The error of Özil – and his legacy – News Sport: Football

At the beginning was the error. Was this picture by Mesut Özil, who shows it in May with Turkish President Erdogan. The indignation in the country was twofold. How could the Turkish footballer from Gelsenkirchen do such a thing? And how he refused to explain his behavior in the country where he grew up.

Then came the World Cup, with Germany claiming that the title would only be awarded to his team, along with an Özil, who was allowed by the own association (DFB) further to silence. This World Cup first became a disaster for the Germans and then a communication. They failed to crush the preliminary round and quickly found a victim: Özil, the man next to Erdogan.

Called the right wing of the AfD, they wanted again "a true German national team". At the latest, the debate in Germany is reversed: it is no longer the most naive behavior of a footballer and his advisers to pose with an autocrat. Now it is racism. And a DFB who abandoned Özil instead of defending him in a discussion that had completely overheated.

Özil is a projection screen

Özil is more than a mere player with a fine Fuss, more than a world champion in 2014, Özil is a screen of projection, he was hailed by the association as the best example of successful integration and presented – not only, but especially by the Turks, who form a strong force in Germany. Also Chancellor Angela Merkel had it four years ago to show off after Rio's final victory in the cabin with Ozil, who only wore a towel around his hips.

Now, this player represents the anxious question of the green politician Özdemir, if the German Turks would still find a place in the German national team in the future. And he complains of his sad feeling of rejection despite all the social services he has provided to the country. And on racism. Özil, accompanied by strategically talented consultants, attacks the powerful sponsor of the federation, Mercedes, because he's distanced himself from it. And he attacks relentlessly the President of the Union Grindel. He says: "In the eyes of Grindel and his followers, I am German if we win, but a migrant, if we lose."

Mesut Özil, only 29 years old, will never play for Germany again. His legacy includes less than 92 international matches for the country in which he was born as a son of Muslim immigrants, his legacy includes this debate on xenophobia first. She started with a serious mistake on her part. It will not stop long.

(Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 24.07.2018, 01:08