Former world champion Mesut Özil ended his career as a professional footballer at the age of 34. The 92-time Germany international announced his decision on Wednesday on his verified profiles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. "In the past weeks and months, in which I have also suffered some injuries, it has become increasingly clear to me that it is time to leave the big football stage," Ozil wrote.
The long-time Bundesliga professional, who played for FC Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen during his successful career in Germany, was most recently active in Turkey with Basaksehir Istanbul. In addition to the World Cup title with the DFB selection in Rio in 2014, his greatest successes include winning the Spanish championship with Real Madrid and the four cup victories in England with FC Arsenal.
"It was an incredible journey full of unforgettable moments and emotions," said Özil, looking back on his 17 years as a professional footballer. He thanked his former clubs, coaches and teammates, some of whom had become friends. He also thanked his family and fans.
In the national team, Özil had shaped the German game for years. The exceptional professional was mostly used in attacking midfield, he played an enormous role in the World Cup triumph. In his noisy resignation from the national team after the preliminary round at the 2018 World Cup, he had massively criticized the top of the German Football Association. Before the final round, Özil himself had been criticized for his photos with the Turkish head of state Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Özil moved to Turkey in 2021, initially to Fenerbahce Istanbul. There, his contract was terminated last summer, since March 2022 he was excluded from the squad. At Basaksehir, Özil was initially able to play again, but was then thrown back by injury problems. He is now looking forward to the future, assured Özil.