Kerem Demirbay expresses regret over playing for Germany

Former German international Kerem Demirbay has expressed deep regret regarding his decision to represent the German national team instead of Turkey. The midfielder, who currently plays for Kasimpasa in Turkey, stated in an interview with journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu that he would refuse a call-up from Germany even under current management.

Demirbay, who debuted for Germany in 2017 under Joachim Löw, attributed the end of his international career with Germany to a specific incident during the Confederations Cup. After scoring a goal, he removed his shirt to celebrate, revealing a tattoo of the Turkish border on his shoulder blade. Demirbay claims that following this incident, he was never selected for the German squad again.

Citing his Turkish heritage, Demirbay noted that he spent eighteen months working toward representing the Turkish national team but ultimately chose Germany due to undisclosed circumstances. He stated, “I will always regret that I never wore the glorious shirt of the Turkish national team.”