Five key dates in the Mesut Ozil saga – Football

(FILES) This photo taken on May 13, 2018, taken with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) sparked the controversy that led to Ozil (L) retiring from international football with the # 39; Germany.

The fiasco began on May 13 when Ozil and his German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in London at a charity gala

. Erdogan, who they presented with shirts from their respective clubs Arsenal and Manchester City, the latter which was signed "for my president" by the city star Gundogan.

The photos were published on social media by Erdogan's campaign team on May 14, the day before the announcement of the German team for the finals of the World Cup

Gundogan posted on Instagram to say that the photos were not a ", but Ozil kept silent

They were heavily criticized by German politicians and football experts, while Reinhard Grindel, the president of the German Federation (DFB), said that the players were "manipulated"

.Call of the World Cup

Despite sharp criticism in Germany of controversial images, the Head coach Joachim Loew named Ozil and Gundogan in his provisional World Cup squad on May 15.

Loew thought of "

On May 19, Ozil and Gundogan meet in Berlin with Loew officials and the DFB, as well as German President Frank-Walter St einmeier, in a failed attempt to fix the problem.

Steinmeier said "I grew up here and I'm loyal to my country," said Ozil, quoted by Steinmeier, while Gundogan added, "Germany is today clearly my country and my country

Jersers and Whistles

German midfielder Mesut Ozil (C) celebrates his first goal in the friendly match between Austria and Germany. Germany on June 2, but was booed by German supporters traveling to Klagenfurt, Austria.

(APA / AFP)

Ozil and Gundogan were whistled and whistled by German supporters during a protest. Friendly defeat 2-1 against Austria in Klagenfurt on June 2, despite the opening goal of Ozil.

O zil missed the friendly victory over Saudi Arabia six days later in Leverkusen, but Gundogan was booed when he came and would have later cried in the German locker room

Bierhoff blunder

Former captain of the Germany Lothar Matthaeus Ozil no longer seemed comfortable playing in the German jersey as a result of the 1-0 clash against Mexico at the opening match of the World Cup

Loew then dropped Ozil for the 2-1 win against Sweden. he reinstated for the 2-0 defeat against South Korea which saw the incumbents crash into the group stages.

In a July 6 interview in the Welt newspaper, the director of the German team Oliver Bierhoff hinted that Ozil would have been ruled out of the world Two days later, Grindel says Ozil should make known his position to German fans in Kicker magazine, while Ozil's father rejected the criticism and said that his son should leave his post in Germany.

Ozil quits

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(FILES) In this photo folder taken on June 27, 2018 German midfielder Mesut Ozil reacts at the end of the 2018 Russia World Cup Group F football match between South Korea. The 2-0 defeat at Kazan was the last of his 92 appearances in Germany.

(AFP / Dossier)

After scoring 23 goals in 92 games for Germany, Ozil withdrew from international football with immediate effect on July 22 after breaking his silence in long posts on Twitter and Instagram

. The photo with President Erdogan was not a matter of politics or elections, it was about me respecting the highest office of the country in my family, "he wrote [19659007]. Wearing the jersey of the German national team

"I feel junk and I think about what I have accomplished since my international debut was forgotten in 2009.

" In Grindel's eyes and his supporters, I'm German. I am an immigrant when we lose. "