Mesut Özil facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mesut Özil

Özil in 2019
Personal information
Date of birth	(1988-10-15) 15 October 1988 (age 36)
Place of birth	Gelsenkirchen, West Germany
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	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)
National team
2006–2007	Germany U19	11	(4)
2007–2009	Germany U21	16	(5)
2009–2018	Germany	92	(23)
Honours Men's football Representing  Germany FIFA World Cup Winner 2014 Brazil Team Third 2010 South Africa Team UEFA European Championship Third 2012 Poland-Ukraine Team UEFA European Under-21 Championship Winner 2009 Sweden Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Mesut Özil (born 15 October 1988) is a German former professional footballer. He played as an attacking midfielder, a player who helps both attack and defense. People often see him as one of the best midfielders of his time. He was known for his amazing ball control, creative passes, and great vision on the field.

Özil grew up in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. He started his club career at his hometown club Schalke 04. Later, he moved to Werder Bremen in 2008 when he was 19. His strong performances there led him to join Real Madrid in 2010. With Real Madrid, he helped the team win a La Liga title. He was also the top player for assists (setting up goals) in the league for three seasons in a row.

In 2013, Özil joined Arsenal for a record fee for a German player at the time. At Arsenal, he won four FA Cups. He helped end Arsenal's long wait for a trophy. In 2021, Özil moved to Fenerbahçe and then to İstanbul Başakşehir in 2022. He retired from football in 2023.

Özil played for the German national team for over nine years. He won the "German National Team Player of the Year" award five times, which is a record! He first played for Germany in 2009 when he was 20. He played in five big tournaments. He was the top player for assists at the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He helped Germany reach the semi-finals twice. Özil helped Germany win the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He later retired from the national team in 2018. He said he felt treated unfairly by the German Football Association and the media.

Early Life and Club Beginnings

Özil was born on 15 October 1988 in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. His family came from Turkey. His grandfather moved from Zonguldak, Turkey, to West Germany as a "guest worker" (someone who moved for work).

Mesut played for different youth clubs in Gelsenkirchen from 1995 to 2000. After that, he spent five years playing for Rot-Weiss Essen.

Joining Schalke 04

In 2005, Özil joined the youth team of Schalke 04. He quickly became known as a promising midfielder. He even played in some important matches for the main team. However, he later had disagreements with the club about his contract. He decided to leave Schalke 04 in January 2008.

Moving to Werder Bremen

On 31 January 2008, Özil joined Werder Bremen. He signed a contract until 2011. He scored his first goal in the Bundesliga (Germany's top league) on 26 April 2008. In his first half-season, Werder Bremen finished second in the league.

Özil with Werder Bremen in 2010

In the 2008–09 season, Özil became a key player for Bremen. He made many assists and scored goals. He helped his team win the German Cup in 2009. He scored the winning goal in the final against Bayer Leverkusen. He also helped Werder Bremen reach the final of the UEFA Cup, a big European competition.

For the 2009–10 season, Özil became the main creative player for Werder Bremen. He was even named the best player of the first half of the Bundesliga season. He played his 100th Bundesliga game on 1 May 2010. In that season, he helped Bremen finish third in the league. He provided 9 goals and 17 assists in 31 league games.

Playing for Real Madrid

Özil playing for Real Madrid in 2010

After his great performances at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, many big clubs wanted Özil. On 17 August 2010, he signed with Real Madrid. The transfer fee was about €15 million. Özil said joining Real Madrid was an easy choice because it's such a famous club.

He made his debut for Real Madrid on 22 August in a friendly match. He quickly became a starter because another player, Kaká, was injured. Özil made his first assist for Real Madrid in a Champions League game against Ajax. He scored his first goal for the club on 3 October 2010 in a 6–1 win.

Özil taking on Daniele Bonera of Milan during the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League

He finished his first season (2010–11) with 25 assists. This was the most for any player in a major European league that season. Fans and media praised his performances.

Winning La Liga

For the 2011–12 season, Özil started wearing the number 10 shirt. This showed that his coach, José Mourinho, wanted him to be the main creative player. He helped Real Madrid win their 32nd La Liga title. He provided 17 assists in the league, again leading the chart. His great play earned him a spot on the short-list for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. He also finished tenth in the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, being the youngest player in the top 10.

Özil's boots on display at the Santiago Bernabéu museum

In the 2012–13 season, Özil continued to be a top player. He helped Real Madrid win the Supercopa de España (Spanish Super Cup). He finished the season with 29 assists in all competitions. This was more than any other player in the top leagues.

Time at Arsenal

On 2 September 2013, Özil joined the English club Arsenal. The transfer fee was about £42.5 million (€50 million). This made him the most expensive German football player at that time. He was given the number 11 shirt and played as a central attacking midfielder.

Özil said he joined Arsenal because he felt the coach, Arsène Wenger, and the club trusted him. Some Real Madrid players, like Cristiano Ronaldo, were sad to see him leave. Ronaldo said Özil was the player who best understood his movements on the field.

Ending the Trophy Drought

Özil playing for Arsenal in 2013

Özil made his debut for Arsenal on 14 September 2013. He assisted a goal in a 3–1 win against Sunderland. He scored his first goal for Arsenal in a Champions League game against Napoli. On 19 October, he scored his first two Premier League goals against Norwich City.

In October, Özil was again nominated for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. He was also named in the UEFA Team of the Year. He continued to provide many assists and score important goals for Arsenal.

In February 2014, Özil faced some challenges. He missed a penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League. He also suffered a hamstring injury, which kept him out for about a month.

Özil warming up for Arsenal in 2014

He returned to the team in April and quickly made an impact. He helped Arsenal win the FA Cup in May 2014. This ended Arsenal's nine-year wait for a major trophy. In his first season, Özil had 13 assists and 7 goals in 40 games.

Second FA Cup Victory

Özil playing for Arsenal in 2014

Özil returned to Arsenal after winning the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany. In October 2014, he suffered a knee injury that kept him out for about three months.

He returned to play in January 2015. He scored in his first game back in the starting lineup against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup. He continued to play well, scoring and assisting goals. He helped Arsenal win the FA Cup again in May 2015, beating Aston Villa 4–0. He finished his second season with 5 goals and 9 assists in 33 games.

Leading the League in Assists

Özil playing for Arsenal in 2015

In the 2015–16 season, Özil had an outstanding year. He scored his first goal of the season against Manchester United in October. He set a new Premier League record by assisting goals in six consecutive matches. He extended this run to seven games.

On 28 December 2015, Özil created nine scoring chances in a single game, which was the most by any player that season. He finished the season with 19 assists in the Premier League. This was the second-highest number of assists in Premier League history, only behind Thierry Henry's 20 assists in 2002–03. Özil ended his third season at Arsenal with 8 goals and 20 assists in all competitions. He won the Arsenal Player of the Season award.

Third FA Cup Win

Özil started the 2016–17 season well. He scored his first goal of the campaign in a 3–1 win against Watford. He scored his first professional hat-trick in a Champions League game against Ludogorets Razgrad, where Arsenal won 6–0. He was named Arsenal's Player of the Month for October.

He scored a remarkable solo goal against Ludogorets, which was named Arsenal's Goal of the Season. Despite some injury problems, Özil finished his fourth season with 12 goals and 13 assists in 44 games. He also helped Arsenal win the FA Cup for the third time during his time at the club.

Contract Extension and Europa League Final

Özil started the 2017–18 season in the final year of his contract. On 31 January 2018, he signed a new three-year contract with Arsenal. This made him the highest-paid player in Arsenal's history.

On 11 March, he made his 50th Premier League assist. He became the fastest player to reach 50 assists in the competition, doing it in 141 games. He finished his fifth season with 5 goals and 13 assists in 35 games. He also played a big part in Arsenal reaching the EFL Cup Final.

For the 2018–19 season, Özil wore the number 10 shirt. He was also named one of Arsenal's vice-captains. He scored his first goal of the season in a 2–1 win over Newcastle. He captained Arsenal for the first time in a 3–1 win over Leicester City, where he scored and assisted two goals.

His playing time became less due to injuries and changes in the team. He finished the season with 6 goals and 4 assists. He played in the 2019 UEFA Europa League Final, where Arsenal lost.

Limited Playing Time and Leaving Arsenal

Özil had limited playing time in the 2019–20 season. He was left out of many Premier League games. He scored his only goal of the season in a 4–0 win against Newcastle United. He did not play for the club after football resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic. This was his worst statistical season.

For the 2020–21 season, Özil was not included in Arsenal's main squads for the Premier League or Europa League. He said he was "deeply disappointed" but would "continue fighting for [his] chance." Some people thought his exclusion was linked to his public comments about human rights issues.

Later Club Career and Retirement

Joining Fenerbahçe

On 27 January 2021, Özil moved to the Turkish club Fenerbahçe. He joined for free after his contract with Arsenal ended early. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. Özil said he was "very excited" to join the club he supported as a child.

He made his debut for Fenerbahçe on 2 February. He missed some games due to an ankle injury and getting COVID-19. He recorded his first assist for the club in May.

In his second season, Özil wore the number 10 shirt. He scored his first goal for Fenerbahçe on 15 August. He also captained the team for the first time. On 16 September, he scored his first European goal for the club. In March 2022, Fenerbahçe announced that he was no longer part of the squad. His contract was ended on 13 July.

İstanbul Başakşehir and Retirement

On 14 July 2022, Özil signed a one-year contract with İstanbul Başakşehir. He made his debut on 21 August 2022.

Mesut Özil announced his retirement from professional football on 22 March 2023. He said he was retiring because of ongoing injuries. He played 427 top-level club games in his career.

International Career with Germany

Özil playing for Germany in 2009

Özil could have played for either Germany or Turkey. He chose to play for Germany, the country where he was born. He played for Germany's youth teams before joining the senior national team. He made his debut for the senior team on 11 February 2009. He scored his first goal for Germany in his third game.

2010 FIFA World Cup

Özil was chosen for Germany's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He started in all of Germany's matches. He provided an assist in Germany's first game, a 4–0 win against Australia. He scored a goal against Ghana, which helped Germany move to the next round.

He also assisted a goal in Germany's 4–1 win over England. In the quarter-final against Argentina, he assisted another goal in a 4–0 victory. FIFA nominated him as one of the ten best players for the Golden Ball award.

UEFA Euro 2012

Özil lining up for Germany with Mario Götze (left) and Jérôme Boateng (in the middle) prior to a match in 2011

Özil was a key player in Germany's qualification for UEFA Euro 2012. He scored five goals and provided seven assists. He was recognized as Germany's best international player of 2011.

At Euro 2012, Özil had two assists and created many chances in Germany's 4–2 win over Greece. He scored Germany's only goal (a penalty) in their 2–1 loss to Italy in the semi-finals. 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 holding the FIFA World Cup Trophy after the 2014 Final

Özil was Germany's top scorer in the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification with eight goals. He played in all seven of Germany's games at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He helped Germany make history by becoming the first European team to win the World Cup in South America.

Özil scored the winning goal in the 119th minute of Germany's 2–1 win over Algeria in the round of 16. He also assisted a goal in Germany's amazing 7–1 semi-final win over Brazil. In the final, Germany won 1–0. After the game, UEFA President Michel Platini asked Özil for his match shirt as a souvenir.

UEFA Euro 2016

Özil played in all of Germany's games at UEFA Euro 2016. He assisted a goal in Germany's opening 2–0 win against Ukraine. He was named Man of the Match in Germany's win over Northern Ireland.

In the quarter-finals against Italy, Özil scored the leading goal. Germany won the game after a penalty shootout. He also missed a penalty in that game.

2018 FIFA World Cup

Özil was part of Germany's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Germany did not perform well and were eliminated in the group stages. Özil played in two of their three games.

Retirement from International Football

In May 2018, Özil met with the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This caused some controversy in Germany. People questioned his loyalty to Germany.

After the World Cup, Özil explained his side on social media. He said the photo was simply showing respect to the leader of his family's country. He also said he felt racism and disrespect from the German Football Association (DFB) president, Reinhard Grindel. He decided to retire from the national team as a protest against what he felt was unfair treatment.

His retirement caused a lot of discussion. Some people supported him, while others, like his teammate Toni Kroos, disagreed with his reasons. Later, the former DFB president, Reinhard Grindel, said he wished he had supported Özil more against racial abuse.

Player Profile

How Mesut Özil Played

Özil with Real Madrid in 2011

Mesut Özil was a quick, smart, and very skilled player. He was great at dribbling the ball. He could play in different midfield roles, especially as an advanced playmaker (a player who creates chances for others). He could also play on the sides of the field or as a second striker.

His main strengths were his amazing vision, ball control, and passing. He could make accurate crosses and set up many goals for his teammates. He was often called "assist-king" by the media because he helped score so many goals.

Germany's under-21 coach once compared him to Lionel Messi, saying, "We have our own Messi. Our Messi is Özil." His coaches praised him for his "genius moments" and his hard work.

Outside Football

Personal Life

Mesut Özil is a German person of Turkish background. He says his football skills come from his Turkish side, while his discipline comes from his German side. His first language was Turkish. He is a practicing Muslim and prays before his matches. He also tries to fast during Ramadan when he can. In 2016, he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca.

In 2010, Özil received an award called the Bambi for being a good example of how people from different backgrounds can fit well into German society.

Özil married former Miss Turkey, Amine Gülşe, in 2019. The Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was a witness at their wedding. They have two daughters, Eda and Ela.

In July 2019, Özil and his Arsenal teammate Sead Kolašinac were involved in an attempted car robbery. They managed to get away safely.

Helping Others

Özil is known for his charity work. As part of the BigShoe project, he donated his 2014 World Cup winnings (about £240,000) to pay for surgeries for 23 sick Brazilian children. He did this to thank the people of Brazil for their kindness.

In 2016, he visited a refugee camp in Jordan for people displaced by the Syrian civil war. He played with children and gave out football shirts. After his wedding in 2019, he paid for 1,000 children to have surgery.

He also worked with a charity called My Shining Star to help a child cancer patient's dream come true. In 2020, he offered to pay the salary of Arsenal's longtime mascot, Jerry Quy, after the club let him go.

In 2021, during Ramadan, Özil sent food packages to people in need in Turkey, working with the Turkish Red Crescent.

Speaking Out

In December 2019, Özil posted a poem online about the treatment of Uyghurs in China. He also criticized Muslim countries for not speaking up. Arsenal later said his comments were his own views and not the club's. Chinese broadcasters reacted by removing Arsenal matches from their schedules.

In October 2020, he showed support for Azerbaijan in a conflict. He also wore a "Free Palestine" T-shirt to support Palestine in 2021. In October 2021, Özil started a project to help British Asians get more opportunities in football.

Other Ventures

Özil has several businesses. He has his own streetwear clothing brand called M10 and an esports team. He also owns a chain of coffee shops and a sports clinic. He has shares in a Mexican football club called Necaxa.

His autobiography, The Magic of the Game / Gunning for Greatness, was released in 2017. His goal celebration, where he makes an "M" shape, is even included in the FIFA 17 video game.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Germany's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Özil goal.

List of international goals scored by Mesut Özil

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

Werder Bremen

• DFB-Pokal: 2008–09; runner-up: 2009–10
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 2008–09

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11; runner-up: 2012–13
• Supercopa de España: 2012

Arsenal

• FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2019–20
• FA Community Shield: 2015
• EFL Cup runner-up: 2017–18
• UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2018–19

Germany U21

• UEFA European Under-21 Championship: 2009

Germany

• FIFA World Cup: 2014; third place: 2010

Individual

• kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season: 2008–09
• kicker Attacking Midfielder of the Year: 2010
• 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
• Laureus Media Award: 2014
• PFA Fans Player of the Month: April, November & December 2015
• German Football Ambassador Public Award: 2015
• Arsenal Player of the Season: 2015–16
• kicker Best German Abroad: 2016

See also

In Spanish: Mesut Özil para niños