Qatar 2022: Why is Mesut Ozil not playing for Germany in the FIFA World Cup?

Germany arrive in Qatar 2022 with a point to prove. Having failed to get past the group stage in Russia 2018— only four years after lifting the FIFA World Cup trophy in Brazil, now they aim to have another deep run in the tournament. Mesut Ozil, however, won’t be part of this journey.

Another notable absence for the German national team is Toni Kroos, who decided to retire from international soccer before this competition. On top of that, Joachim Low is no longer at the helm.

Hansi Flick, who took over after Low,had to face a transition to a new generation of players. Though many interesting players have emerged, many still wonder why the likes of Kroos or Ozil are not playing anymore.

The reason Mesut Ozil is not playing for Germany at Qatar 2022

Mesut Ozil is not playing for Germany at Qatar 2022 because he quit the national team four years ago. In a statement on social media, Ozil citedunfair discrimination over a meeting he had with Turkish presidentRecep Tayyip Erdoğanas the reason behind his decision.

“My job is a football player and not a politician, and our meeting was not an endorsement of any policies,” Ozil said in a statement after the backlash he received, as Erdogan was accused ofhuman rights abuses. “The treatment I have received from the DFB and many others makes me no longer want to wear the German national team shirt. I feel unwanted and think what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten.”

Ozil also took a huge shot atRichard Grindel, saying theDFB president made him feel like a German when they won butan immigrant they lost, also blaming Grindel for disrespecting his Turkish roots and turning him into “political propaganda.”

“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,” Ozil added. “I used to wear the German shirt with such pride and excitement, but now I don’t.”

Ozil, 34, is currently playing forİstanbul Başakşehir. He represented Germany in three World Cups, helping the team win the title in 2014. How far do you think they’ll go this time without Ozil?Using this World Cup Predictor, you can see every potential outcome of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

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