Ozil retired from football two years ago, last on the books at Basaksehir in Turkey, having starred for Fenerbahce, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Werder Bremen in a storied career at the top.

were criticised in Germany after being pictured meeting with Erdogan. "My job is a football player and not a politician, and our meeting was not an endorsement of any policies," Ozil said at the time.

MESUT OZIL has been banned from visiting his former side Werder Bremen due to “recent actions” that “do not represent the club’s values”. The Bundesliga side is ...

FILED – Former national team player Mesut Özil (back M) is standing behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Berlin Olympic Stadium during the 2024 European Football Championship. Photo: ...

Mesut Özil has been barred from returning to his own former club Werder Bremen after being accused of links to the Turkish far-right political group, the Grey Wolves ...

He won 92 caps and was voted the national team's player of the ... Turkish politics under Erdogan’s leadership. But in his prime, he was regarded as one of football’s best playmakers.

Former Werder Bremen players Mesut Özil and Tim Wiese have not been invited to former team mate Diego's farewell match ...

Reinhard Grindel, who was the head of Germany's soccer federation at the time, accused the players of allowing themselves to be "exploited" by Mr Erdogan for political purposes. Some German ...

"Football and the DFB defend values which are not sufficiently respected by Mr Erdogan. "That's why it's not good that our international players let themselves be manipulated for his electoral ...

Former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil has reportedly been banned from a Werder Bremen tribute event due to his alleged links with the Grey Wolves, a far-right extremist group. Bild say the ...

Former Germany international Mesut Özil has become a board member of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AKP party, the Anadolu news agency reported on Sunday. According to the report, the 2014 ...