Racism That Makes Mesut Ozil Resign From The German Football National Team

German Football Star of Turkish descent, Mesut Ozil. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - Mesut Ozil is an example of the success of world famous football players. His existence at clubs and the German national team is often stunning. His career was dream of by many people. The German people idolize him. Ozil is considered an important icon of modern German football.

Problems arise. The German people's love for Ozil turned into hatred. All because of Ozil's encounter with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The encounter made Ozil hit by racism attacks from the German people -- football fans, politicians, football federations, and the mass media.

The story of the success of immigrant children in achieving dreams as soccer players. Mesut Ozil, for example. The man who was born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, October 15, 1988 tried to show himself good at playing football.

The man of Turkish descent did not waste the opportunity to succeed. He pursued his professional career with FC Schalke from 2005. Ozil took this opportunity to develop, he was able to show his best potential with the German national team at the 2010 World Cup.

Even though Germany was only able to reach third place. Spanish giant Real Madrid also won after the 2010 World Cup. Ozil gave his best potential with Real Madrid. Ozil is considered capable of bringing achievements.

Ozil was often praised when he moved from Spanish to England. He began to strengthen Arsenal in 2013. His appearance brought new hope. The German people began to consider him a mainstay of the national team in the 2014 World Cup.

At its peak, Ozil and the German national team won the highest award in football, the 2014 World Cup. The victory made the German people proud not to play with Ozil. They think Ozil is an important symbol of modern German football.

Ozil continues to try to bring out his best potential. Even though he experienced a decline the following year. Problems arise. He and his national team-mates are of Turkish descent, lorkay G\"undoyan is meeting with Turkish President, Recep Tyyip Erdogan in May 2018.

In fact, the meeting drew oblique sentiment because it was considered politically charged. He got racism from the people and the German football federation, DFB. He was ridiculed as an immigrant child with harsh words. This condition shocked Ozil.

In May 2018, weeks before the World Cup began, Ozil and Ilkay Gundogan, other team-mates from Turkey, met Erdogan in London. Erdogan was campaigning for a re-election that would strengthen his grip on power.

Gundogan eventually distanced himself from the photos, but Ozil fans argued that the meeting was not about politics, but about national identity and respect for a head of state. The photos sparked debates about integration, racism and sport, as well as about how much loyalty nearly three million Turkish-Germany to the Erdogan administration," Christopher F. Schuetze said in his article in The New York Times entitled Goldman Soccer Star Is the Groom. Turkey's President Is the Best Man (2019).

The portrait of Ozil and Erdogan sparked racism attacks on Ozil and his family. The German people seemed to open up wounds of differences in status between German citizens and immigrants. Discrimination of Ozil continued to be present, making Ozil uncomfortable.

Racism grew when Germany was eliminated in the group stage at the 2018 World Cup. The German public blamed Ozil for the failures achieved by the national team. This is because the defeat in the group stage was only achieved by Germany in 1938.

insults were present in Ozil's life. At its peak, Ozil was increasingly furious with the racism he received. He emphasized that his meeting with Erdogan did not have a political agenda. The meeting was only to honor Erdogan as a state.

Recently Ozil feels the German people are fans of football, politicians, and the mass media are gone too far. He believes that the German in Germany won, and an immigrant in Germany lost. He does not want to be called a scapegoat for Germany's defeat.

Ozil decided that he would retire to defend the German national team in July 2018 due to racist attacks. He felt that defending Germany was no longer fun. Because, what he no longer gets the respect he deserves. He is like an alien in Germany.

"It is with a heavy heart and after careful consideration, because recently I will no longer play for Germany at the international level. That condition is because I still feel racism and disrespect."

I used to wear German national team uniforms with pride and joy, but now I don't. I feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten," Ozil explained as quoted by Tom Bryant in his writing on The Guardian website entitled Mesut Ozil Walks Away from Germany Team Citing Racism and Disrespect(2018).