Mesut Ozil: The Arsenal midfielder leaves Germany for "racism and disrespect"



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Ilkay Gundogan and Mesut Ozil, with Everton's Cenk Tosun, pose with the Turkish President

Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil left international football, citing "racism and l & # 39; "Disrespect" he faced in Germany. 19659003] The 29-year-old was criticized after being photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan during a demonstration in London in May 1965

He claims to have received hate mail and threats and to be accused the disappointing World Cup. "I'm German when we win, but I'm an immigrant when we lose," Ozil said.

German football leaders have not yet responded to Ozil's demands.

The third generation Turkish-German was born in Gelsenkirchen and was a key member of the winning team of the World Cup in 2014.

He has 92 selections and was voted player of the year. year by the national team five times since 2011.

But Ozil said that his recent treatment had made him "no longer want to wear the German n In a long statement posted on social media, he has stated that he did not feel accepted in German society despite paying taxes, donating to good causes and being a winner of the World Cup.

the DFB, was among those to criticize Ozil after he took his photograph with Erdogan.

"It's with a heavy heart and after a lot of consideration that's due to recent events, I will no longer play for Germany at the international level "I have the feeling of racism and d & # 39; "Disrespect," said the player.

"I wore the German shirt with so much pride and excitement, but now I do not do it.I feel junk and I think what I have accomplished since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten. "

Ozil met Erdogan in May with fellow international Ilkay Gundogan, the Manchester City player who is also of Turkish descent. He and Gundogan talked about football with the president

Subsequently, photographs were published by the ruling party, the AKP party, with a view to elections in the country, won by Erdogan

. Germany has already criticized the Turkish leader's crackdown on political dissent as a result of a failed coup d'etat.

However, Ozil said that he would have "missed the roots of his ancestors" if he had not posed for photos with the Turkish president.

"It was not politics or elections, but the highest office of the country in my family," he added

. Germany is home to around three million people of Turkish origin – a point regularly raised in the political debate in the country, where immigration and the rise of far right parties are issues keys for many.

And Ozil questions in his statement, why the other double heritage teammates have not been subjected to the same treatment.

"Is it because it is Turkey? Is it because I am a Muslim? I think this is an important problem," said Katarina Barley, German Minister of Social Democratic Justice: " It is alarming that a great German footballer like Mesut Ozil no longer feels in his country. "

Thomas Bareiss, a leading member of Christian Christianity of Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the latter had done proof of "disrespect" and was "moved"

A painful day for German football – badysis

German football reporter Raphael Honigstein

I think the support he's got received from the German federation as a result of the scapegoat that he suffered in some sections of the German media, but also on social media, and the fact that the most technically gifted player of his generation believes that He can no longer rep resent Germany while he feels subjected to racism, making it a very painful day for German football as a whole.

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