Salah Draws Big Interest in Trabzonspor

An Egyptian footballer, Mohamed Salah, shared a photo last month of himself sitting on a small rock on a plateau about an hour from Trabzon. Fans then flocked to the spot to pose in the same way. Local visitors quickly turned the area into a new tourist attraction.

The admiration in Turkey began when Salah left Liverpool and signed with Trabzonspor in August, and it is not limited to that photo. Fans can be seen wearing his shirts, clothing and images everywhere. One supporter said the transfer is a source of morale for Turkish football and brings with it hope for a championship at the end of the season.

Salah-themed products and artworks have also spread quickly across the city. A mural painter said that after painting a portrait of Salah in a Trabzonspor shirt on a wall outside a park, local businesses began requesting new murals. On Google Maps, the club's stadium has also been marked as the Mohamed Salah Mosque, which fans approach with an almost religious fervor.

When a footballer who has broken world records moves to a European league lower than the English Premier League, it is often seen as the twilight of his career. For 34-year-old Salah, however, the move meant a new beginning. His last season at Liverpool, where he is the third-highest scorer in the club's history, was disappointing. He scored only 12 goals, had a public disagreement with head coach Arne Slot, and announced in March that he would leave.