He is one of the most outstanding playmakers of the last decade who is hanging up his boots. Mesut Özil, 34 today, announced his retirement from football on his social media this Wednesday. The German international (92 caps, 23 goals) has been playing for Istanbul Başakşehir since this season, with whom he played only 187 minutes.
Weighed down by injuries, the elegant left-hander returned to the field on January 18. At the beginning of February, he was established during his club’s defeat against Kayserispor (1-0), before giving up his place at the break. He had not played a single minute before formalizing his retirement on Wednesday. “After careful consideration, I have made the decision to retire from football. I had the privilege of being a professional player for 17 years and I will be forever grateful. But in the last weeks and months, I have picked up a lot of injuries, so it became clear to me that I had to quit football. It was an unforgettable and emotional experience and I want to thank all the clubs and coaches I worked with. (…) Thank you to all my fans who showed me unfailing support regardless of the circumstances and the club I represented.can we read on the social networks of the player.
A track record with few equivalents and a disproportionate talent
Considered one of the best playmakers of the last decade, Mesut Özil has accumulated silverware likely to make many green with envy. Recruited by Real Madrid in 2010 from Werder Bremen, following his World Cup with Germany, the designer will have won a King’s Cup in 2011, or even a La Liga in 2012, a season during which he finished top passer in the championship with 17 offerings. Two years later, the native of Gelsenkirchen was propelled to the roof of the world by winning the World Cup with Germany.
One of the rare downsides of this period? His departure in the summer of 2013 for Arsenal, which he would certainly postpone for a year today, given that Real Madrid won the Champions League that season: one of the few trophies missing from his list XXL. But at the Gunners, he will have been able to adapt in the blink of an eye, establishing himself as one of the very best creators and passers in the Premier League, as evidenced by his 2015/2016 season completed as the best passer in the championship. , with 19 offerings. A performance that had not been observed since Thierry Henry in 2003 (20 assists and joint record holder to date over a season, with Kevin de Bruyne). No major trophy won with Arsenal, but still 4 FA CUP. Second place in the Premier League in the 2015/2016 season will certainly remain the German’s great regret at Arsenal.
Her end of career took a bad turn, and the controversies escorted her
The long crossing of the desert of Mesut Özil will have its source during the 2017/2018 season, when the German appeared much less efficient, like his failed 2018 World Cup with Germany. In the process, Özil also announced his international retirement, citing having been the victim of racist behavior because of his Turkish origins. Comments refuted by Manuel Neuer and which will have caused a lot of ink to flow in the country, as when he took a picture with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan the same year. Finally, two other seasons with the Gunners will follow – which we will modestly qualify as contrasting – before committing in 2020 to Fenerbahçe, in Turkey, his country of origin.
A checkered passage marked by a first season weighed down by injuries, and punctuated by only 11 small matches. During the second, the left-hander will have managed to regain color in bits and pieces, notably scoring 8 goals in the Süper Lig. But Mesut Özil’s descent into hell materialized well this season, when he arrived free in Başakşehir. In total, the irresistible left-hander will have played 737 games during his career, scoring 137 goals and providing 246 assists.
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