Leaving the national team, the World Cup player says he's "a German when we win" but "an immigrant when we lose"

"I'm German when we win, but I'm an immigrant when we lose," Ozil wrote, describing a double standard that brought him to hang up his national jersey: "I wore the German shirt with so much of pride and excitement, but now I do not do it. "

Ozil's repudiation of the German team marked the last chapter of a burning European debate on migration and national identity. A debate so often conducted in the language of security and terrorism seemed to take a different tone on the sidelines of the World Cup.

The various formations of many European teams have given rise to a new examination of the question: what does it mean to be German or French? The majority of players in the France team, who won the 2018 World Cup title, have roots outside of France. For some, the image of the multicolored team has offered a riposte to far right politicians who are only offsetting the costs of immigration. The symbolism of successful multiethnic teams was particularly powerful in a moment of worry about borders, extremism and national culture, many years after the Syrian civil war created the greatest human displacement since World War II. World. Africa won the World Cup! ", Chanted Trevor Noah, host of the" Daily Show ", celebrating the victory of France and the varied composition of his team. Noah, who hails from South Africa, was a victim of France's ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, who accused the night's host of denigrating identity French players and thus do the game of the far right. Noah said that he had the opposite intention.

"Blacks around the world celebrated the Africanity of French players," said Noah. "Not in a negative way, but rather in a positive way, by going," Look at those Africans who can become French. ""

What reveals the departure of Ozil, is that the process of becoming European may be

A practicing Muslim born of Turkish parents, he said that he values ​​the two parts of his identity.

"I have two hearts, one German and one Turkish", writes Ozil, who has been recognized as an example of successful integration with a prestigious German media award in 2010 "During my childhood, my mother taught me to always be respectful and to never forget where I come from, and these are values ​​I still think about today"

The desire to cherish his Turkish roots, Ozil suggested, was what led him to meet in May with Erdogan in London, with Ilkay Gundogan, a midfielder for Manchester City as well as for the German national team. . "For me, having a photo with President Erdogan was not a matter of politics or elections, it was about me who held the highest office in my family's country," wrote Ozil

. to the largest number of Turkish people outside Turkey and still has tense relations with the nation. The Berlin legislators prevented Erdogan from organizing political rallies on German soil, and they saw these photos with football stars as a public relations win for the strong president. A spokeswoman for Angela Merkel, German Chancellor, said the picture "invited misunderstanding."

"The DFB of course respects the special situation of our players from immigration, but football and the DFB" Reinhard Grindel, president of the DFB and former member of the German Parliament, said in a statement. Some politicians have accused football stars of lacking loyalty to Germany and have stated that they should not be allowed to participate in the World Cup.

At the time, Ozil offered no comment. But his Sunday statement was aimed at Grindel, whom he accused of incompetence and racial animosity. "The treatment I received from the DFB and many others no longer allows me to wear the jersey of the German national team," Ozil wrote, adding that "people discriminated against the racial plan should not work in the world's largest federation that has many players from dual-heritage families. "

Grindel did not respond over the weekend. Cem Ozdemir, a leading lawmaker of the Greens, said that Ozil was wrong to pose with Erdogan, but echoed the criticism of the player on the football association, accusing Grindel of "hacking our story of" 39, integration into pieces. "

to start playing for Erdogan soon? "Ozdemir, who is of Turkish origin, wrote on Twitter." The DFB needs a fresh start. "

Ozil was just as hard in the media, saying that German newspapers hinted that the Erdogan scandal was part of the team's stumble in Russia.Bild, Germany's top-selling tabloid, fought back on Sunday, accusing the athlete of "whining" "

Turkish government members hailed Ozil for his decision Abdulhamit Gul, the Minister of Justice, congratulated the midfielder for marking" the most beautiful goal against the fascist virus " "

In his statement, Ozil protested the disproportionate attention paid to his Turkish identity.Friends with Polish roots, he pointed out, were not set apart as Alternatively Polish – his contributions – to fulfill his basic responsibilities, such as that paying taxes, to "win the World Cup with Germany in 2014" – were not enough to vaccinate him, he said: "I was born and I was educated in Germany.

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