Mesut Özil
Who was Mesut Özil?
Turkish-German footballer who played as an attacking midfielder for Real Madrid and Arsenal, winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Mesut Özil (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Mesut Özil was born on October 15, 1988, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, to Turkish immigrant parents. He grew up in the Bismarck district and honed his football skills on the streets and local youth pitches in the Ruhr region. His technical ability and creative vision stood out early on, and he moved up through the youth ranks before joining Schalke 04's senior squad. After a short time there, he transferred to Werder Bremen in 2008 at 19, where his performances quickly gained attention across Europe.
At Werder Bremen, Özil won the DFB-Pokal in his first season and established himself as a promising young midfielder in German football. His creativity, ball control, and skill in breaking through defenses with his passing led to a move to Real Madrid in 2010. Over his three seasons in Spain, Özil was consistently among the top assist providers in La Liga, leading the league in assists for three consecutive years and helping Real Madrid win the 2011-12 La Liga title. His ability to connect with forwards like Cristiano Ronaldo highlighted his talent for precise passing.
In September 2013, Arsenal signed Özil for up to £42.5 million, making him the most expensive German player ever at the time and setting a new club transfer record for Arsenal. During his ten years in North London, he won four FA Cups and had a standout Premier League season with 19 assists, the third-highest in the league's history. Though he showed remarkable individual skill, his time at Arsenal was also marked by the team's inconsistency and controversy, especially when manager Mikel Arteta left him out of both the Premier League and Europa League squads in 2020.
Özil played for Germany's national team for over nine years, debuting in 2009 and competing in five big international tournaments. He led in assists at both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012, helping Germany reach the semi-finals each time. His key international achievement was at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, where Germany won 1-0 against Argentina in the final. In 2018, after Germany's early World Cup exit, Özil retired from international play, citing racism, discrimination, and a lack of support from the German Football Association following public criticism after he was photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the tournament.
After leaving Arsenal in early 2021, Özil joined Fenerbahçe in Turkey on a free transfer. His contract was ended in 2022, after which he signed with İstanbul Başakşehir, retiring from professional football in 2023. Off the field, Özil married Swedish-Turkish actress and model Amine Gülşe in 2019. Throughout his career, he received many accolades, including the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt, Germany's highest sports award, the Bambi Award, and multiple selections to the UEFA Team of the Year.
Before Fame
Mesut Özil grew up in Gelsenkirchen, an industrial city in Germany's Ruhr region with a significant Turkish community. His parents moved from Turkey, and Özil was raised in a working-class family where football was deeply loved. He started playing with Gelsenkirchen-Bismarck 06 as a child, then moved up through the youth system to join Schalke 04, the city's well-known Bundesliga club. His cultural background as a German with Turkish roots influenced both his personal view and public image.
Özil's rise was quick once he entered senior football. At 19, he moved to Werder Bremen, where he regularly showed his skills in the Bundesliga, drawing praise for his performances with both the club and the German Under-21 national team. His graceful style of play, known for its efficiency and remarkable spatial awareness, was developed during years of playing street football in Gelsenkirchen, a common practice among children of immigrant families in German industrial cities in the 1990s and 2000s.
Key Achievements
- Won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany
- Won four FA Cup titles with Arsenal
- Ranked first in La Liga assists for three consecutive seasons at Real Madrid
- Set a then-record fee for a German player when joining Arsenal for up to £42.5 million in 2013
- Won the DFB-Pokal with Werder Bremen in his debut season at the club
Did You Know?
- 01.Özil holds the record for the most German National Team Player of the Year awards, having won the honor five times throughout his international career.
- 02.His 19 assists in the 2015-16 Premier League season remain the third-highest total in the history of the competition.
- 03.He was photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan before the 2018 World Cup, an image that triggered a months-long public controversy in Germany and contributed directly to his retirement from international football.
- 04.Özil donated his entire 2014 FIFA World Cup winner's bonus to fund operations for 23 underprivileged Brazilian children before the tournament final was even played.
- 05.At the time of his transfer to Arsenal in 2013, the £42.5 million fee made him not only the most expensive German player ever but also broke Arsenal's own club transfer record, which had stood since the signing of Andrey Arshavin in 2009.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Footballer of the month | — | — |
| Silbernes Lorbeerblatt | — | — |
| Bambi Award | — | — |
| UEFA Team of the Year | — | — |