Mesut Özil's Father Encourages Him to Retire From International Duty for Germany

Following Germany's shockingly early exit from the World Cup, Mesut Özil was among those targeted by fans as a focal point for their frustrations.

In fact, the amount of criticism that the Arsenal midfielder has received for his lacklustre performances at the World Cup have convinced Ozil's father that his son should quit international duty altogether.

Alexander Hassenstein/GettyImages

Bild spoke with Özil's father, Mustafa, to discuss the antics of the German fans in regards to how they treat his son, and it is clear that his father is not happy with the situation.

"If I were in his place, I would say: ‘Thank you, but that’s enough.

"He’s bent, disappointed and offended, yes, offended, his own fans booed him before the World Cup at the international in Austria and he cannot understand why.

Those boos may be in reference to the fact that just ahead of the World Cup, Özil was asked to meet with the President of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. When the leader of any nation confesses his fandom for you, it is tough to say no, so Özil kindly accepted.

Yet this meeting drew a lot of criticism from German fans because they believed it was a sign he is not truly loyal to his country - not to mention that President Erdoğan has been labelled a dictator for his controversial policies in Turkey.

He doesn’t always have to defend himself. He’s played in the national team for nine years … and became a world champion," Ozil's father added.

"It’s always said that if we win, we win together, but if we lose, we lose because of Özil.

"He’s booed and put up as a scapegoat – I completely understand that he is offended.

"Mesut’s been an example for years. The situation is absurd – he loves Germany and has shown commitment to his country, that he’s presented as a scapegoat is so unfair."

TF-Images/GettyImages

Both Özil's father and his Arsenal fans would like him to retire from international play. The Gunner star recently signed a contract extension worth a reported £350,000 a week through the summer of 2021. 

For that reason alone, it is understandable that Arsenal fans would like him to have a primary focus on the Premier League season rather than being sidetracked by international competition.