The father of Arsenal star Mesut Ozil has urged his son to retire from international duty with Germany in the wake of the 2014 World Cup winner’s disastrous defence of their crown in Russia.
Joachim Low’s side exited the World Cup at the group stages, following defeats to Mexico and South Korea, and Ozil has been singled out for immense criticism by fans, pundits and former players alike.
Ozil, at 29, has plenty of years ahead of him to add to his 92 caps for his nation but his father Mustafa told Bild he would retire if he was in Mesut’s place. Quoted by TalkSport, he said:
“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.”
“He doesn’t always have to defend himself. He’s played in the national team for nine years and became a world champion. It’s always said that if we win, we win together, but if we lose, we lose because of Ozil.”
