Tag: Mesut Ozil

ISTANBUL: World Cup winner Mesut Ozil announced his retirement from football on Wednesday after an illustrious international career with Germany and club spells with Real Madrid and Arsenal.

The 34-year-old helped Germany to glory in Brazil in 2014 but bitterly quit the international scene after the Germans crashed out of the 2018 tournament in Russia.

“After thoughtful consideration, I’m announcing my immediate retirement from professional football,” the attacking midfielder said.

“I’ve had the privilege to be an international footballer for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity.

“But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it’s become more and more clear that it’s time to leave the big stage of football.”

Ozil, born in the German city of Gelsenkirchen but of Turkish descent, played on some of football’s biggest stages but also became embroiled in international politics and accusations of racism.

When Germany were knocked out of the 2018 World Cup at the group stage, a wounded Ozil accused the German public of “racist” attacks.

His club career blossomed when his deft passing and vision helped secure his move from the Bundesliga to Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid side in 2010.

He soon led La Liga in assists while helping the Spanish club to their 32nd league title in 2012.

His big-money move to Arsenal in 2013 helped the London club end their FA Cup drought the following year.

In 2014, Ozil started the final as Germany beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 1-0 in the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro thanks to Mario Goetze’s extra-time goal.

Ozil was repeatedly shortlisted for the Ballon d’Or but the later stages of his career were troubled by disputes over playing time and his close personal friendship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Erdogan was the best man at Ozil’s Istanbul wedding to former Miss Turkey and actress Amine in 2019.

But it was Ozil’s decision to be pictured with Erdogan on the eve of Turkey’s 2018 presidential election that caused particular controversy during that summer’s World Cup.

Erdogan was then unleashing a sweeping political crackdown that followed a failed coup attempt against his government.

Ozil’s picture with the Turkish leader was widely interpreted as his political endorsement of Erdogan in the 2018 election campaign.

He ended his international career before moving to Fenerbahce and most recently Istanbul Basaksehir.

READ: Pakistan squad departs for Afghanistan T20Is

Football for Peace (FfP) led by former British South Asian Footballer Kashf Siddiqi and the Football Association (FA) are co-launching the Mesut Özil Development centre at the University of Bradford alongside Bradford City AFC, supported by Sporting Equals and The UN Global Goals.

The Football for Peace Mesut Özil Centre, sponsored by Innaree, will be hosted at the University of Bradford and run football and life skill sessions at Bradford City AFC’s training ground providing opportunity for South Asian players; showcasing the power of football in all its forms to contribute positively to pressing issues of inclusion, inequality and discrimination.

The Bradford Centre will be the first as part of a nationwide initiative. Other FfP Centres, will also be co-branded with professional players and clubs promoting opportunities for members of ethnically diverse communities to be able to fulfil their aspirations by providing pathways into elite football and education. There are a number of Premier League and English Football League clubs who have signed up to the initiative.

In the UK, ethnically diverse communities have suffered from a lack of opportunities and professional facilities within the football industry. There are over 3 million South Asians in the UK. In spite of this, the South Asian diaspora is largely absent at a playing level, administrative and coaching level throughout the football world. England Manager, Gareth Southgate also was recently quoted during South Asian Heritage month saying “football must revisit its approach to scouting and creating opportunities for British South Asian talent to thrive in the sport.”

The Football for Peace Mesut Özil Centre is working closely with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and will be contributing to the UN 2030 Agenda and Global Goals to also upskill youth to contribute positively to their own communities around sustainable living, wellbeing, inequality, and discrimination. The Centres will also provide workshops for parents, who are a key part of the process, unlocking and reshaping the relationship between the community and the football community as a whole.

A special Football and Education Award is also launching supported by the UN SDG Global Goals to provide opportunities outside of football.

This is the first time an initiative like this is kicking off specific for the South Asian community and is welcomed by the Football Association, who are also providing sponsorship toward this alongside Innaree (supplier of the highest quality organic CBD for sport and the health & wellbeing industry)

Former Premier League Footballers have joined the initiative as technical directors including Michael Chopra, Cherno Samba and Hayden Mullins.

This is not the first time Siddiqi and Özil have joined forces for good.

In 2020, under lockdown, Dr. Erkut Sögüt who represents Özil, brought the pair together to deliver 500,000 meals that were going to waste management from Wembley Stadium across the UK. Ozil has become known for his work outside of football, including paying for meals, supporting homeless centres and women’s groups in north London whilst he was at Arsenal FC.

Mesut Özil says: “I have always been surprised why the South Asian Community are only allowed to be fans of the game, why are we not seeing more players or managers breaking into professional football? I want to support them, give them an opportunity to be successful both on and off the pitch. I myself am from an ethnically diverse background and understand the challenges. I hope the Football for Peace Mesut Özil Centre will become the platform they need.”

Kashif Siddiqi, former Pakistan International, Co-Founder of Football for Peace and Football Diplomat says: “Football has given me so much, and working with Mesut we want to create a platform that will provide a framework inside the Football pyramid between professional clubs and also our community. Whilst it is important to see greater representation in professional sport, it is also vital to recognise the power football can have on communities. Our ongoing engagement with young people and communities also seeks to contribute to reducing the devastating effects of Covid-19 which has also led to reducing the amount of sports participation, especially South Asian Community are engaging in.”