Arsenal midfielder Mesut Özil has announced his retirement from international football with immediate effect citing racism and disrespect by German officials.
In a Twitter post on Sunday, the midfielder cited unfair discrimination following his meeting with the Turkish president Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan.
The two met at an event in May and took a photo which sparked debate about the players’ ancestral roots.
Özil was a member of the Germany squad at the recent World Cup finals in Russia which was hounded out at the group stage.
“It is with a heavy heart and after much consideration that because of recent events I will no longer be playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect,” he said in a three-part message posted on his wall.
“I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don’t. I feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten.”
The 29-year-old, who has been in the face of criticism over the German team’s performance at the World Cup, said: “enough is enough”.
He took a swipe at “high-ranking DFB officials who disrespect his Turkish roots and selfishly turn him into political propaganda.”
Özil claimed he was racially abused by a supporter after the match against Sweden.
“I don’t want to even discuss the hate mail, threatening phone calls and comments on social media that my family and I have received,” he said.
The player said he is confident that many Germans “who embrace an open society” would agree with his decision.
The post Arsenal’s Star Mesut Ozil Dumps Germany over Racism and Disrespect appeared first on Kenya Today.
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