Özil leaves the selection of Germany while evoking the "racism"

Mesut Özil announced Sunday that he was leaving the selection of Germany by highlighting "racism" in the critics he is a victim after the elimination of the Mannschaft in the first round of the World Cup-2018.

"It is with a heavy heart and after much thought that, because of recent events, I will not play anymore for Germany of international matches as long as I feel racism and disrespect towards me ", writes the Turkish-born player on his Twitter account.

Criticized for a photo taken with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan before the Russian World Cup, he badured that his gesture had "no political intention."

"Like many people, my ancestral roots cover more than just I have grown up in Germany, but my family history has its roots firmly in Turkey, I have two hearts, one German and one Turkish, "said Arsenal midfielder Sunday afternoon. on Twitter

Özil comes out of his silence after having been at the center of the controversy, after the publication of this famous cliché on which he and his compatriot Ilkay Gündogan pose alongside the Turkish head of state, then in the middle of the countryside election for re-election, finally won on June 24.

– "Scapegoat" –

Relations between Germany and Turkey have been very turbulent since the failed coup against Erdogan in July 2016. Germany has been particularly worried since "purges" practiced in the army and the administration following the putsch

Since early 2018, Berlin and Ankara have been working to normalize their relations after these strong tensions.

Largest Turkish diaspora in the world, the German community has 3 million people, including 1.4 million voters who can vote in Turkey.

"It was not politics or elections, but to respect the highest office of the country of my family, "said the Arsenal player

The German International Mesut Özil (g) with his Arsenal jersey with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, May 13, 2018 in London / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP / Archives

The cliché taken with Erdogan had earned both players heavy criticism especially after the early elimination of the 2014 world champions from the group stage in Russia. Some observers have accused them of lacking loyalty to Germany, Mannschaft manager Oliver Bierhoff even going so far as to say that "it should have been possible to consider avoiding Özil" for the World Cup.

For Özil it was mainly the absence of support from the Federation (DFB) that pushed him to leave: "In the past two months, what has hurt me the most is the bad treatment that inflicted the DFB and its president Richard Grindel "

" While I tried to explain to Grindel my heritage, my ancestors and, therefore, make him understand the reasons that led me to take this picture he was more interested in talking about his own political positions and lowering my opinion, "wrote Özil, who scored 23 goals in 92 selections.

" I will no longer be a scapegoat (in Grindel ) for his incompetence and his inability to do his job properly, "he added. 29 years old.

– "Propaganda of the Right" –

"To Grindel and his supporters, I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose," he said.

If the German world champion, crowned in 2014 in Brazil after a 3rd place in 2010, accepts to receive criticism on his sports performance, he refuses to be attacked on his ethnic origins.

German footballers Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Özil and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in London on May 13, 2018 / TURKISH PRESIDENTIAL PRESS SERVICE / AFP / Archives

"If a newspaper or a consultant thinks I'm at fault during a match, I can accept it, but what I do not accept is that media Germans have continuously criticized my double heritage and a simple photo to explain the bad World Cup of an entire team, "he lamented, denouncing a" propaganda right ".

For the player, limits that touch him personally have been crossed, "the newspapers trying to mount the German nation against me".

According to Mesut Özil, he and his family received threats after the publication of the photo with the Turkish predator.

Özil also mocked a sponsor, without naming him, who, he says, withdrew promotional videos for the World Cup after the appearance of the photos with Erdogan. "For them, it was no longer good to be seen with me and (they) called the situation 'crisis management'."

afp