Injury or not, Turkey calls up Demiral: a bold move for World Cup qualifiers
22 March 2026
Why Turkey Called Up Demiral Despite Injury
Reports revealed why Merih Demiral, Al Ahli's defender, was called up to Turkey's squad during the March international window despite his ongoing injury.
Montella's Call and the Romania Playoff
Coach Vincenzo Montella confirmed Demiral's call-up for the Romania clash on March 26, in the European playoff for the 2026 World Cup, for the marquee match.
Medical Cooperation and What's Next
Saudi outlet Al-Riyadiya reported that Demiral is not ready to face Romania, or possibly the final, due to his current condition right now.
Nevertheless, Mubarak Al-Mutawa, head of Al Ahli's medical staff, coordinated with Turkey's medical team to allow Demiral to join his national squad and continue treatment there.
He reportedly suffered a tear in the anterior thigh tendon during a training session, keeping him out of matches versus Al Ittihad and Al Qadisiyah in rounds 25 and 26 of the Roshen League, and also ruling him out of the King’s Cup semi-final against Al Hilal.
Fans hope Demiral will be fit to participate when Al Ahli hosts Al Fayha on April 4, in the 27th round of the Roshen Saudi League.
Demiral has appeared for Al Ahli 25 times this season, scoring twice and providing one assist.
The situation highlights how a single player can bridge club and country, even when plans must adapt to injuries.
Punchline 1: If patience were a player, Demiral would be captain by now.
Punchline 2: If medical staff ran the transfer market, Demiral would be on loan to safety and suspense.
