Kuwait Times

World Cup winner Mesut Ozil retires

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ISTANBUL: World Cup winner Mesut Ozil announced his retirement from football on Wednesday after an illustriou­s internatio­nal career with Germany and club spells with Real Madrid and Arsenal. The 34-year-old helped Germany to glory in Brazil in 2014 but bitterly quit the internatio­nal scene after the Germans crashed out of the 2018 tournament in Russia.

“After thoughtful considerat­ion, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from profession­al football,” the attacking midfielder said. “I’ve had the privilege to be an internatio­nal footballer for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunit­y. But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it’s become more and more clear that it’s time to leave the big stage of football.”

Ozil, born in the German city of Gelsenkirc­hen but of Turkish descent, played on some of football’s biggest stages but also became embroiled in internatio­nal politics and accusation­s of racism. When Germany were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, a wounded Ozil accused the German public of “racist” attacks.

His club career blossomed when his deft passing and vision helped secure his move from the Bundesliga to Jose

Mourinho’s Real Madrid side in 2010. He soon led La Liga in assists while helping the Spanish club to their 32nd league title in 2012. His big-money move to Arsenal in 2013 helped the London club end their FA Cup drought the following year.

In 2014, Ozil started the final as Germany beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 1-0 in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro thanks to Mario Goetze’s extra-time goal. Ozil was repeatedly shortliste­d for the Ballon d’Or but the later stages of his career were troubled by disputes over playing time and his close personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan was the best man at Ozil’s Istanbul wedding to former M i s s Turkey and actress Amine in 2019. But it was Ozil’s decision to be pictured with Erdogan on the eve of Turkey’s 2018 presidenti­al election that caused particular controvers­y during that summer’s World Cup. Ozil’s picture with the Turkish leader was widely interprete­d as his political endorsemen­t of Erdogan in the 2018 election campaign. He ended his internatio­nal career before moving to Fenerbahce and most recently Istanbul Basaksehir.

 ?? ?? Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil

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