Mohamed Salah has turned an ordinary boulder in Trabzon, Turkey, into an unexpected tourist attraction. Now, this site is set to receive a new feature that may make the makeshift monument to the Liverpool legend more permanent.
A bench is being installed next to the rock where Salah posed for a photo during his visit to the Kurtdere Plateau in Trabzon. This decision comes after fans began flocking to this spot to recreate Salah's Instagram post pose. Reports reveal that visitors have even formed queues to sit on the very rock.
What started as a simple photograph has taken on a life of its own.
Salah shared photos from his trip to the area on September 15, including one where he sits on the boulder. The shot quickly went viral among Trabzonspor fans, who tracked down the location and began treating it as a pilgrimage site.
The area has already acquired a new identity: a sign reading "Salah Yaylası" or "Salah's Plateau" has gone up. With the addition of a bench next to the famous rock, it looks set to become a more comfortable stop for visitors eager to snap their photos.
This serves as yet another remarkable example of Salah's influence stretching far beyond football.
Salah joined Trabzonspor only this summer, yet his arrival has already captured immense attention for the Turkish club and the city. This influence was underscored on the pitch last weekend when Salah netted a hat-trick and provided an assist in Trabzonspor's 4-0 victory against Galatasaray.
Still, the story of the rock best encapsulates the unexpected charm surrounding him. A chunk of stone that bore no particular significance before Salah took a seat now draws fans hoping to experience that same moment for themselves. And with the bench's arrival, "Salah's Rock" appears to be evolving from a viral photo op into a part of Trabzon's football folklore.
