Merih, to the question "Previously, there were criticisms about you: 'His physical strength decreases in Arabia, this will reflect negatively on the national team'." What is your opinion about these criticisms?", Merih said: "When I came to Saudi Arabia, there was a lot of talk about such things. There were many people talking about my football in the Saudi Arabian League. But here the level is really high, apart from that I work a lot privately and I'm very happy to reflect that. Now everyone has started to think the opposite. So I am happy because the Saudi Arabian League is not really an easy league. Big stars come every year. It is really hard to hold on here, to stay here, to come here. Because now everyone wants to come here. So I am one of the lucky ones, one of the first ones to come here. I am one of the first parts of this project, so I feel lucky. There is a huge investment in football here. I'm one of them. We play a match every three days. Apart from that, I also work privately to be good and always ready for the national team. Anyway, our coaches always come to the matches and watch them here. That's why there was such a perception. I am very happy to have broken that perception."

Merih stated that they rehearsed the 2026 World Cup, which will be organized in three countries, in the preparatory matches last June and said, "It will be an unforgettable World Cup, and if we have the chance to be there, it will be unforgettable for us. We are still talking about the 2002 World Cup. I was three years old, I don't remember it at all. I only remember 2008 in full. I don't remember much about 2002, but we know every day with videos as if we were there. I know everything as if I watched it there, we talk to our friends about what's what. Very good memories. These are things that will not be granted to everyone."

"There is a national team that never gives up on the field"

Merih Demiral answered the question "Which characteristic features of the Turkish National Team stand out on the way to the World Cup and do you think this gives us an advantage?" as follows: "The biggest advantage for us is that we never give up. Because there is a national team on the field that never gives up. We need to show this in every match. When we show this, our nation is always behind us. They also see how much effort we put in, how much we fight. If we reflect this, whether we win or lose, I think there will be a national team that will be respected by everyone. Because this is very important. There should be a Turkish national team that never gives up on the field, it is never befitting for a Turkish person to give up. We always talk about this. Of course tactics are very important on the field, but especially at the level of national teams, to show this spirit is the most important thing. We always try to show this spirit. I think this is the most important thing."

Underlining that they feel that the fans' loyalty to the national team has increased in recent years, the national footballer said, "Because our nation sees us from the outside. It is very important for us to convey this feeling to them. And when they see us, they give us the respect and value we need. That's why we are very happy."

When asked about the World Cup matches he cannot forget, Merih Demiral said, "Of course, I mean all the matches in the 2002 World Cup. Ilhan Mansız's goal in extra time has a special place. Unbelievable, it was against Senegal. Our goalkeeper is also Senegalese, I play with Edouard Mendy and we talk to him all the time. In the last World Cup and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, there were very good matches. I can tell you the goal in South Africa's opening match. There were unforgettable matches, but for us the unforgettable matches are always the matches Turkey plays. We hope we play many more matches in the World Cup so that the new generations, our younger brothers and sisters, will have much better memories. This is our biggest goal."

"Montella is a coach who knows what he is doing"

Emphasizing that they have achieved a very good harmony with technical director Vincenzo Montella, Merih said:

"Montella is a coach who really knows what he is doing, dominates the field, and organizes very well off the field. That's why we are lucky. Both his influence on the team and his management of things off the field are really good. Although he is not Turkish, he knows the values we have, respects them a lot and talks about them before every match. This makes me very happy. I hope we will have many more successes together. I think he is a very important coach. Of course, he's funny in between, but he's a teacher who makes that balance well. When we joke, we speak Italian. There is a lot of banter between us in the video analysis."

"I am proud of Kenan"

On Kenan Yildiz, who wears the number 10 jersey at his former team Juventus and has been promoted to captain, the national footballer said: "I am proud of Kenan, first of all for wearing the number 10 jersey at Juventus and for being captain. It's really flattering. I am very happy and proud when I watch him because he deserves it. He works very hard, he is very humble and he is a very good boy. I am sure Kenan will go to much better places. He has a great potential. I hope he reaches that potential and especially represents our country in the best way. I am very happy and proud for him."

"People in Saudi Arabia are very attached to football"

Speaking about his days in Jeddah, Merih Demiral said, "It is a bit hot in Jeddah. Other than that, I got used to Jeddah. Jeddah is very beautiful. People here are very respectful to me. They treat me very well. I am very happy to be here. Since our food and cultures are similar, there is a comfort in that. I am very happy with the attention on the street, they treat me very well, they show me a lot of love. That's why I always try to do good things at the club so as not to negate their love. People in Saudi Arabia are very attached to football. Especially our fans are very attached to the club. The weather in Jeddah is very hot during the day, I can say that I don't go out much at that time. There are nice activities to do with the children, I spend a lot of time with them. Other than that, time passes between training and matches, I am very happy."

Stating that there are many beautiful places to see in Saudi Arabia, Merih said, "Jeddah is already very beautiful. Most people who come here go to Mecca and Medina, they want to see those places. They are very beautiful places. Apart from that, the Red Sea is very beautiful. Saudi Arabia is now trying to attract more tourists. There are many places to visit. Alula, Neom, Tabuk are beautiful places. For example, it is very hot here but some places are very cold, there are even places where it snows. We went to a match last year and it was really cold. I was very surprised."

Merih Demiral also talked about what he did in his free time in Saudi Arabia, "I tried diving in the Red Sea, it was incredible. There are many activities to do but I only did diving because I don't have much time. But I need to do it again. Because we took very good photos. I was very touched. Because when you see that nature, those fish, the life there, you are really impressed. The food culture is a bit close, but the food here is a bit spicier than ours. I don't know many names but there are good dishes here. Sometimes our Saudi soccer players bring it, sometimes we go to restaurants. I eat but usually, there is our master here. Since I eat Turkish food, I don't have time to taste a lot of Saudi food. I didn't learn much Arabic, but there are many Turkish speakers here. Of course, I learned some Arabic words. It is a bit difficult because it is written backwards, but I can say that I am slowly learning it. There are some words I use to joke with our children at the facility."

Stating that he mostly listens to Turkish songs, Merih said, "We continue with Turkish songs, but there are many people in our club who listen to Arabic. Our ears are familiar with them. Since I listen there, I don't listen much at home, because they have enough on there already. I usually listen to Turkish songs, I don't have a style. I listen to Baris Manço and Sezen Aksu. I also love rap very much. I do not discriminate."

"The mustache became synonymous with me. They nicknamed me Shanab"

"You have a tough look with short hair and a mustache. How are you off the pitch?" to the question:

"We are different off the field. Those who know me off the field already know me. We are more calm off the field. Everything changes for us when we enter the field. And keep the mustache. Because when people think of a Turk here, they think of a mustache. They even gave me such a nickname. Sometimes they get upset when I shave my mustache, they say please don't do it. There were many fans who grew mustaches. That's why the mustache is identified with me here. They gave me a nickname called Shanab. That's what they call me here rather than my name. They call me Shanab in Arabic. So if we shave the mustache, we can get into trouble."

"Al Ahli is a club with a great history"

Stating that he is playing for one of the biggest clubs in Saudi Arabia, Merih said: "Last year we won the Asian Champions League and at the beginning of this year we won the Super Cup. Al Ahli has a great history and the biggest fan group in the country. You feel it when you walk on the street, when you go somewhere, you see the love and recognition for you on the street. The facilities of the club are also at a very high level. Especially after our arrival, the club built new facilities. Now facilities are being built again. The stadium and the facilities are at a high level. When you are in it, you feel how big a club it is."

Speaking about Al Ahli's position in the league, the national footballer said, "We have no defeats. We have 2-3 draws. That's why we are in 5th place, but the season has just started. We are doing well in the Champions League. We are also in a good position in the cup, we are in the quarterfinals. We continue on three different tracks. I think we will win cups and trophies this year. We have a good team. I hope we finish the season in the best way possible. We are the team that has conceded the fewest goals in the league for the last two years. I think we will be the same this year. Not only for me, we have a really good defense and we are showing it. Of course it is also very important for me. It is more important for me not to concede goals than to score goals. I think we have the best defensive line in Saudi Arabia. I hope we will finish this year like that. We have a bit of a problem in scoring goals. We have a bit of a problem in scoring goals this year because the opponents are usually too far back, but we have very important players up front. They haven't opened up yet, we are waiting for them to open up. Because we need to score more goals. No matter how good your defense is, you cannot win the match without scoring goals."

Underlining that the fans always have good thoughts about him, Merih said, "They really love the Turks. They already love me very much. I feel it. When I go out, people buy me food, invite me to their houses, they don't make me pay. There is incredible support. That's why I'm very happy. Because as a Turk, it really makes us very happy that they show us such love abroad and I think we are representing our country in the best way. The name I get along with the best in our team is Mahrez. I am also good with Ibanez, Tony. I'm good with everyone but we play games with them on airplanes. The Saudi boys have Ali Majrashi and Ziyad. They play for the national team and I have a good relationship with them."

"We didn't come across Guardiola a lot"

The national footballer answered the question "Do you talk to Mahrez about his Manchester City days?" as follows:

"Mahrez is very good. Both on and off the field. He is a modest footballer who knows what he is doing and supports everyone. He is really a great footballer, not everyone is lucky to play with such great footballers. His national team also qualified for the World Cup, he has a great contribution there. Even though he is 34 years old, he is still continuing his career very well. He was at the City facilities the other day. I was telling him a lot, call me when Guardiola is with him. Because, when I was working with De Zerbi, we had something with Guardiola. I said to Mahrez, 'when you go, please call me so we can talk to Guardiola'. We were always doing that. I was in the sauna at the time, my phone was outside and he video-called me. We didn't get to meet Guardiola a lot, we make a lot of fun of him, hopefully we will meet him next time. Hopefully he will call again, but for sure. We have his promise."

Merih Demiral stated that they won the Asian Champions League last year and they want to win it again this year, "This year they changed it to a new format, just like in Europe. I think we will hopefully be champions again this year, that's our goal, because no one in history has achieved this in a row. God willing, it will be ours. It is very important for both Saudi fans and Saudi people. The final is either in Riyadh or Jeddah this year. We have two stadiums in Jeddah. One of them has a capacity of 60 thousand and the other one has a capacity of 25 thousand. We usually play big matches in big stadiums. The fans are already incredible. Every game is full, their support for us is incredible. They are very passionate, I can say that."

Merih answered the question "How does the hot weather affect football in the country?" as follows: "The temperature affects football. We don't train during the day, we train in the evening. It's not too late, around 5-6 pm. Some stadiums are air-conditioned but some are not. They will make them air-conditioned on the way to the World Cup. There are some difficulties because of the weather conditions, but other than that we have no problems. Especially Jeddah is hot. Other cities not so much. Otherwise, if we go to Riyadh or other cities right now, it is quite cool."

"It is not easy to stay and be here"

Underlining that the quality in the Saudi Arabian League is at a high level, the national footballer said, "The quality of the league is at a high level. There are very big footballers and very big teams. You see the football players coming. These add a lot of quality to the league and the level is increasing day by day. It is not easy to stay here, to be here. So the level is really high. Al Hilal reached the quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup, it could have gone further. Abroad, there are criticisms about the Saudi League, it might have been before, but believe me, it is not like that now. It is a really difficult league."

When asked about the names that pushed him the most in the Saudi League, Merih said, "There was Mitrovic, Mitrovic pushed me. There are great footballers like Malcom, Ronaldo, Sadio Mane and Benzema. Thank God, no one pushed us too hard, but it is very difficult to play with such great footballers. Of course there are positions where we struggle. I can name these footballers. We are trying to push, I can say that."

"I hope we will face Ronaldo in the World Cup"

Merih Demiral stated that Ronaldo, his former teammate from Juventus, is giving his all in the Saudi League and said, "We face Ronaldo a lot. Although he is 40 years old, he is an example for everyone with his hard work, determination and performance. We also talk to him outside the matches. I had the chance to play with him, he is really a great footballer. We played against each other in the European Championship, in the World Cup qualifiers, now at the league level, we always come across him. He didn't become champion in the Saudi League, yes. He is pushing for it. Playing against Ronaldo is a different experience. Not everyone gets the chance to play against a big figure like Ronaldo. He is a footballer who is always determined, always knows where to be. You have to take very good precautions. Even at his age he is still scoring goals and goals. You have to pay attention to him. He still wants to go to the World Cup. I hope we will face Ronaldo in the World Cup as well."

"Galatasaray's win over Liverpool was much talked about here"

Emphasizing that there is great interest in Turkish teams in Saudi Arabia, Merih said, "They follow Turkish football a lot. They already give the matches. For example, the match in which Galatasaray beat Liverpool was talked about a lot here. Our footballers and Saudi boys talked a lot about the atmosphere and I said, 'If only you could see live how good the atmosphere is in Turkey'. You see how much such a win in the Champions League affects even the people here. That's why the success of Turkish teams in Europe is very important."

Merih, to the question "Who are the footballers from Super League that you are asked about the most?", said, "I was asked a lot about Osimhen from Super League. I can say Osimhen is being talked about. Because there was a possibility of him coming to Saudi Arabia. Our Ivan Toney also asked a lot about Abraham. Duran had a lot of conversations. His departure from Al Nasr to Turkey... Asensio was asked. Such footballers going to Turkey are events that are talked about a lot in the world."

Upon being reminded that his contract with Al Ahli will expire at the end of the season, the experienced footballer said, "I am happy here, everything is fine. I am happy to be part of the Saudi project, to be one of its first footballers, everything is fine. Of course, we don't know what the future holds, but I am happy right now."

Goal joy in the Austria match

Merih Demiral, upon being shown the video of the goals he scored against Austria, said: "It's unbelievable. The ball coming in front of me was a strange thing. I was chasing it, I hit it with all my strength and it hit my left foot. It was unbelievable. You get emotional, the 50th second... You can already see there, everyone is running somewhere. I already had a conversation with Cenk Ağabey and then I run to the dugout. It was unbelievable."

Merih Demiral talked about the photo of him rejoicing with the bozkurt sign after his goal against Austria as follows:

"This photo is a photo that goes down in history. That's why I'm very happy. I was also instrumental in making this symbol better understood, because this sign is the sign of our country, our sign. That's why I think I have been instrumental in making it better understood and transmitted. There were some people who took it to the wrong place, especially in Europe. But we never had such an idea. I think especially our people understand it very well. I'm very happy and proud. It's a photo that will go down in history and will be remembered for years. It was out of my mind for the first goal. On the second goal, I was doing the celebration, I was going to the stands, it took me a split second to do that. On the way to the stadium before the match, our fans were making bozkurt signs. There were families with children, people were crying, you could feel it. Before the match, I said that if we were lucky enough to score a goal, we should keep it in the back of our minds. I forgot about it after the first goal, and after the second goal, when I saw the people making bozkurt signs in the stands, it suddenly came to my mind. Of course, I never imagined that it would be talked about so much, that it would be taken in a very bad way in Europe, but I am very happy and proud that I was instrumental in making its meaning better understood in our country."

"We have a list of eight songs"

When reminded that they listen to the Mehter Anthem on the way to the matches, Merih said the following

"We play music on the way to the matches. I usually turn it on, Hakan Agabey does it a lot. After Hakan Agabey, I turn it on. That's why Mehter Marches, Turkish anthems and such are incredible. That's why he also has an air about him. Our favorite is the March of Conquest, You are at the age when Fatih conquered. We always play them. We have a list of eight songs, we always listen to the same songs when we go to matches."