On Wednesday, Istanbul Başakşehir Turkish German attacking midfielder Mesut Özil announced his retirement from football after a successful career.
Known for his extraordinary prowess both on and off the ball and the number of assists he has supplied throughout his illustrious career, the 35-year-old Germany midfielder was a crucial part of the 2014 World Cup-winning Die Mannschaft side.
Having weathered too much public scrutiny due to his recent history of injuries, Özil took to social media to formally announce his decision to hang his cleats finally.
"Hello, everyone, After thoughtful consideration, I'm announcing my immediate retirement from professional football. I've had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years and feel incredibly thankful for the opportunity. But in recent weeks and months, having also suffered some injuries, it's become clearer that it's time to leave the big football stage. It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions. I want to thank my clubs – Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal FC, Fenerbahçe, Başakşehir and the coaches who supported me, plus teammates who have become friends. Special thanks must go to my family members and my closest friends. They have been part of my journey from day one and have given me so much love and support through the good and bad times. Thank you to all my fans who have shown me so much love, regardless of the circumstances or the club I represented. Now I'm looking forward to everything that is in front of me with my beautiful wife, Amine, and my two beautiful daughters, Eda and Ela – but you can be sure that you will hear from me from time to time on my social media channels See you soon, Mesut!, " he said on his Twitter account.
After honing his craft in the Schalke 04 youth setup, Özil's career began to blossom with Werder Bremen, ultimately granting him the opportunity to join the Real Madrid squad under the tutelage of Jose Mourinho, where his contributions would be integral in securing the 2011-12 La Liga title, Copa del Rey Cup, and Spanish Super Cup.
Nicknamed Mr. Assist, the Germany-born midfielder of Turkish descent swapped the Los Blancos jersey for Arsenal in 2013.
Here, he quickly established himself as a mainstay in Arsene Wenger's Gunners squad, helping them to win 4 FA Cup titles.
Unfortunately, tensions between him and Le Professeur's successor Mikel Arteta mounted until their fallout in 2021.
After his relegation to a mere squad player, Mesut Özil became the most talked-about transfer in the Süper Lig when he joined Fenerbahçe in 2021, where he spent a single season.
However, Mr. Assist's transfer from Ülker Stadium to Istanbul Başakşehir was straightforward, as contract negotiations abruptly broke down, and he was forced to make a move on the same day.
The enigmatic Mesut Özil has long been a source of fascination, having been the target of discriminatory attacks from German supporters due to his Turkish roots and marriage to Amine Gülşe, the 2014 Miss Türkiye and a Turkish Swedish actress.
The latest attacks came in 2018, following Germany's shocking exit from the Russian World Cup group stages.
He made the fateful decision to call it quits, citing the unfair discrimination he had endured after having an audience with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Mesut Özil has ended his career with a bang, having accumulated an impressive tally of 114 goals, 220 assists, and an awe-inspiring 1287 chances created throughout his club career.
For the Germany national team, from 92 appearances, he has scored 23 goals and furnished an impressive 40 assists.