Kerem Demirbay Regrets Playing for Germany, Says His 'Blood is Turkish'

Former Germany international Kerem Demirbay has stated he wishes he had never played for the national team, expressing a profound regret over his international career.

Demirbay, 33, was born in Germany to Turkish parents and had the option to represent either nation. Despite playing for Turkey's youth sides, he ultimately chose to play for Germany at the senior level. He earned two caps for Germany in June 2017 while playing for Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga. His debut occurred in a friendly against Denmark, and he scored his only international goal in a Confederations Cup victory over Cameroon.

In a recent interview, Demirbay revealed his strong connection to his Turkish heritage. "My blood is Turkish," he said. "My father is Turkish, my mother is Turkish – I am a Turk. I wanted to play for Turkey and we worked on it with the federation for a year-and-a-half. But due to certain things that I cannot talk about, I decided on Germany."

Demirbay, who has played in Turkey for clubs including Galatasaray, Eyupspor, and Kasimpasa since 2023, believes his international goal was a pivotal moment. He recounted an incident after scoring where he removed his jersey, revealing a tattoo of the Turkish border on his back. "After that, they never selected me again," he stated.

He added that he would not play for Germany even if called upon now, reiterating his identity. "I will forever regret never having worn the glorious jersey of the Turkish national team," Demirbay said.

This sentiment echoes past controversies involving German footballers of Turkish descent. In 2018, Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil faced criticism after meeting with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The players, who have Turkish heritage, posed for a photo with Erdogan, sparking debates about their allegiances and potential political exploitation, which they denied, stating it was out of respect for their family heritage.