Skip to main content

Men's Football Munich president attacks racially abused Ozil

BAYERN MUNICH president Uli Hoeness accused Mesut Ozil of producing bad performances for Germany for years today after the racially abused Arsenal midfielder announced his retirement from international football.

Ozil, 29, won the World Cup with Germany four years ago but was also part of Joachim Low’s squad which failed to progress from the group stages of the 2018 tournament in Russia.

In a lengthy statement posted on Twitter yesterday evening, Ozil — a third-generation Turkish-German who was born in Gelsenkirchen — accused the German Football Association of treating him with “racism and disrespect” and hit out at those who said he was “German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose.”

Ozil claimed German FA (DFB) chiefs wanted him “out of the team” before the tournament, due to the emergence of a photograph featuring him with Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The picture led to criticism of Ozil in Germany. According to the player, only the intervention of head coach Low and team manager Oliver Bierhoff ensured he would then take part at the World Cup.

Ozil, who won 92 caps for Germany, also revealed he and his family had received hate mail and threatening phone calls and been subjected to social media abuse.

Nevertheless, Bayern president Hoeness, who served time in jail for tax evasion, found little sympathy with the midfielder when asked for his views on Ozil’s decision.

Quoted by German newspaper Bild, Hoeness said: “I’m glad this nightmare is over. He has been playing crap for years.

“The last tackle he won was before the 2014 World Cup and now he is hiding himself and his poor performances behind this photo.”

Hoeness also hit out at the support shown to Ozil on social media following yesterday’s announcement.

“His 35 million followers, who of course do not actually exist in the real world, believe that Ozil has played exceptionally when he successfully finds his man with a square ball.”

Arsenal teammate Hector Bellerin, however, offered full backing to Ozil, who is away with the Gunners squad on a pre-season tour to Singapore.

The defender wrote on Twitter: “Surreal that someone who has done so much for his country on and off the pitch has been treated with such disrespect.

“Well done @MesutOzil1088 for standing up to this behaviour!”

The DFB has yet to make any official comment.

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today