Mesut Ozil Quits International Football, Citing Racism, Political Propaganda

Mesut Ozil announced his retirement from international football on Sunday with a three-page statement posted on his social media feeds. He accused certain members of the German FA for being racist and hit back after he was made the scapegoat for Germany’s poor performance in the World Cup.

The Arsenal midfielder was part of the squad that crashed out in the group stages at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and came in for heavy criticism after. The anger was mainly directed at Ozil after he suffered major backlash prior to the tournament following his meeting with controversial Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan in London.

Ozil posed for a picture with the leader of his birth country and was publicly criticized for his actions. The German team manager Oliver Bierhoff even suggested he should be dropped from the team for his actions.

The Arsenal star criticized his country’s football association and made it clear he will not stand idle while they make him the scapegoat and use him as a tool for political propaganda. Ozil made it clear he always wore the Germany shirt with pride, but recent accusations have changed his mind and the 2-0 loss to South Korea in their final group game will be the midfielder’s last game for his country.

"For me, having a picture with President Erdogan wasn't about politics or elections, it was about me respecting the highest office of my family's country," Ozil said in his statement. "My job is a football player and not a politician, and our meeting was not an endorsement of any policies.”

"The treatment I have received from the DFB (German Football Association) and many others make me no longer want to wear the German national team shirt. I feel unwanted and think what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten.

"People with racially discriminative backgrounds should not be allowed to work in the largest football federation in the world that has players from dual-heritage families. Attitudes like theirs simply do not reflect the players they supposedly represent,” the Arsenal midfielder explained.

"It is with a heavy heart and after much consideration that because of recent events, I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect.

"I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don't. The decision has been extremely difficult to make because I have always given everything for my teammates, the coaching staff and the good people of Germany.

"When high-ranking DFB officials treat me as they did, disrespect my Turkish roots and selfishly turn me into political propaganda, then enough is enough. That is not why I play football, and I will not sit back and do nothing about it. Racism should never, ever be accepted,” he added.

Ozil was on break after his commitments with the national team at the World Cup, but joined up with the rest of the Arsenal squad on Sunday as they departed for their pre-season tour in Singapore. The creative midfielder’s decision to give up playing for his country could benefit the Gunners during the upcoming campaign.