Highlights
- Mesut Ozil’s father believes more protection from advisors could have kept his son in with a shout of making Germany’s Euro 2024 squad.
- That is despite the former Arsenal man retiring from international football in 2018 due to allegations of racism and disrespect.
- Ozil’s international career included a World Cup win and being named Germany’s player of the year in 2014/15.
Mesut Ozil’s father, Mustafa, has insisted that the former Arsenal magician, despite hanging up his boots in March 2023, would still be playing football for Germany if he had been given more protection by his advisors off the pitch.
Julian Nagelsmann and Co are looking to triumph at this summer’s European Championship – the 17th edition of its kind – and have a plethora of gifted individuals at their disposal, such Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz, who are two players considered to be among the best young talent in world football.
Ozil’s name never came into discussion thanks to him retiring at the age of 34. In fact, the midfielder announced his shock resignation from the German national side back in 2018 amid allegations of ‘racism and disrespect’.
Ozil’s Father Thinks His Son Needed Better Protection
Key difference could have ensured Ozil’s place at Euro 2024
Ozil called time on his international career after falling out with Reinhard Grindel, the president of the German Football Association (FA), after a picture emerged of him and fellow countryman, Ilkay Gundogan, posing with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Speaking to German publication Sport Bild, per MailOnline, the playmaker’s father insisted that there would still be a spot for him in Die Mannschaft’s Euro 2024 26-man squad if he had been given better advice and offered more protection.
“If Mesut had been protected more, he would definitely still be at this European Championship. And with heart and soul.
His older brother was initially Ozil’s manager but, in 2013, the ex-Arsenal midfielder made the switch to Erkut Sogut – and to this day, the pair, according to reports, have little to no contact with each other.
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From Mustafa’s point of view, Sogut is the reason behind his son’s premature retirement, blaming him for his son’s controversial decisions that led to his eventual on-the-pitch decline.
“Mesut has a big heart. You can take a kebab out of his hand – he wouldn’t say anything. He felt most comfortable when he was on the pitch in front of 50,000, 60,000 or more spectators and was able to play without worry.”
Inside Ozil’s International Career
Germany’s 18th-highest capped player
Described by Sami Khedira as the best player he ever witnessed, despite having played with Cristiano Ronaldo, the 35-cap German international hung up his boots in March 2023 after a glittering career for the likes of Arsenal, Real Madrid and Werder Bremen. Internationally speaking, the Gelsenkirchen-born ace was instrumental. Having made his senior international debut at the age of 20 in February 2009, while Joachim Low was still in charge, Ozil went on to rack up 92 appearances, 23 goals and 40 assists.
|
Mesut Ozil – Senior Career Statistics |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Club |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
Yellow/Red Cards |
|
Arsenal |
254 |
44 |
75 |
20/0 |
|
Real Madrid |
159 |
27 |
81 |
15/2 |
|
Werder Bremen |
108 |
16 |
54 |
5/1 |
|
Schalke |
39 |
1 |
5 |
2/0 |
|
Fenerbahce |
37 |
9 |
3 |
1/0 |
|
Basaksehir |
7 |
0 |
0 |
0/0 |
|
Germany |
92 |
23 |
40 |
4/0 |
Across that time frame, the attacking midfielder helped his side lift the World Cup in 2014, while he was also crowned Germany’s player of the year for the 2014/15 season. After playing a variety of roles – from central attacking midfield to centre-forward to being deployed on either flank – Ozil’s last appearance for his nation came in June 2018 in that 2-0 defeat to South Korea.
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