Mesut Ozil
German soccer player Mesut Özil's decision to quit the national team due to "racism and disrespect" he faced over his Turkish roots threw a spotlight on Monday on the country's relations with its largest immigrant community.
The most prominent German politician of Turkish origin said it would be difficult for the head of the national soccer association to stay in the role, adding that Özil's departure would only be welcomed by those who opposed diversity.
Özil's announcement on social media late on Sunday lead national newspapers to clear their front pages for the midfielder, 29, a key member of Germany's World Cup-winning side in 2014 - and also of the side eliminated at the group stage of the 2018 tournament in Russia.
German soccer player Mesut Özil's decision to quit the national team due to "racism and disrespect" he faced over his Turkish roots has rattled Germany and threw a spotlight on the country's stance toward migrants. Özil's announcement came late on Sunday via social media. The player, who came under fire for having his photograph taken with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May, was especially piqued by criticism from German Football Association (DFB) head Reinhard Grindel, who he said blamed him for Germany crashing out of this year's tournament.
Mesut Özil slams Germany for ‘racism and disrespect’, quits national team
The majority of the roughly 3 million people with Turkish roots who live in Germany are well integrated, a spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday, after German soccer star Mesut Özil quit the national team citing racism.Merkel's spokeswoman stressed that people with migrant backgrounds were welcome in Germany and added that the German chancellor valued Ozil.The spokeswoman, who described Özil as a great soccer player who had done a lot for the national team, said Merkel respected Özil's decision to quit.Video: Mesut Özil slams Germany for ‘racism and disrespect’, quits national teamBayern Munich head on Özil quitting German team: ‘Nightmare is over’Citing 'racism', soccer star Mesut Özil quits German team
Turks well integrated in Germany: Spokeswoman for Chancellor
The player, who faced a barrage of criticism for having his photograph taken with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May, was especially piqued by criticism from German Football Association (DFB) head Reinhard Grindel, who he said blamed him for Germany crashing out of this year's tournament.
Cem Özdemir, the former head of the Greens party and the most prominent politician of Turkish background, said it would be difficult for Grindel to do his job in future given the diverse reality of Germany and its soccer team.
"It will be very hard for Grindel after this," he told Deutschlandfunk radio. "He doesn't reflect the breadth of football in Germany and so it will be hard for German Turks, or indeed German Croats, to feel that the DFB is theirs."
German Bayern Munich football club President Uli Hoeness weighed in on Turkish-origin star Mesut Özil retiring from the German side, citing the racism and discrimination he faced from team officials.‘Nightmare is over’ Commenting on the news about the 29-year-old star quitting the German national team, Hoeness told reporters in Munich “I’m glad the nightmare is over,” which was met with outrage on social media. "The last tackle he won was before the 2014 World Cup. And now he is hiding himself and his poor performances behind this photo."Footballer Mesut Ozil announced Sunday his retirement from Germany’s national team, citing "racism and disrespect".Citing 'racism', soccer star Mesut Özil quits German team"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 while I have this feeling of racism and disrespect," the player said in a series of social media posts on Sunday."I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don't. I feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten."Germany’s star player, who has Turkish origins, has been criticized by German politicians and media outlets after he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May, ahead of elections in Turkey.Ozil defended a meeting with Erdogan during a charity event in London, saying a picture with the Turkish president was not about politics or elections.Video: Mesut Özil slams Germany for ‘racism and disrespect’, quits national team“It was about me respecting the highest office of my family’s country,” he said.“Whatever the outcome would’ve been in this previous election, or the election before that, I would have still taken the picture,” he added.The 29-year-old star strongly criticized German media outlets for questioning his loyalty to Germany, and accusing him, alone, for the failure of national team at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” he said.I would still have photographed with Erdoğan, says footballer Mesut Özil
Bayern Munich head on Özil quitting German team: ‘Nightmare is over’
Former DFB President Theo Zwanziger was quoted in German media as saying the DFB had not done enough to solve conflicts ahead of the World Cup.
"Communication mistakes mean something happened that should never happen to migrants: They should never feel like second-class Germans," he said, adding: "Özil's resignation is a major setback for integration efforts beyond football in our country."
A spokeswoman for Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Monday that that the majority of the roughly 3 million people with Turkish roots who live in Germany were well-integrated.
She also said people with migrant backgrounds were welcome in Germany and added that the German chancellor valued Özil.
The row comes amid a political debate in Germany about an influx of 1.6 million migrants since mid-2014 that has seen a rise of the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party at the expense of traditional parties.
Footballer Mesut Ozil announced Sunday his retirement from Germany’s national team, citing "racism and disrespect".Germany’s star player, who has Turkish origins, has been criticized by German politicians and media outlets after he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in May, ahead of elections in Turkey.In a series of tweets on Sunday, Ozil defended his meeting with Erdogan during a charitable event in London, saying a picture with the Turkish president was not about politics or elections.Video: Mesut Özil slams Germany for ‘racism and disrespect’, quits national team“It was about me respecting the highest office of my family’s country,” he said.“Whatever the outcome would’ve been in this previous election, or the election before that, I would have still taken the picture,” he added.The 29-year-old star strongly criticized German media outlets for questioning his loyalty to Germany, and accusing him, alone, for the failure of national team at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” he said.I would still have photographed with Erdoğan, says footballer Mesut ÖzilOzil expressed his disappointment for still facing discrimination and racism even though he was born and educated in Germany.“My friend Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose are never referred to as German-Polish, so why am I German-Turkish? Is this because it is Turkey? Is it because I'm a Muslim?” he asked.Ozil also slammed German Football Association President (DFB) Reinhard Grindel for mistreatment and pursuing a political agenda, soon after he was criticized by politicians and media for meeting with Turkish president Erdogan.‘I used to wear the German shirt with such pride, but now I don’t,’ he said, adding that it has been an "extremely difficult" decision for him.“But when high-ranking DFP officials treat me as they did, disrespect my Turkish roots and selfishly turn me into political propaganda, then enough is enough,” he said.“Racism should never, ever be accepted,” he stressed.
Citing 'racism', soccer star Mesut Özil quits German team
It also exposed differences of opinion over the country's large and well-established Turkish community.
Just as 2014's victorious German side was celebrated for its diversity, so too was France's World Cup-winning team in 2018 for having numerous key players with African ethnic roots.
CRITICISM AND PRAISE
But the mass-selling newspaper Bild accused Özil of "pure self-pity" and its editor highlighted his decision to post in English, accusing him of trying to maximise his audience.
Alice Weidel, leader of the AfD, wrote that: "The integration dream doesn't work even with football millionaires," describing Özil's "tirade" as a "typical example of failed integration".
In Turkey, however, politicians heaped praise on the player and lashed out at those who had abused him.
"We support from the heart the honourable stance which our brother Mesut Özil has displayed," Turkish Sports Minister Mehmet Kasapoglu wrote on Twitter on Sunday night.
"What Mesut Özil went through and how he was treated is unforgivable. There is NO excuse for racism and discrimination," Gülnur Aybet, a senior adviser to President Tayyip Erdoğan wrote on her Twitter account.
Erdoğan's spokesman İbrahim Kalın wrote on Twitter on Sunday after Özil released his statement:
"An extremely accomplished footballer provides a perfectly reasonable explanation for meeting with President Erdoğan. But imagine the pressure under which he felt compelled to make this statement. What a pity for those who claim to be tolerant and multiculturalist!"