Mesut Özil, as soon as a soccer sensation gracing the fields of Real Madrid and Arsenal, bid farewell to the game earlier this yr, leaving followers inquisitive about his unfulfilled Turkish profession.
The 35-year-old midfielder’s father, Mustafa Özil, make clear why Mesut didn’t go for the Turkish nationwide staff, providing a behind-the-scenes have a look at the choices that formed his worldwide journey.
In an unique interview with Bild, Mustafa Özil disclosed the intricacies of the pivotal second when Özil had to decide on between Germany and Türkiye.
Despite the need to symbolize his ancestral roots, the “Assist King” confronted resistance, even accusations of betraying his homeland.
“As a manager, you always need to have a vision,” Mustafa Özil emphasised. “One example: the decision to play for the German national team. Almost everyone in my family was against Mesut playing for Germany. They even said that he betrayed his country. Mesut came to me, we talked about it and I understood his doubts. He was only 18 at the time, a young lad and his friends were playing for Türkiye. Mesut said, ‘My blood is red.’ I told him, ‘We all bleed red!’ However, I convinced him, with arguments, to play for Germany. This was the best decision. He played 92 international matches for Germany until 2018 and became a world champion in 2014. This is the greatest honor for a football player. It was completely the right decision.'”
Mustafa Özil, who initially managed his son’s profession, mirrored on the pivotal function he performed in steering him towards Die Mannschaft.
Amid familial opposition and societal expectations, Özil’s steering proved instrumental in Nemo’s success on the worldwide stage.
The narrative then shifted to Mesut’s illustrious profession, notably his time at Arsenal the place Arsene Wenger reshaped the staff across the Turkish-German midfielder.
The peak years till 2018 introduced accolades and a 2014 World Cup triumph.
However, a decline adopted, and Mustafa Özil attributed this downturn to misguided recommendation from his advisors.
“Mesut’s career progressed wonderfully until 2018. In 2013, he was transferred to Arsenal as the most expensive German football player of the period. Real Madrid earned more money than they had ever earned from that transfer. Wenger rebuilt the team for Mesut. He also received a big contract and signed sponsorship agreements with giant companies. The decline started after 2018. I attribute this to his advisors. They misled Mesut.”
Looking forward, Özil revealed his greatest want for Mesut’s post-playing profession.
“If you put aside after 2018, Mesut’s career developed at an incredible level in the club and national team. My biggest wish for Mesut is that he will one day work for the German Football Federation. For example, he may be in a consulting role in national team management or the integration of foreign players into the national team,” he mentioned.
Dream come true
Özil’s aspiration to play in his ancestral homeland materialized when he joined Fenerbahçe in 2021, marking a shift from Arsenal the place he had fallen out of favor beneath supervisor Mikel Arteta.
As a free agent, Özil selected Fenerbahçe after parting methods with Arsenal six months forward of schedule, reportedly relinquishing a portion of the 7.9 million euros ($8.6 million) owed to him.
Although the monetary particulars have been undisclosed, Özil inked a three-and-a-half-year cope with Fenerbahçe, reportedly incomes 5 million euros ($5.46 million) per season and securing a 3 million euro ($3.27 million) signing bonus.
Expressing his enthusiasm, Özil mentioned he was “very excited” to don the Fenerbahçe shirt, fulfilling a long-held dream.
The membership had pursued Özil for years, and Chairperson Ali Koç praised the deal, revealing their earlier try in 2019 was hindered by monetary constraints.
In his inaugural season, Özil sported the quantity 67 jersey, a nod to his ancestral city’s license plate, Zonguldak.
His iconic quantity 10, in addition to his former quantity 11, have been occupied by Mbwana Samatta and Diego Perotti.
In the second season, Özil reclaimed his recognizable quantity 10 jersey.
However, in March 2022, Fenerbahçe introduced Özil’s exclusion from the squad, alongside teammate Ozan Tufan.
Despite this setback, Özil concluded his second season with Fenerbahçe, amassing 9 targets and a pair of assists in 26 video games throughout all competitions.
July 2022 noticed the mutual termination of Özil’s contract with Fenerbahçe, resulting in a one-year cope with İstanbul Başakşehir, with an choice for an extra yr.
However, recurrent accidents prompted Özil to announce his retirement from skilled soccer in March of the present yr.
Source: www.dailysabah.com