From playing at the highest levels of European football to becoming an Asian champion with Al-Ahli, Turkish international Merih Demiral joins The Mo Show for an honest conversation about his journey, sacrifices, setbacks, and life in Saudi Arabia.
Demi opens up about his friendship with Cristiano Ronaldo, overcoming injuries, losing his mother at a young age, and the winning mentality that helped Al-Ahli conquer Asia.
We also discuss his special bond with Al-Ahli fans, the rise of Saudi football, his ambitions with Türkiye, and his dream of retiring at Al-Ahli.A personal conversation about football, loyalty, resilience, and what it truly means to represent Al-Ahli at club level and Türkiye on the international stage.
0:00 Intro2:32 Saudi Arabia Feels Like Home5:55 First Impressions of Al-Ahli8:13 His Connection With Al-Ahli Fans11:45 Overcoming Injury to Win the AFC Champions League14:45 Winning Back-to-Back Asian Titles17:09 Overcoming a Difficult First Season at Al-Ahli21:09 The Pain of Losing the Intercontinental Cup23:14 Matthias Jaissle’s Departure From Al-Ahli25:18 Al-Ahli’s Team DNA26:23 His Partnership With Roger Ibañez28:13 The Development of Saudi Players31:46 What Makes Al-Ahli Fans Different35:25 Can the Saudi Pro League Become a Top Five League?39:57 From Türkiye to European Football40:44 Losing His Mother at 14 and Finding Motivation43:10 Cristiano Ronaldo’s Advice About Saudi Arabia46:30 His Dream of Representing Türkiye49:32 Life Away From Football51:14 His Dream of Retiring at Al-Ahli52:10 Winning the Saudi Pro League and Future Ambitions
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