Mesut Özil facts for kids
Özil in 2019
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mesut Özil | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 15 October 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Gelsenkirchen, West Germany | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Westfalia 04 Gelsenkirchen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Teutonia Schalke-Nord | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Falke Gelsenkirchen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | Rot-Weiss Essen | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Schalke 04 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Schalke 04 II | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Schalke 04 | 30 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Werder Bremen | 71 | (13) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | Real Madrid | 105 | (19) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2021 | Arsenal | 184 | (33) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2022 | Fenerbahçe | 32 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | İstanbul Başakşehir | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 427 | (73) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Germany U19 | 11 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Germany U21 | 16 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2018 | Germany | 92 | (23) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Medal record
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Mesut Özil is a German former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. He was known for his amazing ball control, creative passes, and great vision on the field. Many people consider him one of the best midfielders and playmakers of his time. He could also play as a wide midfielder.
Born and raised in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Özil started his club career at his hometown club Schalke 04. He then moved to Werder Bremen in 2008 when he was 19. After winning the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in his first season, his excellent performances led him to join Real Madrid in 2010. There, he helped the team win a La Liga title and was the top player for assists (setting up goals) for three seasons in a row.
In 2013, Özil joined Arsenal in England for a record fee, becoming the most expensive German player at that time. At Arsenal, he won four FA Cups and helped the club end a nine-year period without winning a major trophy. He also made 19 assists in one Premier League season, which was the second-highest ever. In 2021, Özil moved to Fenerbahçe, and then to İstanbul Başakşehir in 2022, before retiring from football in 2023.
Özil played for the German national team for over nine years. He holds the record for the most German National Team Player of the Year awards, winning it five times. He first played for the senior national team in 2009 when he was 20. He was the top player for assists at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012, helping Germany reach the semi-finals twice. Özil was a key player when Germany won the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He retired from international football in 2018, saying he felt discriminated against and disrespected by the German Football Association (DFB) and German media.
Contents
Early Life and Youth Football
Mesut Özil was born on 15 October 1988 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. His family came from Turkey. He started playing football at a young age for different clubs in Gelsenkirchen from 1995 to 2000. After that, he spent five years playing for Rot-Weiss Essen in their youth teams.
Club Career Highlights
Schalke 04 and Werder Bremen
In 2005, Özil joined the youth system of Schalke 04. He quickly showed his talent as a midfielder. He was seen as a very promising young player. However, he later decided to leave Schalke and joined Werder Bremen in January 2008.
At Werder Bremen, Özil quickly became an important player. He helped the team win the 2009 DFB-Pokal (German Cup) by scoring the winning goal in the final. He also led Werder Bremen to the final of the UEFA Cup (a European competition) in 2009. In the 2009–10 season, he became the main creative player for Werder Bremen, providing many goals and assists.
Real Madrid Success
After his great performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, many top clubs wanted to sign Özil. He chose to join Real Madrid in August 2010. He said it was an easy decision because Real Madrid is such a famous club with a fantastic history.
Özil quickly became a key player for Real Madrid. He made his debut in August 2010 and soon became a regular starter. He was known for his amazing passes and ability to create scoring chances. In his first season (2010–11), he had 25 assists, which was the most of any player in a major European league that season.
In the 2011–12 season, Özil wore the number 10 shirt, showing he was the team's main playmaker. He helped Real Madrid win their 32nd La Liga title, providing 17 assists in the league. He was also nominated for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. In the 2012–13 season, he continued to be a top assist provider, with 26 assists across all competitions.
Arsenal Years and FA Cup Wins
_Cropped.jpg)
On 2 September 2013, Özil joined English club Arsenal. This was a very big transfer, making him the most expensive German football player at the time. He said he joined Arsenal because he felt the coach, Arsène Wenger, had a lot of faith in him. Many Real Madrid players, including Cristiano Ronaldo, were sad to see him leave.
Ending the Trophy Drought
Özil made his debut for Arsenal on 14 September 2013, assisting a goal in a 3–1 win. He quickly showed his skill, scoring his first goal for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League against Napoli. He also scored his first two Premier League goals against Norwich City. In his first season (2013–14), Özil helped Arsenal win the 2014 FA Cup Final, ending the club's nine-year wait for a major trophy. He finished the season with 13 assists and seven goals.
Second FA Cup Victory
In the 2014–15 season, Özil continued to be an important player for Arsenal. After recovering from a knee injury, he returned to form, scoring and assisting goals. He helped Arsenal win the 2015 FA Cup Final with a commanding 4–0 victory. This was his second FA Cup in a row.
Premier League Assist Leader
The 2015–16 season was one of Özil's best. He set a new Premier League record by assisting goals in six consecutive matches, and then extended that run to seven. He provided 19 assists in the league that season, a record only beaten by Thierry Henry in Premier League history. For his outstanding performances, he won the Arsenal Player of the Season award.
Third FA Cup Win
In the 2016–17 season, Özil continued to score and assist. He scored his first professional hat-trick in a Champions League game against Ludogorets Razgrad. He also scored a remarkable solo goal against Ludogorets, which was later named Arsenal's Goal of the Season. He played a big part as Arsenal won the 2017 FA Cup Final, his third FA Cup title.
Contract Extension and Europa League Final
Özil signed a new contract with Arsenal in January 2018, making him the highest-paid player in the club's history at the time. He continued to set records, becoming the fastest player to reach 50 assists in the Premier League, doing so in just 141 appearances. He helped Arsenal reach the 2018 EFL Cup Final and the 2019 UEFA Europa League Final.
Limited Playing Time and Departure
Towards the end of his time at Arsenal, Özil's playing time became limited. He faced injuries and also had disagreements with the coach. In January 2021, his contract with Arsenal ended early, and he moved to Turkish club Fenerbahçe.
Fenerbahçe and İstanbul Başakşehir
Özil joined Fenerbahçe, a team he supported as a child, in January 2021. He was very excited to play for them. He wore the number 67 jersey, which refers to his family's hometown in Turkey. He scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe in August 2021 and even captained the team.
In March 2022, he was left out of the Fenerbahçe squad. His contract with the club ended in July 2022. The next day, he signed a one-year contract with İstanbul Başakşehir. He made his debut for them in August 2022.
In March 2023, Mesut Özil announced his retirement from professional football, saying that repeated injuries made it difficult for him to continue playing. He played 427 top-level club games in his career.
International Career with Germany
Özil was eligible to play for either Germany or Turkey, but he chose to play for Germany, the country where he was born. He played for Germany's youth teams before making his debut for the senior national team in 2009.
2010 FIFA World Cup
Özil was a key player for Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He started in all of Germany's matches. He scored an important goal against Ghana, which helped Germany win their group. He also provided assists in games against England and Argentina. FIFA even nominated him for the Golden Ball award, given to the tournament's best player.
UEFA Euro 2012
Özil was crucial in Germany's qualification for UEFA Euro 2012, scoring five goals and providing seven assists. At the tournament, he was named Man of the Match in Germany's quarter-final win against Greece. He finished the tournament as one of the top assist providers and was named in the Team of the Tournament.
2014 FIFA World Cup Victory
Özil was Germany's top scorer in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification with eight goals. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, he played in all seven of Germany's games. He scored a decisive goal in extra time against Algeria in the Round of 16. He also assisted a goal in Germany's famous 7–1 semi-final win over Brazil. In the final against Argentina, Germany won 1–0, and Özil became a World Cup champion.
UEFA Euro 2016
Özil continued to play for Germany at UEFA Euro 2016. He assisted a goal in Germany's opening match against Ukraine. He also scored Germany's only goal against Italy in the quarter-finals, though Germany won the match after a penalty shootout.
Retirement from International Football
In 2018, Özil decided to retire from the German national team. He explained that he felt he was treated unfairly and faced discrimination because of his Turkish background. He said he would no longer play for the team as a protest against what he saw as racism within the German Football Association and media. This decision caused a lot of discussion and debate.
Player Profile
How He Played
.jpg)
Mesut Özil was a quick, smart, and very skilled player. He was great at dribbling the ball and could play in different midfield roles, especially as an attacking midfielder who creates chances. He was known for his amazing vision, meaning he could see passes and opportunities that other players might miss. He also had excellent control of the ball, precise passes, and accurate crosses. He was often called the "assist-king" because he set up so many goals for his teammates.
Many coaches and players praised Özil's unique style. Some even compared him to famous players like Lionel Messi and Zinedine Zidane. His former Real Madrid coach, José Mourinho, said, "Özil is unique. There is no copy of him."
Outside Football
Personal Life
Özil is a third-generation Turkish-German. He has said that his football skills come from both his Turkish and German heritage: his technique and feel for the ball are the Turkish side, while his discipline and hard work are the German part. He is a practicing Muslim and often recites from the Quran before matches. He also observes fasting during Ramadan when his football schedule allows. In 2016, he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca. He is known for a gesture where he picked up a piece of bread, kissed it, and touched it to his forehead, showing respect for food, which is important in Islam.
In 2010, Özil received the Bambi award for being a great example of successful integration in German society. He married former Miss Turkey, Amine Gülşe, in 2019. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was a witness at their wedding. They have two daughters, Eda, born in March 2020, and Ela, born in September 2022.
In July 2019, Özil and his Arsenal teammate Sead Kolašinac were involved in an incident where they were targeted while in their car. They managed to get away safely.
Özil has also joined the governing Turkish Justice and Development Party as a board member.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
Özil is known for his charity work. As part of the BigShoe project, he donated his winnings from the 2014 World Cup to pay for surgeries for 23 sick Brazilian children. He did this as a thank you for the kindness of the people in Brazil.
In 2016, he visited the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, which is home to many people displaced by the Syrian civil war. He played with children, signed autographs, and gave out football shirts. After his wedding in 2019, he paid for 1,000 children to have surgery to celebrate. He also worked with a charity to make a child cancer patient's dream come true by inviting him to an Arsenal game.
In 2020, when Arsenal's long-time mascot was let go, Özil offered to pay his salary if the club would rehire him, showing his loyalty and friendship. In 2021, during Ramadan, Özil sent food packages to people in need across Turkey, working with the Turkish Red Crescent.
Speaking Out (Activism and Advocacy)
In December 2019, Özil spoke out about the treatment of Uyghurs in China, criticizing Muslim countries for not speaking up. Arsenal released a statement saying they did not agree with his comments. This led to his likeness being removed from Chinese internet services and video games.
He has also shown support for Azerbaijan and Palestine. In October 2021, Özil partnered with the Football Association (FA) to launch a development center in the UK. This center aims to help British Asians get more opportunities in football, inspired by his own background.
Media and Businesses
In 2013, Özil signed a sponsorship deal with the sports brand Adidas. He has appeared in commercials for Adidas football boots alongside other famous players. He also launched his own logo in 2013.
His special "M" goal celebration, which is a tribute to his niece Mira, is even included in the popular video game FIFA 17.
Özil has also started several businesses. He has his own streetwear company called M10 and an esports team. He also owns a chain of coffee shops, a sports clinic, and a health supplements laboratory. He even has shares in a Mexican football club called Necaxa.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Schalke 04 II | 2005–06 | Oberliga | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Schalke 04 | 2006–07 | Bundesliga | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | ||
| Total | 30 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | |||
| Werder Bremen | 2007–08 | Bundesliga | 12 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | |||
| 2008–09 | Bundesliga | 28 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 14 | 0 | — | 47 | 5 | |||
| 2009–10 | Bundesliga | 31 | 9 | 5 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | — | 46 | 11 | |||
| 2010–11 | Bundesliga | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 71 | 13 | 11 | 2 | — | 26 | 2 | — | 108 | 17 | ||||
| Real Madrid | 2010–11 | La Liga | 36 | 6 | 6 | 3 | — | 11 | 1 | — | 53 | 10 | ||
| 2011–12 | La Liga | 35 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 52 | 7 | ||
| 2012–13 | La Liga | 32 | 9 | 8 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 52 | 10 | ||
| 2013–14 | La Liga | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 105 | 19 | 19 | 3 | — | 31 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 159 | 27 | |||
| Arsenal | 2013–14 | Premier League | 26 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 40 | 7 | |
| 2014–15 | Premier League | 22 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 5 | |
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 8 | |
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 33 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | — | 44 | 12 | ||
| 2017–18 | Premier League | 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 5 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | — | 35 | 6 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | ||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 184 | 33 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 48 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 254 | 44 | ||
| Fenerbahçe | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 11 | 0 | |||
| 2021–22 | Süper Lig | 22 | 8 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 26 | 9 | |||
| Total | 32 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | — | 37 | 9 | ||||
| İstanbul Başakşehir | 2022–23 | Süper Lig | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 427 | 73 | 50 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 116 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 605 | 98 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2009 | 7 | 1 |
| 2010 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 5 | |
| 2012 | 13 | 6 | |
| 2013 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 3 | |
| 2017 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 92 | 23 | |
- Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Özil goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 September 2009 | BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany |  South Africa |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 23 June 2010 | Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa |  Ghana |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup |
| 3 | 8 October 2010 | Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany |  Turkey |
2–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 4 | 7 June 2011 | Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan |  Azerbaijan |
1–0 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 5 | 2 September 2011 | Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany |  Austria |
2–0 | 6–2 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 6 | 4–1 | |||||
| 7 | 11 October 2011 | Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany |  Belgium |
1–0 | 3–1 | UEFA Euro 2012 qualification |
| 8 | 15 November 2011 | Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany |  Netherlands |
3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 28 June 2012 | National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland |  Italy |
1–2 | 1–2 | UEFA Euro 2012 |
| 10 | 7 September 2012 | AWD-Arena, Hanover, Germany |  Faroe Islands |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11 | 3–0 | |||||
| 12 | 11 September 2012 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Austria |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 12 October 2012 | Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland |  Republic of Ireland |
3–0 | 6–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 16 October 2012 | Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany |  Sweden |
4–0 | 4–4 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 10 September 2013 | Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands | Faroe Islands |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 11 October 2013 | Rhein-Energie Stadion, Cologne, Germany | Republic of Ireland |
3–0 | 3–0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 17 | 15 October 2013 | Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden | Sweden |
1–2 | 5–3 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 18 | 30 June 2014 | Estádio Beira-Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil |  Algeria |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup |
| 19 | 29 March 2016 | Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany | Italy |
4–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 20 | 2 July 2016 | Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France | Italy |
1–0 | 1–1 | UEFA Euro 2016 |
| 21 | 31 August 2016 | Borussia-Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany |  Finland |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 22 | 4 September 2017 | Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany |  Norway |
1–0 | 6–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 23 | 2 June 2018 | Wörtherseestadion, Klagenfurt, Austria | Austria |
1–0 | 1–2 | Friendly |
Honours and Awards
Werder Bremen
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2011–12 (Winner)
- Copa del Rey: 2010–11 (Winner)
- Supercopa de España: 2012 (Winner)
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2019–20 (Winners)
- FA Community Shield: 2015 (Winner)
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2018–19
Germany U21
- UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2009 (Winner)
Germany
- FIFA World Cup: 2014 (Winner); 2010 (Third place)
Individual Awards
- Bundesliga top assists provider: 2009–10
- La Liga top assists provider: 2011–12
- UEFA Europa League top assists provider: 2009–10
- UEFA Champions League top assists provider: 2010–11
- UEFA European Championship top assists provider: 2012
- FIFA World Cup top assists provider: 2010
- Premier League top assists provider: 2015–16
- Germany national team Player of the Year: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016
- UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2012
- UEFA Team of the Year: 2012, 2013
- Arsenal Player of the Season: 2015–16
See also
In Spanish: Mesut Özil para niños
