Turkish international Demiral celebrates goal for Turkey with wolf salute

The Turkish national player Merih Demiral has with his cheering gesture caused a stir in the 2:1 European Championship round of 16 win against Austria. After his second goal in the Leipzig stadium, the 26-year-old formed the so-called wolf salute with both hands, a Hand sign and symbol of the “Grey Wolves”.

“The way I celebrated has something to do with my Turkish identity”said Demiral after midnight in the Leipzig European Championship stadium. “That’s why I made this gesture. I saw people in the stadium who also made this gesture.”

It is “no hidden message” behind it“We are all Turks, I am very proud to be Turkish and that is the meaning of this gesture,” he said. “I just wanted to demonstrate how happy I am and how proud I am.” Hopefully there will be more opportunities to show this gesture.

The supporters of the right-wing extremist “Ülkücü movement” are called “Grey Wolves”t, which is monitored in Germany by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. In Turkey, the ultra-nationalist MHP is its political representative and ally of the Islamic-conservative AKP of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Demiral scored the fastest goal in the knockout round of a European Championship in Leipzig after just 57 seconds and in the 59th minute. Turkey will play against the Netherlands in Berlin on Saturday for a place in the semi-finals of the European Championship.