Guardiola failed with Özil, Mourinho took advantage!

Zapping World Eleven EXCLUDED: Youssouf Fofana’s “Little brother” interview!

Newly retired Mezut Ôzil gave himself up to the microphone of brand. Passed in particular by Real Madrid, the 2014 champion left Madridistas with a package of high-class gestures and a vision of the game well above average. The magician, told by himself:

“About the magician. It was my style, I always tried to make passes and plays that nobody could expect. I think that’s where the nickname comes from. And that means the fans had fun with me, probably like when they attend a magic show. Amazement is a beautiful thing, in football as in magic. I’m happy to hear it, really.”

With 114 goals and 222 caviars distributed throughout his career, the child from Gelsenkirchen has entertained everywhere he has gone, a natural generosity for him.

“I scored goals, I gave a lot of assists… And I also delivered a lot of important passes, which nobody counts. Because the birth of the action is also very important and I have tried to be present. For me, the most important thing was to win as a team. I always tried to make my teammates shine as much as possible and I think that’s what my style of football represented. At some point, I was very happy to make others shine. I never understood being told to be more selfish and shoot more.”

What he remembers the most in his career

“I remember my childhood. I remember people telling me that I would never make it, that I was too young to play football and things like that…. But I didn’t I didn’t listen and focused on myself.When I signed my first professional contract with Schalke and played my first games in the Bundesliga, I felt like I had landed the moon. Everything that came after, like playing for Real Madrid and winning the World Cup, was just a plus, although it was an amazing and wonderful plus. The highlight of my career, of course, was to winning the 2014 World Cup, no need to talk about it, but the whole journey has been magnificent.”

What he is most proud of

“It’s not the goals, or the assists, or the wins, or the titles. What I’m most proud of is having had the opportunity to associate my name with much more important things. than football. And to be able to give something back to disadvantaged people, especially in Africa and South America. You can be sure that this work will not stop after my career. That’s what my mother m learned when I was a kid, and yes, that’s what I’m very proud of.”

Why retire so early?

“After careful consideration, I’m sure it’s the right decision. During my career I haven’t suffered many injuries and I’ve always been in good shape, but the last few months (he suffered a serious back injury for which he had to be operated) were very heavy and difficult for me. I could no longer help my team on the pitch as I wanted. So I told Basaksehir what I thought and we found a solution soon.”

What will be the sequence of events?

“Honestly, I don’t know a hundred percent what will happen in the months and years to come. But for now, I will focus on my family, here in Turkey. I have a wife and two beautiful girls. What I look forward to most is seeing my daughters grow up, they are the two most beautiful gifts I have received in my life. I savor every second spent with them.

For now, I have no intention of becoming a coach or staying in football, honestly. I have been part of the football world for almost 17 years and most of the time I really enjoyed the sport. I am very grateful and feel blessed. Those who have followed my career know that I don’t really like being in front of the camera, giving interviews and being in the public eye. So I’m going to be able to enjoy a little more peace in my life.”

His first career game…

“With Schalke. At the time I was very shy, but I already had great confidence in my abilities. Mirko Slomka was my coach. I remember that before I left he only told me that one thing: enjoy it. And that’s what I did from the first day to the last. That game was against Eintracht Frankfurt in 2006, in front of 60,000 spectators, and everyone was shouting my name “, like that, from the start! It was an incredible feeling in one of the most beautiful stadiums in Europe at the time. I had goosebumps.”

… Then everything that followed behind

“It was between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It wasn’t a question of money. I don’t know if it’s known, but I visited Madrid and Barcelona at the time and the difference was was José Mourinho. Mou gave me a VIP visit to Real Madrid. He took me to see the stadium and all the trophies they had won. I got goose bumps. The visit to Barcelona was less enthusiastic and the most disappointing thing is that Pep Guardiola didn’t even bother to meet me.Before this trip, I really liked Barcelona’s style of football and imagined myself playing very well for them, “But Madrid went all out. So José Mourinho was the most important factor in my decision. After my visits, my decision was one hundred percent clear: I wanted to be a Madridista.”

Despite tense negotiations, Özil will arrive in Madrid in the summer of 2010.

I remember that the negotiations between the clubs were difficult. But in the end, Werder didn’t want to let me go for free the following summer, so despite the nervousness, I always believed in the transfer. But just in case, I told Klaus Allofs, the sporting director of Werder Bremen, that I had to let go, because you never know if such an opportunity will present itself in your life.

At the time, I was only 21 years old. I had already played the 2010 World Cup with Germany, I had experience in Europe with Werder… But I had never experienced that day. I had never seen so many photographers and journalists focusing on me. It was not an easy day, I was very nervous. But it was a very special day, there is no club that can match Real Madrid when it comes to presentations. That day, you realize that you are on another level.

Madrid fans are truly amazing. Even ten years after leaving Madrid, I still receive spectacular support and affection from the fans. It’s really unbelievable. I think we had three very good years together, three years in which the supporters appreciated and saw that I gave everything for the club. To be honest, I didn’t expect this support to last for so long, so I can only thank Madridistas.

His relations with Real

With Mourinho

“Everyone knows my anecdote in the locker room with him [rires]. But we still had a very good relationship. He always knew how to motivate me, make me a better player every day. He’s an incredible coach and I’m very proud to have been able to play for him.”

With Ronaldo

“I had a lot of fun playing with Cristiano Ronaldo, who for me is the best player of all time. We understood each other very well on the pitch, it was perfect. I gave him assists and he scored goals. To pass to a player who almost never misses his target was a gift.”

With Sergio Ramos

“Sergio Ramos is the best defender I’ve played with. And the one with the most character. He was still very young at the time, but he already had a very strong mentality. He was incredible. It was obvious that sooner or later he would lead Real Madrid to win the Champions League. He’s a real boss. At the time, he was one of my best friends. We had a lot of fun together and spent a lot of time together in outside training. He played a key role in my quick adaptation to Real Madrid, he helped me a lot. Even more than ten years later, we are still in touch: we send each other messages from time to time and, of course, I’m still his career.”

In La Liga of the early 2010s, the Clasico was arguably the most important and most watched game of the year. Messi against Ronaldo, Guardiola against Mourinho, the Catalan Tiki Taka against the direct and flamboyant play of the Castilians … Except during the Clasicos precisely, where gross faults took precedence over high-flying actions. What memory does Özil have of these shocks?

“I think I lived the best era of the Clásicos, Madrid-Barça in all their moments of glory, even the semi-finals of the Champions League! They were matches where there was everything. It was Mou against Pep, Cristiano against Messi… Today the Clásico has lost its intensity and interest. Beating Barcelona back then was like an orgasm, because they were incredibly strong matches. I must also say that our 5-0 loss in La Liga in 2010 was one of my biggest nightmares on a pitch. I played a lot of matches, a lot of derbies, but I think there will never be nothing comparable to these Clásicos.”

The end of the Madrid stage

“I was very sad when I left Madrid. I remember at the airport… buff. I spent three great years at Real Madrid and in this city. I was really happy. But he things happened. Suddenly I had less and less playing time and there was a conflict between Mr. Florentino Pérez, my father and my agent. We had to look for a new club. It was difficult for me. The moment the plane took off and flew away, I had tears in my eyes. That’s when I knew it was over.”