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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was the best man of the marriage of German footballer Mesut Ozil on Friday.
Ozil, who has Turkish roots, caused a stir when he photographed with Erdogan before the World Cup last year.
He then left international football, citing the "racism and disrespect" that he had experienced when taking pictures in Germany.
The 30-year-old Arsenal midfielder married his fiancée, the former Miss Turkey Amine Gulse, in a luxury hotel on the Bosphorus.
The couple began dating in 2017 and announced their engagement in June 2018.
Last March, Ozil had announced that he had asked Mr. Erdogan to be his best man, which again sparked criticism in his home country.
Helge Braun, chief of staff of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, told Bild newspaper at the time that it was "sad" that Ozil made such a choice, given the reaction of his interview with the Turkish president last year.
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AFP
President Erdogan and his wife Emine (right) pose for photos with newlyweds
Meanwhile, Erdogan would often attend celebrity weddings in Turkey, especially during election campaigns.
His presence at the wedding of Ozil comes before a new election of the mayors of Istanbul. The previous result – which had seen its candidate for the AKP being narrowly defeated – had been canceled, prompting international criticism.
What happened last year?
The third generation Turkish-German was born in Gelsenkirchen and was a key member of his country's team that won the 2014 World Cup.
He has 92 caps and fans have voted player of the year by the national team five times since 2011.
But last May, Ozil sparked a national controversy by posing alongside the Turkish leader for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, which led some Germans to question his loyalty.
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The criticism worsened after the fall of the German team – the defending champions – in the first round.
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Reuters
The couple is married on the banks of the Bosphorus
After the humiliating defeat, Ozil issued a long statement in which he announced his resignation from the national team.
He added that he had received hate mails and threats and that he was blamed for the disappointing World Cup organized by Germany in Russia this summer.
"I'm German when we win, but I'm an immigrant when we lose," Ozil said, adding that despite his successes within the team, his way of treating him prompted him to "do not no longer wear the jersey of the German team ". .
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