The mayor of Yomra in Turkey has described the decision to name a street after Mohamed Salah as an unprecedented honour for a foreign footballer, saying the Egyptian’s arrival at Trabzonspor has brought pride to the local community.
Mustafa Beyik told winwin that the decision reflected the district’s appreciation of Salah, whose move to the Turkish club has attracted considerable attention to Yomra, in the Trabzon region of north-eastern Turkey.
The mayor said the municipality wanted to recognise the forward personally and celebrate his presence in the area, where he has chosen to live during his time with Trabzonspor.
“Mohamed Salah’s move to the Turkish league represents a great source of pride for us, and we felt extremely happy about this move. The high-level football performance he presents represents a great source of happiness and pleasure for us.”
Beyik explained that the local council approved the proposal unanimously, with members supporting the initiative without objection.
He said the municipality regarded the street-naming decision as a way to express its admiration for Salah and share that appreciation with residents. The move has also been presented as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship between Turkey and Egypt through the footballer’s popularity in both countries.
Ministry approval secured within a week
Beyik said naming a street after a foreign personality in Turkey requires approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, making the speed of the process particularly notable.
“We were surprised by the speed of the response, as the ministry sent the approval letter within a very short period. These procedures usually take a long time to conduct investigations and studies about the figure, but since the figure in question is Mohamed Salah, we received official approval within approximately one week, which is a very fast procedure compared to the usual.”
The mayor also highlighted the unusual location of the proposed street, which lies along Salah’s route home. This means the player will be able to see the signs bearing his name as he travels through the area.
Beyik stressed that the decision marked the first time a street had been named after a foreign footballer in the district, pointing to Salah’s standing as well as the desire to strengthen ties between the two countries.
The municipality is now preparing for the official opening. According to the mayor, officials intend to contact Salah and his family to invite them to attend the ceremony.
“We intend to contact Mohamed Salah and his family to participate in the opening ceremony of the street… We hope that he will be able to attend so that we can celebrate this decision together and give him the honor he deserves… We expect the street to be opened in about 20 days, as we obtained official approval for the name last Friday, and therefore we will now start ordering the manufacture of the signs… in preparation for their installation and completing the necessary preparations for the opening.”
Beyik added that the municipality had also been involved in preparing Salah’s residence, explaining that local officials had responsibilities connected with the renovation work.
“We followed the stages of renovating and equipping Mohamed Salah’s house, because the municipality had some responsibilities related to the renovation work, and they completed all the tasks that were required of us.”
Yomra expects tourism boost from Salah’s arrival
The mayor believes Salah’s presence could have an impact beyond football, particularly by attracting more visitors to Trabzon and its surrounding areas.
Trabzon already receives significant numbers of tourists, including visitors from Arab countries. Beyik said the Egyptian forward’s arrival could help increase those numbers and bring further attention to the region.
“We receive many tourists in Trabzon, especially Arabs, and after Mohamed Salah’s transfer, we expect a significant increase in the number of tourists to our city.”
He also used the interview to reassure Salah’s Egyptian supporters that the player would receive a warm welcome and be well looked after during his stay.
“From here in the Yomra district of Trabzon in northeastern Turkey, I would like to send my warmest greetings to all of Mohamed Salah’s fans and followers, and to everyone who is following us in Egypt. We here know very well the great love that Mohamed Salah enjoys among his fans. I tell them there is no need to worry about him, as we will provide Mohamed Salah with the best possible hospitality and will ensure that he is cared for and looked after in every way. I expect his time here to be a new starting point and an excellent period. Whether Salah stays here is long or short will not change anything, as his name will remain present in our region for many years, and we will continue to remember him with all respect and appreciation.”
Beyik said the district’s admiration for Salah extends beyond his achievements on the pitch, pointing to his conduct and his ability to settle into his new surroundings.
“I want to emphasize once again to all Egyptians… that we love Mohamed Salah as much as they love him. We love him very much, appreciate him greatly, and consider him a person of great value to us. The appreciation goes beyond football. We were very impressed by his personality, his behavior, and his way of dealing with things, as well as his ability to adapt and integrate into the city of Trabzon. We appreciate Mohamed Salah in every way.”
The mayor contrasted Salah’s reception with the experiences of other high-profile foreign players who have joined Turkish clubs, noting that footballing ability alone does not always guarantee an easy adjustment to local life.
“Sometimes clubs sign players who have very high technical levels, but their behavior and lifestyle may not be compatible with the nature of society or its values. As for Mohamed Salah, he succeeded in a very short period in integrating and adapting to us in a quick and distinctive way.”
Beyik ended by inviting Egyptian supporters to visit Trabzon and join the local community in celebrating if the club wins the league title.
“We would also like to extend an invitation to you from here to attend our celebrations in the event of winning the league title, and we invite you to come to Trabzon to be our guests so that we can celebrate this achievement together.”
The planned street naming is intended to leave a lasting mark of Salah’s time in Yomra, with the mayor making clear that the district will continue to honour the Egyptian even after his stay in Turkey comes to an end.
