Mesut Özil - wikipedia Mesut Özil Mesut Özil Özil playing for Arsenal in 2013 Full name Mesut Özil Date of birth ( 1988 - 10 - 15 ) 15 October 1988 ( age 29 ) Place of birth Gelsenkirchen, West Germany Height 1.80 m ( 5 ft 11 in ) Playing position Attacking midfielder Club information Current team Arsenal Number 11 Youth career 1995 -- 1998 Westfalia 04 Gelsenkirchen 1998 -- 1999 Teutonia Schalke - Nord 1999 -- 2000 Falke Gelsenkirchen 2000 -- 2005 Rot - Weiss Essen 2005 -- 2006 Schalke 04 Senior career * Years Team Apps ( Gls ) 2006 -- 2008 Schalke 04 30 ( 0 ) 2008 -- 2010 Werder Bremen 71 ( 13 ) 2010 -- 2013 Real Madrid 105 ( 19 ) 2013 -- Arsenal 138 ( 27 ) National team 2006 -- 2007 Germany U19 11 ( 4 ) 2007 -- 2009 Germany U21 16 ( 5 ) 2009 -- Germany 88 ( 22 ) Honours FIFA World Cup Winner 2014 UEFA European Championship 2012 UEFA European Under - 21 Championship Winner 2009 * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 : 30, 10 February 2018 ( UTC ). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21 : 46, 14 November 2017 ( UTC ) Mesut Özil ( German pronunciation : ( ˈmeːzut ˈøːzil ), Turkish : ( meˈsut ˈøzil ) ; born 15 October 1988 ) is a German professional footballer who plays for English club Arsenal and the Germany national team. Özil plays mostly as an attacking midfielder, but can also be deployed as a winger. He began his senior career as a member of his hometown club Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga, departing two seasons later to join Werder Bremen for € 5 million. He garnered break - out attention at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where at age 22, Özil was instrumental in the side 's campaign where they reached the semi-finals, losing to eventual champions Spain. He was also nominated for the Golden Ball Award, as well as being ranked first in assists in major European and domestic competitions with 25. This garnered him a € 15 million transfer to La Liga club Real Madrid. At Madrid, Özil won the Copa del Rey in his first season, before registering a league high 17 assists as the Spanish side won the league title in the following season. He also won the Supercopa de España in the same season, becoming renowned for his technical skills and creativity ; due to his agility, finesse and versatility as an attacking midfielder, he has also been compared to Zinedine Zidane by former manager José Mourinho. Following a second - place La Liga finish to rivals Barcelona in the 2012 -- 13 season, Özil relocated to England to join Premier League side Arsenal in a then club - record deal worth £ 42.5 million ( € 50 million ), making him the most expensive German player of all time. During his first season, Özil helped end the club 's largely publicised nine - year trophy drought, winning the FA Cup in 2014. He later became victorious in two more FA Cup campaigns, while also winning the FA Community Shield. Özil would also tie the league assist record ( 19 ) in 2014 -- 15, as well as being named in multiple teams of the season in England. At international level, Özil has played 86 matches for the Germany national team, scoring 22 goals. He represented his country in two FIFA World Cups, as well as two UEFA European Championships, and was an integral part in both the 2010 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2012 team in South Africa and Ukraine, starring as the joint - highest assist provider in the competitions. Özil also contributed as a part of the 2014 World Cup - winning side in Brazil, with his versatility aiding in his nation 's triumph in a 1 -- 0 victory over Argentina in the final. Contents 1 Club career 1.1 Schalke 04 1.2 Werder Bremen 1.3 Real Madrid 1.3. 1 2010 -- 11 season 1.3. 2 2011 -- 12 season 1.3. 3 2012 -- 13 season 1.4 Arsenal 1.4. 1 2013 -- 14 season 1.4. 2 2014 -- 15 season 1.4. 3 2015 -- 16 season 1.4. 4 2016 -- 17 season 1.4. 5 2017 -- 18 season 2 International career 2.1 2010 FIFA World Cup 2.2 UEFA Euro 2012 2.3 2014 FIFA World Cup 2.4 UEFA Euro 2016 3 Style of play 4 Outside football 4.1 Personal life 4.1. 1 Philanthropy 4.2 Media and sponsorships 5 Career statistics 5.1 Club 5.2 International 5.3 International goals 6 Honours 6.1 Club 6.2 International 6.3 Individual 7 Notes 8 References 9 External links Club career Schalke 04 After plying his trade at youth level for various clubs in Gelsenkirchen, including a five - year stint for Rot - Weiss Essen, Özil moved to the youth system of Schalke 04 in 2005. He was deployed a midfielder and wore 17 as his squad number, after starting as a playmaker and central attacking midfielder in the place of the suspended Lincoln in Ligapokal matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich. Upon making the first team at Schalke, he was described as `` the next big thing ''. However, soon after declining an offer from Schalke 04, claiming that a yearly salary of € 1.5 million would not be enough, he eventually fell out with club management and moved on to Werder Bremen in January 2008. This led to Mirko Slomka, the then - Schalke 04 manager, claiming that Özil would not play another match for Schalke 04. Werder Bremen Özil with Werder Bremen in April 2010 On 31 January 2008, Özil moved to Werder Bremen for a reported fee of € 5 million, signing a contract with the German club until 30 June 2011. Other than Werder Bremen, Hannover 96 and VfB Stuttgart were reportedly interested as well in binding Özil to their respective clubs, however did not want to pay such a high transfer fee. After transferring to Werder Bremen, Özil got the jersey number 11. On 26 April 2008 ( 30th match day ) Özil scored the go - ahead goal in the 33rd minute against Karlsruher SC, to put his team up 2 -- 1. This was Özil 's very first Bundesliga goal. He played in twelve games throughout the second half of the season, six times playing in the starting formation, becoming second with Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga at the end of the 2007 -- 08 season. Although Bremen failed to get going in their 2008 -- 09 Bundesliga season, eventually finishing a disappointing tenth, Özil managed to make a significant impact in most games and came away with a respectable three goals and 15 assists that highlighted his attacking credentials. He helped lead the North German club to the 2009 DFB - Pokal with the winning goal in a 1 -- 0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen in Berlin. He also excelled in Europe where he led Werder Bremen to the final of the last ever UEFA Cup, losing out to Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine. In the 2009 -- 10 season, Özil became the key playmaker of Werder Bremen, stepping into the shoes of Brazilian Diego who had left for Juventus, was named the best player of the first leg of the 2009 Bundesliga season. On 1 May 2010, the 33rd match day, Özil played his 100th Bundesliga game, scoring the 1 -- 0 lead in a 2 -- 0 win against his former club Schalke 04. Özil went on and led Werder Bremen to become third in the league and again to the DFB - Pokal final, however this time it was lost against Bayern Munich by 0 -- 4. In his second season, Bremen finished a respectable third, with Özil contributing 9 goals and 17 assists in 31 league fixture appearances. During the 2009 -- 10 season, Özil was also declared as the `` best player of the first half of the season ''. Real Madrid 2010 -- 11 season Özil playing for Real Madrid in 2010 Due to his performances in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Özil ensured his place among Europe 's top young talents. He was sought by teams like Barcelona, Arsenal and Real Madrid. English striker Wayne Rooney was one of the many admirers Özil had garnered with his performances in the World Cup, and had even asked Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to sign the German playmaker. There were reports claiming that a deal was struck for a transfer to Barcelona, but Werder Bremen denied the reports and on 17 August 2010, the team announced that they had reached an agreement with Real Madrid for Özil 's transfer. The transfer fee is believed to have been in the region of € 15 million. Upon signing, Özil said, `` When the offer came in to join Real Madrid, there is no decision to make. Let 's be honest -- you do n't refuse this club. I was in no rush to leave Werder Bremen, but this is one club you say yes to. They are an institution, a club with a fantastic history, stadium and squad full of world - class players. The prospect of performing at the Bernabéu is so awesome you jump straight in. '' Özil made his debut on 22 August in a friendly match against Hércules, which Real Madrid won 3 -- 1. His jersey numbers were changed often before the season started. He was given the number 26 in the pre-season and 19 for his debut. But following the transfer of Rafael van der Vaart to Tottenham Hotspur, he was given the vacant 23. Özil was brought in to back up teammate Kaká, but due to his surgery, Özil obtained a starting role. He then made his La Liga debut for Real Madrid as a substitute for Ángel Di María in the 62nd minute against Mallorca, which Real Madrid drew 0 -- 0. Özil taking on Daniele Bonera of Milan during the 2010 -- 11 UEFA Champions League He made his season debut in the Champions League on 15 September. He got his first assist with Real Madrid in the 74th minute against Ajax after he crossed for a Gonzalo Higuaín goal. He walked off the pitch as a second - half substitute to standing ovations in his first two games as a starter at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. His first goal came in a league match against Deportivo de La Coruña on 3 October 2010, in a 6 -- 1 victory. Özil 's first Champions League goal with Real came in the 14th minute against Milan on 19 October 2010. On 22 December, he made his debut in the Copa del Rey, scoring once in an 8 -- 0 victory over Levante. He finished the season with 25 assists, the highest for any player in any major European competition that season. Özil 's performances for Real Madrid during his first season were praised by media, fans and players. 2011 -- 12 season Özil began wearing the number 10 shirt for Real Madrid in 2011 -- 12, signalling manager José Mourinho 's intent to use the German international as his main playmaker. On 14 August 2011, Özil scored his first goal against Barcelona in El Clásico in the first leg of the 2011 Supercopa de España. On 17 August 2011, he was sent off in the last minute of the second leg of the 2011 Supercopa after an altercation with Barça forward David Villa. Özil expressed his desire to end his football days at the club in an interview with German magazine kicker, saying, `` I 'd like to end my career at Real Madrid. I know it will be difficult because I have many more years ahead of me and many younger and good players will also be out there, but I want to be part of that future. I know what I 'm capable of, and I 'm convinced, I 'll stay at Real Madrid many years. '' Özil was on the short - list of the FIFA Ballon d'Or award. Özil 's boots on display at the Santiago Bernabéu museum He finished atop the La Liga assists chart, with 17 assists. On 2 May 2012, he helped Real Madrid to clinch a record 32nd La Liga title as he assisted Real 's first goal and scored the second goal against Bilbao, which Real Madrid later won by 3 -- 0. Eleven days later, Özil scored two goals in the final game of the regular season against Mallorca, once again consolidating his excellent performance with the club. The win made Real the first club in the Spanish top flight to ever reach 100 points in a single season. His fine form with Real Madrid and German national team saw him earn nomination for UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, in which he finished tenth, being the youngest player to feature in the Top 10. 2012 -- 13 season With arrival of Luka Modrić before the start of the season, some in the media claimed Özil was unhappy at Real Madrid, but he later rejected such talk and claimed he was happy at the club and looking forward to competing for his place. After the start of the season, he added the Supercopa de España title to his honours. In league play, he provided an important assist to Cristiano Ronaldo who equalised in a 2 -- 2 draw against Barcelona at Camp Nou. On 6 November, Özil scored a crucial 89th - minute free - kick to rescue a draw for Real Madrid and secure a point against Borussia Dortmund. He continued his fine form in the league as he scored another brace against Real Valladolid to rescue Real Madrid in a 3 -- 2 win. He then went on to finish the season with 29 assists, although Real Madrid did not win any silverware except for the Supercopa de España, Özil 's performance was praised. At the end of the season, Özil had 26 assists, more than any other player in the leagues. Arsenal Özil taking a free kick for Arsenal against Stoke City on 22 September 2013 On 2 September 2013, Özil agreed to join English side Arsenal. Both the fee paid for Özil as well as the contract duration were undisclosed, but they are believed to be around £ 42.5 million ( € 50 million ) for a five - year deal. The transfer makes him the most expensive German football player of all time. Özil was assigned the number 11 shirt and the centre - attacking midfield role by the team. Contract leaks in January 2016, however, have revealed that the record fee was actually broken down to £ 37.4 million ( € 44 million then ) with remaining £ 5.1 million ( € 6 million then ) split evenly over six years from July 2014 subject to Champions League qualification. A buy - back option also allows Real Madrid a 48 - hour first option on Özil should Arsenal agree a sale for their playmaker to another Spanish club. Özil said of the transfer, `` At the weekend, I was certain I would stay at Real Madrid but afterwards I realised I did not have the faith from the coach or the bosses. I am a player who needs this faith and that is what I have felt from Arsenal, which is why I have joined. '' In Özil 's first press conference, he said : `` I would have come here for free, that would n't have been a problem. '' Özil additionally stated that Arsène Wenger played an important role in his decision : `` When I spoke to Arsène Wenger on the phone, he was full of respect, and as a player, I need that. '' Several Real Madrid players were dissatisfied with Özil leaving the club, including Cristiano Ronaldo, who said, `` He was the player who best knew my moves in front of goal... I 'm angry about Özil leaving. '' 2013 -- 14 season Özil made his debut for Arsenal in their league game away to Sunderland on 14 September 2013. He assisted Olivier Giroud 's goal in the 11th minute of the match as they went on to win 3 -- 1. Three days after that, he made his Champions League debut for Arsenal against Marseille. Just over three weeks after making his debut for Arsenal, he made his home debut against Stoke City in a 3 -- 1 victory. He was involved in all three goals, with two assists and a free kick which was saved but fell into Aaron Ramsey 's path. He scored his first goal for Arsenal, a brilliantly controlled finish from a Ramsey cross, in a 2 -- 0 win against Napoli in the Champions League. On 19 October, he scored his first two Premier League goals during the 4 -- 1 home win against Norwich City. Özil played in all six of Arsenal 's games in November. The German playmaker provided the cross for Jack Wilshere 's second goal against Marseille and gave further assists for Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini in the 3 -- 0 win over Cardiff City. Özil missed the chance to score his fourth Arsenal goal when he saw his penalty in the win over Marseille saved by Steve Mandanda. In October, Özil was again short - listed for the FIFA Ballon d'Or award, along with former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. Özil was also featured on the UEFA Team of the Year. Özil began December with two goals in as many games against Hull City and Everton. A minor shoulder injury forced him out of the final game of December in a win against Newcastle United. After the 6 -- 3 defeat at Manchester City in which he made another assist, Özil was involved in an altercation with teammate Per Mertesacker, who was angry with Özil 's failure to thank the travelling supporters, an omission for which he subsequently apologised via Facebook. Özil and Olivier Giroud before kick - off against Southampton on 23 November 2013 Özil started four of Arsenal 's six games in January. The playmaker missed Arsenal 's victory over Cardiff City on New Year 's Day with a shoulder injury before returning to make a late appearance from the bench against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup. The 25 - year - old produced a slide - rule pass for Lukas Podolski to score his first goal against Coventry City and provided the ball for Santi Cazorla 's goal against Southampton at the end of the month to take his assist tally to 10. February was a difficult month for Özil, as he struggled to reach the heights he showed in his first few months at the club. The German playmaker pulled off a brilliant piece of skill to win a penalty against Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockout phase, but his spot - kick was saved by Manuel Neuer. Speaking before the draw with Manchester United, Arsène Wenger spoke about Özil, saying, `` He has done well, he is adapting as well to the Premier League -- we have seen it before ( that it takes time ). I would n't like to put too much pressure on him because he has been a top - class player until now. He did n't have the best of games ( at Liverpool ) ( a 5 -- 1 loss, where Özil was the centre of attention due to a bad performance ) but that can happen. He works very hard to adapt to the physical level of the Premier League and for me he is an exceptional player. '' On 8 March, Özil scored his first goal of 2014 in a 4 -- 1 FA Cup quarter - final win over Everton. Özil was showing signs of old form and started in Arsenal 's second leg Champions League last 16 clash with Bayern Munich. He was substituted at half - time, and the reasoning behind it was that Özil had suffered a hamstring injury and will face a month out, missing key fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester City. On 20 April, Özil made an instant impact with a lively display against Hull when he returned to the Arsenal team in a 3 -- 0 win. He then returned to goalscoring form with Arsenal 's second in their 3 -- 0 win over Newcastle United, and then assisted Olivier Giroud 's header. Manager Wenger praised Özil 's impact upon his return, saying, `` Mesut Özil is very important for the team. He 's been missed while he 's been injured. We 've missed some very important players in an important period of the season. We 're really pleased to have people like him back in the team and performing at the top level because that 's what we need. '' Özil played all three of Arsenal 's remaining fixtures during the last month of his debut season in England. The German playmaker came off at half - time in extra-time of Arsenal 's 2014 FA Cup Final victory over Hull at Wembley Stadium. Speaking before the FA Cup final, Per Mertesacker praised his compatriot 's impact on the side during his first season in England. `` You could see from the start that he is one of the best players in Europe, '' said Mertesacker. `` His contributions and assists are vital for any club so we are happy to have him back. '' Özil completed his maiden season at Arsenal with 13 assists and seven goals in all competitions spanning a course of 40 games. 2014 -- 15 season Özil in a league match against Aston Villa in February 2015 Özil returned to club training in the middle of August after participating in Germany 's 2014 FIFA World Cup win in Brazil. On 23 August, Özil made his first appearance of the season in the 2 -- 2 draw with Everton at Goodison Park. On 27 August, he played a part in Alexis Sánchez 's winning goal in the second leg of the Champions League qualification play - off against Beşiktaş, playing a one - two with Jack Wilshere in the build - up to the goal. On 20 September, Özil opened the scoring and assisted Danny Welbeck in a 3 -- 0 victory against Aston Villa at Villa Park. Özil featured in the three following games and started in Arsenal 's Champions League group stage victory against Galatasaray, providing an assist for Alexis Sánchez in a 4 -- 1 win. On 8 October, the DFB declared that Özil would be sidelined for between 10 and 12 weeks with a left knee injury obtained during a 2 -- 0 defeat at Chelsea three days prior to the international break. The prognosis would rule him out of the remainder of Arsenal 's Champions League group matches, as well as four international fixtures. On 11 January 2015, Özil made his first appearance in three months as a 73rd - minute substitute in a 3 -- 0 win against Stoke City. He scored on his return to the starting line - up in Arsenal 's 3 -- 2 win at Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup on 25 January, latching onto a pass from Tomáš Rosický before scoring Arsenal 's second goal. In his first Premier League start of the year, Özil scored once and provided an assist for Olivier Giroud as Arsenal beat Aston Villa 5 -- 0 at home on 1 February. The following week, Özil scored the opening goal in the Gunners ' 2 -- 1 North London derby defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane. On 4 April, he scored the second goal for his team in a 4 -- 1 win over Liverpool. After a 3 -- 1 win over Hull, manager Arsène Wenger praised him by saying, `` Overall his influence was very strong. '' Özil followed up his fine form with two assists for Alexis Sánchez in a 2 -- 1 win against Reading in the 2014 -- 15 FA Cup semi-final on 18 April. Özil started in the 2015 FA Cup Final as Arsenal beat Aston Villa in a commanding 4 -- 0 victory on 30 May, concluding his second season at Arsenal with 5 goals and 7 assists in 31 appearances across all competitions. 2015 -- 16 season Özil playing for Arsenal in 2015 After scoring during a pre-season game against Lyon, Özil received praise from his manager, with Wenger calling for him to have his best season yet in Arsenal colours. On 2 August 2015, Özil started for Arsenal in the 2015 FA Community Shield, where the Gunners beat league champions Chelsea 1 -- 0 at Wembley Stadium. A week later, he made his first appearance of the Premier League season in Arsenal 's 2 -- 0 opening day defeat to West Ham United. Özil scored his first goal of the 2015 -- 16 season in a 3 -- 0 home victory over Manchester United on 4 October. He had earlier assisted Alexis Sánchez to give the Gunners the lead in the sixth minute of the match. Özil was named man of the match in a 3 -- 0 win at Watford 's Vicarage Road on 17 October, supplying assists for Sánchez and Olivier Giroud. On 20 October, Özil scored his first Champions League goal of the season in Arsenal 's 2 -- 0 group stage home win over Bayern Munich. He set a new Premier League record being the first player to assist in six consecutive matches when setting up Kieran Gibbs ' for 1 -- 1 in the derby versus Tottenham on 8 November 2015. He then extended that run to seven straight games with an assist against West Bromwich Albion, before scoring his second Champions League goal of the season in a three - goal victory at home to Dinamo Zagreb. He then scored for the second game in a row when he clipped in the opener in a 1 -- 1 draw at Norwich. Özil continued his run of good form by providing four assists in the next three games, against Aston Villa, Manchester City and Sunderland, helping his team win all three matches. On 28 December 2015, Özil assisted the first goal and scored the second in a 2 -- 0 win against AFC Bournemouth, creating nine scoring chances in total -- the most in a single Premier League game by any player during the season. On 24 January 2016, Özil played his 100th game for the Gunners in a 1 -- 0 home defeat against Chelsea in the Premier League. The next Premier League game against Southampton at home on 2 February saw Özil creating 10 chances -- beating the previous record, 9 created and held by him during the season. This proved in vain, however, as the match ended 0 -- 0 with the Gunners slumping into fourth as they failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games. He then ended the Gunners ' barren goal - scoring run in the Premier League with the opener against AFC Bournemouth in a 2 -- 0 away win on 7 February. Özil delivered his 17th assist in the Premier League from a free kick for Danny Welbeck to head in the winner deep into stoppage time as Arsenal came from behind to beat league leaders Leicester City 2 -- 1 on 14 February. After a 2 -- 0 home defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League, Özil scored and assisted in a 3 -- 2 defeat at Old Trafford to Manchester United as the Gunners lost further ground in the title race. Özil started in the 2 -- 1 Watford in the FA Cup, where he set up Danny Welbeck for Arsenal 's consolation goal with a backheel assist, and three days later in a 3 -- 1 defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League as Arsenal crashed out in successive cup competitions in March. Özil assisted Olivier Giroud 's second goal in Arsenal 's last Premier League match of the season against Aston Villa in a 4 -- 0 home victory as the Gunners finished second ahead of fierce rivals, Tottenham Hotspur. That was Özil 's 19th assist of the season in the league, a record only beaten by Thierry Henry with 20 in 2002 -- 03 in Premier League history. Özil ended his third season at Arsenal with 8 goals and 20 assists in all club competitions, which won him the Arsenal Player of the Season award. 2016 -- 17 season Özil missed Arsenal 's opening day defeat to Liverpool, after his excursions at UEFA Euro 2016 meant he was not match - fit. However, he started his first game of the new season for his club in a 1 -- 3 away win at Watford, in which he scored his first goal of the campaign, heading in an Alexis Sánchez cross to score Arsenal 's third of the afternoon. On 19 October 2016 in a Champions League game against Ludogorets Razgrad, Özil assisted Theo Walcott and scored his first professional career hat - trick after volleying in a cross from Lucas as Arsenal went on to win 6 -- 0. 2017 -- 18 season On 31 January 2018, Özil signed a contract extension with Arsenal which will keep him with the club until 2021. His salary under the contract more than doubled, to £ 350,000 per week, making him the highest - paid player to date for Arsenal. International career Özil playing for Germany in 2009 Eligible to play for either Germany or Turkey, Özil chose to play for his country of birth. In September 2006, he was called up for the Germany under - 17 team. He was a member of the German under - 21 team from 2007. On 29 June 2009, Özil was selected the man of the match in a 4 -- 0 win over England during the U-21 European Championship final. He made his debut for the senior side during a friendly match against Norway on 11 February 2009. He scored his first goal for the senior team in his third appearance, another friendly, against South Africa on 5 September in Leverkusen at the BayArena. 2010 FIFA World Cup Özil was selected for Germany 's squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, starting in all of the team 's matches. Özil provided an assist for Cacau 's goal to the 4 -- 0 final score against Australia in Germany 's first group game. He scored a left - footed half - volley from the edge of the penalty area against Ghana in the final group game, ensuring Germany progressed to the second round as group winners. On 27 June 2010, Özil played in Germany 's win over England in the last 16 match, setting up the fourth goal with a cross to Thomas Müller as Germany triumphed 4 -- 1. During the quarter - final match against Argentina, he assisted the second goal for Miroslav Klose with a cross to ensure the 4 -- 0 final score for the Germans. FIFA announced that he was among the ten tournament players nominated for the Golden Ball. UEFA Euro 2012 Özil lining up for Germany with Mario Götze ( left ) and Jérôme Boateng ( in the middle ) prior to a match in 2011. Özil was one of the leading forces in Germany 's qualification for UEFA Euro 2012, scoring five times during the campaign as Germany won all ten of its games to top their group. Özil also confirmed his reputation as a decisive passer, as he provided seven assists, more than any European international during Euro 2012 qualification. When asked about his country 's chances at Euro 2012, Özil simply replied, `` We have the potential to beat anyone and we have what it takes to win the title. '' On 29 February 2012, Özil was recognised as Germany 's best international of the year for 2011 prior to kick - off at a friendly against France in Bremen. Özil 's Germany were drawn with the Netherlands, Denmark and Portugal into Group B at Euro 2012, widely touted as the `` Group of Death. '' Özil registered two assists, created nine chances, and claimed the Man of the Match award in Germany 's 4 -- 2 quarter - final win over Greece. He then scored Germany 's only goal ( a penalty ) in their 2 -- 1 loss to Italy in the semi-finals. His performance at Euro 2012 earned him two Carlsberg Man of the Match Awards. He finished the tournament as the joint - highest assist provider ( 3 ) and was named in the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament. 2014 FIFA World Cup Özil ended the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign as Germany 's top scorer with eight goals. Özil holding the FIFA World Cup Trophy after the 2014 Final Following an injury to Marco Reus in a warm - up game, Özil was moved from his customary number 10 role into the left - winger position for the majority of the tournament. He started all seven of Germany 's 2014 FIFA World Cup games, and helped Germany make history by becoming the first European team to win the World Cup in South America. Özil scored the decisive goal in the 119th minute of Germany 's 2 -- 1 round of 16 victory over Algeria, a match widely praised as one of the most entertaining of the tournament. Özil then provided an assist for Sami Khedira in Germany 's 7 -- 1 semi-final win over Brazil. The goal Özil assisted, with a clever pass, made the score 5 -- 0 to Germany after just 29 minutes. The shocking nature of the 5 - goal flurry generated worldwide astonishment. In the final, Özil played 120 minutes before being replaced by Arsenal teammate Per Mertesacker. Germany were crowned World Champions with a 1 -- 0 win. After the trophy was presented to the Germany team, UEFA President Michel Platini asked Özil for his match shirt as a souvenir, and Özil obliged. Özil led the tournament in passes completed in the final - third ( 171 ), was ranked joint - second in chances created ( 17 ), behind only Lionel Messi ( 23 ), and ranked second overall in possessions won in the final - third ( 6 ). UEFA Euro 2016 On 12 June 2016, Özil completed the full 90 minutes of Germany 's opening Euro 2016 match against Ukraine which Germany won 2 -- 0. He assisted Bastian Schweinsteiger 's goal in the 92nd minute. On 21 June 2016, Özil completed 99 % of his passes, created six chances and claimed the Man of the Match award in Germany 's win over Northern Ireland. Five days later, Özil started in Germany 's 3 -- 0 round of 16 win over Slovakia. In the 13th minute of the match, he had a penalty effort saved by goalkeeper Matúš Kozáčik. On 2 July 2016, Özil scored the leading goal against Italy in the quarter - finals to give Germany a 1 -- 0 advantage, before Italy later equalised through Leonardo Bonucci 's penalty. Germany, however, emerged as the victorious side after winning the penalty shoot - out 6 -- 5, despite Özil failing to convert his penalty kick after hitting the goal post. Style of play Özil with Real Madrid in 2011 A quick, creative and technical player, Özil excels in an advanced playmaking role, as a winger on either flank, or as an attacking midfielder through the centre of the pitch. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, he was also deployed in a new role which was later described as a false - 10 or central winger, due to his tendency to drift from the centre into a wide position when in possession of the ball ; he has also been deployed in a more advanced role, where he usually functions as a second striker, as he often drops into deeper positions, from which he can link the midfield with the attack and initiate passing moves. An elegant left - footed player, his main attributes are his vision, his control, movement, passing range, and accurate crossing ability, as well as his delivery from set - pieces, which allow him to get into good attacking positions, create chances, and provide many assists for his teammates. Due to his creative ability and offensive prowess as a playmaker, Özil has been called `` assist - king '' in the media. As of January 2016, Özil has the best ratio of assists per game in the history of the Premier League. Germany under - 21 manager Horst Hrubesch once said, `` We in Germany are prone to rave about foreign players. We praise Wayne Rooney to the heavens, likewise Ronaldo or Messi. But we have our own Messi. Our Messi is Özil. '' In the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier against Belgium, he scored a goal which has been described as a `` work of art. '' Germany coach Joachim Löw hails Özil for his `` genius moments '' and his performance without the ball. Özil on the ball in the 2014 World Cup Final Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso described Özil as `` the kind of player you do n't find these days, '' adding, `` He understands the game, sees things, combines and thrives between the lines, unlocking teams. '' José Mourinho, who coached Özil for a time at Real Madrid said, `` Özil is unique. There is no copy of him -- not even a bad copy. '' Assistant coach of the Germany national football team Hans - Dieter Flick said, `` We are proud to have him in our team. When he has the ball, you can feel the excitement and astonishment among the fans. '' Former Netherlands and Milan forward Ruud Gullit described Özil as a `` technically perfect '' player who has `` total control of the ball '' and a `` great imagination. '' Former Germany teammate Phillip Lahm said of Özil `` His vision is probably the best I have ever seen... He is a dream for strikers. '', while Mario Gómez called Özil `` probably the most brilliant footballer we have or ever had ''. Despite his reputation as an offensive playmaker, Özil has also drawn criticism at times for his lack of physicality and his low defensive work - rate off the ball. His nicknames have included `` der Rabe '' ( the Raven, or in Spanish, `` El Cuervo '' ) -- playing on his smart and opportunistic style of play, and at Werder Bremen `` der neue Diego '' ( the new Diego ), in reference to Brazilian Diego, whose playmaker role he inherited, `` German Messi '' and `` German Zidane. '' At Real Madrid, he was supposedly called `` Nemo '' -- in reference to the clownfish Nemo from the Pixar movie Finding Nemo. Outside football Personal life Özil is a third - generation Turkish - German, who, in reference to his game, concludes, `` My technique and feeling for the ball is the Turkish side to my game. The discipline, attitude and always - give - your - all is the German part. '' Despite his Turkish descent, his entire life he has been committed to Germany. According to Özil 's own words and the majority of sources, his ancestors are ethnic Turks from Devrek, Zonguldak in northwestern Turkey. However, there are sources that claim Özil 's ancestors are ethnic Kurds. Özil is a practising Muslim. He recites from the Quran before his matches. Talking to the Berlin - based daily Der Tagesspiegel, Özil said, `` I always do that before I go out ( on the pitch ). I pray and my teammates know that they can not talk to me during this brief period. '' He observes fasting during the Islamic month of Ramadan, but he has admitted that : `` Because of my job I can not follow Ramadan properly. I do it only the few days I can, only when I have a free day. But other than that it 's impossible, because you have to drink and eat a lot to stay at peak fitness. '' In May 2016, he performed Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca. In 2010, Özil received the Bambi award for being a prime example of successful integration within German society. Özil started dating singer Mandy Capristo in 2013. The relationship ended in October 2014, following reports of Özil being involved with another woman. On 12 November 2015, Özil and Capristo appeared together at the Bambi awards ceremony in Berlin. An Instagram photo uploaded by Özil used the hashtag # OziStoIsBack, suggesting that the couple is back together. However, they broke up in 2017 and Özil has been dating former Miss Turkey, Amine Gülşe. Philanthropy As part of the BigShoe project, Özil donated his 2014 World Cup winnings, an estimated £ 240,000, to pay for 23 sick Brazilian children to have medical surgery as a `` personal thank you for the hospitality of the people of Brazil. '' In May 2016, international media covered Özil 's visit to the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan, home to around 80,000 people displaced as a result of the Syrian civil war. Özil toured the camp as well as playing with children, signing autographs and handing out football shirts. In 2017, he worked with the charity My Shining Star to make a child cancer patient 's dreams come true. He invited the child, Charlie, to be a guest at his private box and in the player 's lounge during a game with Sunderland at Emirates Stadium. Media and sponsorships In 2013, Özil signed a sponsorship deal with German sportswear and equipment supplier Adidas. He has appeared in commercials for Adidas Predator boots with other star players such as Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale, Thomas Müller and James Rodriguez. One of those adverts, entitled `` Create Your Own Game '', was released in August 2015, in which Özil featured alongside those players. In 2013, Özil launched his own logo. His autobiography, The Magic of the Game / Gunning for Greatness, was released in March 2017. Career Statistics Club As of match played 5 January 2018 Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Other Total Ref Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Schalke 04 2006 -- 07 Bundesliga 19 0 0 0 0 -- 23 0 2007 -- 08 11 0 0 0 0 -- 16 Total 30 0 0 5 0 -- 39 -- Werder Bremen 2007 -- 08 Bundesliga 12 0 0 0 0 0 -- 14 2008 -- 09 28 5 -- 14 0 -- 47 5 2009 -- 10 31 9 5 0 -- 10 -- 46 11 2010 -- 11 0 0 0 -- 0 0 -- 0 Total 71 13 11 0 0 26 -- 108 17 -- Real Madrid 2010 -- 11 La Liga 36 6 6 -- 11 -- 53 10 2011 -- 12 35 5 0 -- 10 52 7 2012 -- 13 32 9 8 0 -- 10 0 52 10 2013 -- 14 0 0 0 -- 0 0 -- 0 Total 105 19 19 -- 31 159 27 -- Arsenal 2013 -- 14 Premier League 26 5 5 0 8 -- 40 7 2014 -- 15 22 5 0 0 5 0 0 0 32 5 2015 -- 16 35 6 0 0 0 8 0 45 8 2016 -- 17 33 8 0 0 0 8 -- 44 12 2017 -- 18 18 0 0 0 0 0 0 -- 18 Total 134 27 14 0 29 7 0 179 36 -- Career total 340 59 46 8 0 91 13 5 485 81 -- Jump up ^ Includes DFB - Pokal, Copa del Rey, and FA Cup matches. Jump up ^ Includes DFB - Ligapokal and League Cup matches. Jump up ^ Includes Supercopa de España and FA Community Shield matches. ^ Jump up to : Appearances in UEFA Cup ^ Jump up to : Appearances in UEFA Champions League ^ Jump up to : Appearances in UEFA Europa League International As of match played 14 November 2017 Germany Year Apps Goals 2009 7 14 2011 9 5 2012 13 6 2013 9 2014 10 2015 8 0 2016 13 2017 5 Total 88 22 International goals As of match played 4 September 2017. Germany score listed first, score column indicates score after each Özil goal. # Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition 1. 5 September 2009 BayArena, Leverkusen, Germany South Africa 2 -- 0 2 -- 0 Friendly 2. 23 June 2010 Soccer City, Johannesburg, South Africa Ghana 1 -- 0 1 -- 0 2010 FIFA World Cup 3. 8 October 2010 Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany Turkey 2 -- 0 3 -- 0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying 4. 7 June 2011 Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Baku, Azerbaijan Azerbaijan 1 -- 0 3 -- 1 5. 2 September 2011 Veltins - Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany Austria 2 -- 0 6 -- 2 6. 4 -- 1 7. October 2011 Esprit Arena, Düsseldorf, Germany Belgium 1 -- 0 3 -- 1 8. November 2011 Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, Germany Netherlands 3 -- 0 3 -- 0 Friendly 9. 28 June 2012 National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland Italy 1 -- 2 1 -- 2 UEFA Euro 2012 10. 7 September 2012 AWD - Arena, Hanover, Germany Faroe Islands 2 -- 0 3 -- 0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification 11. 3 -- 0 12. 11 September 2012 Ernst - Happel - Stadion, Vienna, Austria Austria 2 -- 0 2 -- 1 13. 12 October 2012 Aviva Stadium, Dublin, Ireland Republic of Ireland 3 -- 0 6 -- 1 14. 16 October 2012 Olympic Stadium, Berlin, Germany Sweden 4 -- 0 4 -- 4 15. 10 September 2013 Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands Faroe Islands 2 -- 0 3 -- 0 16. 11 October 2013 Rhein - Energie Stadion, Cologne, Germany Republic of Ireland 3 -- 0 3 -- 0 17. 15 October 2013 Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden Sweden 1 -- 2 5 -- 3 18. 30 June 2014 Estádio Beira - Rio, Porto Alegre, Brazil Algeria 2 -- 0 2 -- 1 2014 FIFA World Cup 19. 29 March 2016 Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany Italy 4 -- 0 4 -- 1 Friendly 20. 2 July 2016 Nouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France 1 -- 0 1 -- 1 UEFA Euro 2016 21. 31 August 2016 Borussia - Park, Mönchengladbach, Germany Finland 2 -- 0 2 -- 0 Friendly 22. 4 September 2017 Mercedes - Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany Norway 1 -- 0 6 -- 0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Honours Club Werder Bremen DFB - Pokal : 2008 -- 09 Real Madrid La Liga : 2011 -- 12 Copa del Rey : 2010 -- 11 Supercopa de España : 2012 Arsenal FA Cup : 2013 -- 14, 2014 -- 15, 2016 -- 17 FA Community Shield : 2015 International Germany FIFA World Cup : 2014, third place 2010 UEFA European Under - 21 Championship : 2009 Individual kicker Bundesliga Team of the Season : 2008 -- 09 Bundesliga top assist provider : 2009 -- 10 FIFA World Cup top assist provider : 2010 UEFA Champions League top assist provider : 2010 -- 11 Germany national team Player of the Year : 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 La Liga top assist provider : 2011 -- 12 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying top assist provider UEFA European Championship top assist provider : 2012 UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament : 2012 UEFA Team of the Year : 2012, 2013 FIFPro World XI 2nd team : 2013, 2016 FIFPro World XI 5th team : 2014, 2017 IFFHS World 's Best Playmaker Silver award : 2013 PFA Fans Player of the Month : April, November & December 2015 Premier League top assist provider : 2015 -- 16 Arsenal F.C. Player of the Season : 2015 -- 16 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award : 10th place 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or : 2010 ( 13th place ), 2011 ( 11th place ), 2012 ( 14th place ), 2013 ( 16th place ) Notes Jump up ^ Arsenal also won the FA Community Shield in 2014 and 2017 but Özil was not part of the squad for either game. References Jump up ^ `` Updated squads for 2017 / 18 Premier League confirmed ''. Premier League. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010 : List of players : Germany '' ( PDF ). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 11. Retrieved 10 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil : Overview ''. Premier League. Retrieved 10 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` The top 10 assists leaders in Europe for 2010 ⁄ 11 ''. imscouting.com. 30 May 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Spanish La Liga ''. EXPN Soccernat. Retrieved 13 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Mourinho : Ozil will make history at Real ''. ESPNSTAR.com. 26 May 2012. 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Spiegel Online. 31 January 2008. ^ Jump up to : Shapland, Dave ( 28 November 2009 ). `` Bundesliga player profile -- Mesut Ozil, Werder Bremen ''. adifferentleague.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 November 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Oezil ''. 4to40.com. Retrieved 29 October 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Mesut Özil ''. Real Madrid C.F. Archived from the original on 28 April 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Sportschau.de : Wahl -- Mesut Özil ist Spieler der Hinrunde '' ( in German ). Sportschau. Archived from the original on 28 September 2009. Jump up ^ Gibson, Owen ( 22 October 2013 ). `` Sir Alex Ferguson : ' Wayne Rooney wanted me to sign Mesut Özil ' ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 29 March 2014. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil to Play for Real Madrid ''. realmadrid.com. Archived from the original on 19 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010. Jump up ^ `` Real Madrid confirm signing of Germany star Mesut Ozil ''. BBC sport. 17 August 2010. 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Retrieved 2 February 2012. Jump up ^ `` Men 's shortlists for FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala 2011 revealed ''. Fifa.com. 1 November 2011. Archived from the original on 21 December 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ton - up Real set new landmark ''. ESPN Soccernet. 13 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012. Jump up ^ `` Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo up for Best Player Award ''. UEFA.com. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2017. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil reiterates happiness ''. ESPN. 11 October 2012. Retrieved 12 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Ronaldo, Messi share spoils in draw ''. ESPN FC. 7 October 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2012. Jump up ^ Lowe, Sid ( 6 November 2012 ). `` Mesut Ozil saves Real Madrid with late goal against Borussia Dortmund ''. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 9 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` Ozil to the rescue after Real hit by brace from former Man United flop Manucho ''. Daily Mail. London. 8 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2012. 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Jump up ^ Magowan, Alistair ( 18 September 2013 ). `` Marseille 1 -- 2 Arsenal ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Jump up ^ Magowan, Alistair ( 22 September 2013 ). `` Arsenal 3 -- 1 Stoke City ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 2 -- 0 Napoli -- Match Report ''. arsenal.com. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 2 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal and Mesut Özil turn on style to sweep past Norwich City ''. The Guardian. London. 20 October 2013. Jump up ^ `` Men 's shortlists for FIFA Ballon d'Or 2013 revealed ''. FIFA.com. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 29 March 2014. Jump up ^ `` Ozil apologises to Arsenal fans ''. ESPN. 14 December 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2014. Jump up ^ Bevan, Chris ( 14 December 2013 ). `` Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger plays down importance of Man City loss ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2014. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal v Everton : FA Cup -- as it happened ''. The Guardian. 8 March 2014. Jump up ^ Cryer, Andy ( 11 March 2014 ). `` Bayern Munich 1 -- 1 Arsenal ( agg 3 -- 1 ) ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2014. Jump up ^ Ornstein, David ( 13 March 2014 ). `` Mesut Ozil : Arsenal 's record buy out for month with hamstring injury ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 March 2014. Jump up ^ `` Özil returns at Hull ''. Arsenal.com. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Lukas Podolski double eases Arsenal past Hull in FA Cup final rehearsal ''. The Guardian. 20 April 2014. Retrieved 20 April 2014. Jump up ^ Barlow, Matt ( 28 April 2014 ). `` Arsenal 3 -- 0 Newcastle : Gunners strengthen hold on fourth place after brushing aside woeful Toon at the Emirates ''. Daily Mail. Retrieved 28 April 2014. Jump up ^ `` Wenger praises Özil 's impact in Arsenal turnaround ''. Arsenal.com. 28 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014. Jump up ^ McNulty, Phil ( 17 May 2014 ). `` Arsenal 3 -- 2 Hull ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 May 2014. 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Retrieved 8 February 2015. Jump up ^ Dawkes, Phil ( 7 February 2015 ). `` Tottenham 2 -- 1 Arsenal ''. BBC. Retrieved 8 February 2015. Jump up ^ McNulty, Phil ( 4 April 2015 ). `` Arsenal 4 -- 1 Liverpool ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 April 2015. Jump up ^ Rob, Kelly ( 5 May 2015 ). `` Wenger -- Ozil 's influence was so strong ''. Arsenal Website. Retrieved 4 April 2015. Jump up ^ Hassan, Nabil ( 18 April 2015 ). `` Holders Arsenal reached a record 19th FA Cup final after two goals from Alexis Sanchez sealed victory over Reading in extra-time ''. BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ McNulty, Phil ( 30 May 2015 ). `` Arsenal became the most successful club in FA Cup history as they outclassed Aston Villa at Wembley to earn Arsene Wenger a record - equalling sixth triumph ''. BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil complete stats for 2014 / 15 season ''. espnfc.com. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ `` Premier League -- Arsene Wenger backs Mesut Ozil to shine ''. Yahoo Eurosport UK. 25 July 2015. Archived from the original on 17 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2015. Jump up ^ Hynter, David ( 10 August 2015 ). `` West Ham capitalise on Petr Cech 's debut errors to stun nervy Arsenal ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 3 -- 0 Man Utd ''. BBC. Retrieved 5 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` Premier League : FT Watford 0 -- 3 Arsenal -- BBC Sport ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 October 2015. Jump up ^ Saj Chowdhury. `` Watford 0 -- 3 Arsenal ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 October 2015. Jump up ^ Ronay, Barney ( 21 October 2015 ). `` Mesut Özil greases the cogs as Arsenal twist and turn to put Bayern in a spin ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 21 October 2015. Jump up ^ Orr, James ( 8 November 2015 ). `` Mesut Ozil : Arsenal playmaker makes history in Tottenham draw by becoming first player to assist in six consecutive Premier League games ''. The Independent. Retrieved 8 November 2015. Jump up ^ Phil McNulty. `` BBC Sport -- Arsenal 3 -- 0 Dinamo Zagreb ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 November 2015. Jump up ^ James Gheerbrant. `` BBC Sport -- Norwich City 1 -- 1 Arsenal ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 2 -- 0 Bournemouth ''. BBC Sport. BBC. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2016. Jump up ^ Wright, Nick ( 28 December 2015 ). `` Mesut Ozil in a league of his own as Arsenal beat Bournemouth ''. Sky Sports. Sky Sports. Retrieved 29 December 2015. Jump up ^ Emre Sarigul ( 25 January 2016 ). `` Mesut Ozil loses 100th game for Arsenal against Chelsea ''. Turkish Football. Retrieved 25 January 2016. Jump up ^ Alex Brodie ( 3 February 2016 ). `` Stats show Arsenal need new striker after 0 -- 0 draw despite Mesut Ozil creating record amount of chances ''. Metro. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ Callum Davis ( 2 February 2016 ). `` Arsenal 0 Southampton 0 : Five things we learned ''. The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ Marc Higginson ( 7 February 2016 ). `` Arsenal scored twice in 88 first - half seconds to overwhelm Bournemouth and move level on points with second - placed Tottenham ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 February 2016. Jump up ^ Barney Ronay ( 14 February 2016 ). `` Danny Welbeck 's last - gasp effort gives Arsenal win over 10 - man Leicester ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2016. Jump up ^ Jamie Jackson ( 28 February 2016 ). `` Marcus Rashford 's double for Manchester United deflates Arsenal hopes ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 28 February 2016. Jump up ^ Sid Lowe ( 16 March 2016 ). `` Luis Suárez acrobatics end Arsenal 's unlikely resistance at Barcelona ''. The Guardian. Retrieved 19 March 2016. Jump up ^ Jeremy Wilson ( 15 May 2016 ). `` Arsenal 4 Aston Villa 0 : Hosts clinch unlikely St Totteringham 's Day as Olivier Giroud grabs hat - trick ''. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 15 May 2016. 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Jump up ^ Ornstein, David ( 31 January 2018 ). `` Mesut Ozil : Arsenal midfielder signs new contract until 2021 ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Ozil -- Q&A -- Interviews ''. FourFourTwo. June 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2012. Jump up ^ Stevenson, Jonathan ( 23 June 2010 ). `` Ghana 0 -- 1 Germany ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 June 2010. Jump up ^ McNulty, Phil ( 27 June 2010 ). `` Germany 4 -- 1 England ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 June 2010. Jump up ^ `` Germany stroll past Austria to reach EURO 2012 ''. UEFA.com. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011. Jump up ^ `` Die Top - Elf der EM - Qualifikation '' ( in German ). Sportal.de. 6 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2011. Jump up ^ `` Statistics ''. UEFA.com. Retrieved 13 May 2012. ^ Jump up to : `` Ozil to receive German POTY award ''. soccernet.com. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 22 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Fan Club wählt Mesut Özil zum `` Nationalspieler des Jahres '' '' ( in German ). DFB. 5 January 2012. Archived from the original on 8 September 2009. Jump up ^ `` Ozil to receive German POTY award ''. espnsoccernet.com. Retrieved 6 March 2012. Jump up ^ `` Netherlands, Germany drawn in Euro `` Group of Death '' ``. foxnews.com. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2012. Jump up ^ `` Germany 4 -- 2 Greece ''. BBC. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` Germany 1 -- 2 Italy ''. BBC. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 19 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` Carlsberg Man of the Match Award ''. UEFA.com. 2 December 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2012. Jump up ^ `` Top scorers ''. FIFA. Archived from the original on 19 September 2010. Retrieved 16 October 2014. Jump up ^ `` Germany 2 -- 1 Algeria ''. BBC. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 1 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Brazil 1 -- 7 Germany ''. BBC. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Germany 1 -- 0 Argentina ''. BBC Sport. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014. Jump up ^ `` Michel Platini asked Mesut Ozil for his shirt during World Cup celebrations ''. 101 Great Goals. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` Things Mesut Ozil did better than anybody else at World Cup ''. HITC Sport. 14 July 2014. Retrieved 13 August 2015. Jump up ^ Magowan, Alistair ( 12 June 2016 ). `` Germany 2 -- 0 Ukraine ''. BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Özil MOTM ''. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 23 June 2016. Jump up ^ Davie, Chris ( 26 June 2016 ). `` Mesut Özil sets unwanted record after Germany penalty miss ''. Goal. Retrieved 26 June 2016. Jump up ^ Homewood, Brian ; Ferris, Ken ( 3 July 2016 ). `` Germany win epic shootout to end Italy jinx ''. Reuters. Retrieved 3 July 2016. Jump up ^ `` Germany seal dramatic penalty shoot - out win over Italy ''. RTÉ Sport. Raidió Teilifís Éireann. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2016. 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Jump up ^ Long, Sam ( 7 December 2015 ). `` Arsenal star Mesut Ozil on course to smash Thierry Henry 's Premier League record ''. London Evening Standard. Retrieved 7 December 2015. Jump up ^ Downes, John ( 6 December 2015 ). `` Arsenal assist - king Mesut Ozil claims that he 's playing better than ever this season ''. Daily Mail. Retrieved 7 December 2015. Jump up ^ OptaJoe ( 24 October 2015 ). `` 2.71 -- Mesut Özil has the best games / assist rate in @ PremierLeague history -- average one every 2.71 matches. ( min. 20 assists ) Provider ''. Retrieved 24 October 2015. Jump up ^ `` WORLD CUP 2010 : England will end up in a Messi if they ca n't control Germany star Mesut Ozil ''. dailymail.co.uk. 24 June 2010. Retrieved 9 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Hiddink verflucht, Özil gefeiert '' ( in German ). derstandard.at. 12 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 January 2012. Retrieved 19 October 2011. Jump up ^ Duchateau, Francois ( 10 February 2011 ). `` Trotz `` genialer Momente '' : Enttäuschung bei Mesut Özil und Lukas Podolski '' ( in German ). Goal.com. Retrieved 19 October 2011. ^ Jump up to : Lowe, Sid ( 3 April 2011 ). `` Real Madrid find ' Nemo ' to their liking as Mesut Ozil settles in well ''. guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2012. Jump up ^ `` Gullit : `` Özil is technically perfect '' ``. Marca. 11 November 2012. Retrieved 23 November 2012. Jump up ^ `` Özil will be `` devastating '' says Lahm ``. 26 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014. Jump up ^ Kamp, Christian ( 5 January 2016 ). `` Wenn ich Groll hatte -- dann auf mich ''. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung ( in German ). Retrieved 13 January 2016. Jump up ^ `` Today 's Player of the Week : Mesut Özil ''. sites.google.com/site/tmrten. 15 August 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2011. Jump up ^ Keh, Andrew ( 28 January 2010 ). `` Budding Germany Star Borrows Qualities From His Two Cultures ''. The New York Times. Retrieved 4 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Ozil out to upstage Messi ''. FIFA.com. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 4 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` Ozil flattered by ' German Zidane ' label ''. Espn.com. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` ' Nemo ' y su pandilla '' ( in Spanish ). marca.com. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2012. Jump up ^ White, Duncan ( 12 June 2010 ). `` Germany v Australia : Mesut Ozil at head of the vanguard for new generation ''. Telegraph. Retrieved 17 June 2010. Jump up ^ Smith, Andrew ( 27 June 2010 ). `` Mesut Özil : National Treasure ''. sport.scotsman.com. Retrieved 4 October 2010. Jump up ^ `` German Turks set for face - off on football pitch ''. hurriyetdailynews.com. 10 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Jump up ^ Ilgun, Yasin Madyb ( 9 April 2013 ). `` ' I will always be Turkish ' -- Why Ozil is worshipped in Istanbul ''. www.goal.com. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil'in hayali Barça '' ( in Turkish ). Sabah. 27 June 2010. Retrieved 28 June 2010. Jump up ^ Coggin, Stewart. `` Mesut Ozil Profile ''. worldsoccer.about.com. Retrieved 20 November 2014. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Barzani'den Mesut Özil'e davet ''. hurriyet.com.tr ( in Turkish ). 15 July 2010. Retrieved 22 February 2015. Jump up ^ Rosentritt, Michael ( 2 July 2010 ). `` Mesut Özil : Ich habe nie Angst '' ( Mesut Özil : I am never afraid ) ( in German ). Der Tagesspiegel. TAGESSPIEGEL : Ihre Art sich direkt vor einem Spiel zu konzentrieren ist es, Verse aus dem Koran leise vor sich hin zu sprechen. MESUT ÖZIL : Das mache ich in der Kabine, bevor wir rausgehen. Ich bete dann und meine Mitspieler wissen schon, dass sie in dieser kurzen Zeit nicht mit mir reden können. Jump up ^ Singh, Amar ( 27 August 2011 ). `` ' My manager told me to choose between fasting or playing -- I chose to fast ' -- how Muslim footballers including Mesut Ozil and Amr Zaki approach Ramadan ''. Goal.com. Retrieved 4 January 2013. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil visits Muslim holy city Mecca ahead of Euro 2016 ''. Squawka. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Soccer stars steal show at Germany 's Bambi Awards ''. in.reuters.com. 12 November 2010. Retrieved 13 November 2010. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil 's popstar girlfriend Mandy Capristo joins Arsenal glamour WAGs ''. Daily Star. 4 September 2013. Retrieved 30 June 2014. Jump up ^ `` Mandy Capristo splits from Mesut Ozil after his affair ''. Mid-day. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal star Mesut Ozil pictured with former girlfriend in Berlin after rumoured split last year ''. Mirror. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 's Mesut Ozil rekindles relationship with ex-girlfriend Mandy Capristo ? ''. Sports Mole. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 16 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil gets super close to former Miss Turkey, Amine Gulse ''. 28 June 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017. Jump up ^ Gill, Kerian. `` Mesut Ozil donates World Cup winnings so 23 children can have surgery in Brazil as ' personal thank you for the hospitality ' ''. Daily Mail. Associated Newspapers Ltd. Retrieved 22 July 2014. Jump up ^ Morgan, Spencer ( 19 May 2016 ). `` Arsenal 's Mesut Ozil heads out to Jordan for a kick - about with starstruck child refugees ''. Retrieved 30 June 2016. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal news : Charity thanks ' class ' Ozil for making dream come true for child with brain tumour - Goal.com ''. Goal.com. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil switches to the Three Stripes ! ''. Footballboots.co.uk. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and Mesut Ozil star in exciting new Adidas advert ''. Daily Mirror. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil Launches His Own Logo ''. Footballboots.co.uk. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2013. Jump up ^ `` Revealed : How Mesut Ozil pleaded with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to end his Real Madrid hell ''. Metro.co.uk. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal 's Mesut Özil was called a ' coward ' by Jose Mourinho in blistering dressing - room row at Real Madrid ''. Independent.co.uk. 2 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. ^ Jump up to : `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 23 September 2015. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 2 November 2016. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. kicker.de ( in German ). Retrieved 5 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil ''. European Football. Retrieved 30 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Özil -- national football team player ''. EU-Football.info. 4 July 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016. ^ Jump up to : `` M. Özil ''. Soccerway. Retrieved 3 January 2015. Jump up ^ Gartenschläger, Lars ( 6 June 2013 ). `` Khedira, Özil, Neuer -- Aufstieg der Euro - Helden '' ( in German ). welt.de. Retrieved 3 January 2015. Jump up ^ `` 1. Bundesliga : alle Topscorer der Saison 2009 / 10 ''. Kicker ( in German ). Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Statistics ''. Planet World Cup. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Statistics ''. UEFA. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil wins Germany player of the year award ''. The Guardian. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016. Jump up ^ `` Mesut Ozil : Arsenal midfielder wins Germany 's Player of the Year for fifth time ''. BBC Sport. 15 January 2017. Retrieved 17 January 2017. Jump up ^ `` LIGA BBVA Player Statistics ''. WhoScored. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` UEFA EURO 2012 Statistics ''. UEFA. Retrieved 25 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` UEFA EURO 2012 Statistics ''. UEFA. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` UEFA EURO 2012 Team of the Tournament ''. UEFA. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` UEFA.com users ' Team of the Year 2012 ''. UEFA. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` UEFA.com users ' Team of the Year 2013 revealed ''. UEFA. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` FifPro announces reserve Teams of the Year -- but Luis Suarez and Arjen Robben wo n't be laughing while Iker Casillas is somehow named the second best goalkeeper of 2013 ''. Independent.co.uk. 15 January 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2016 World 11 : the reserve teams -- FIFPro World Players ' Union ''. FIFPro.org. 9 January 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` FIFA FIFPro World XI : the reserve teams -- FIFPro World Players ' Union ''. FIFPro.org. 15 January 2015. Retrieved 1 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` 2016 -- 2017 World 11 : the Reserve Teams -- FIFPro World Players ' Union ''. FIFPro.org. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 23 October 2017. Jump up ^ `` THE WORLD 'S BEST PLAYMAKER 2013 ''. IFFHS. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Ozil named PFA Fans ' Player of the Month ''. Arsenal.com. Jump up ^ `` Ozil wins PFA Fans ' award ''. Sky Sports.com. Jump up ^ `` Premier League top assist makers ''. Sky Sports. Retrieved 18 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Player of the Season -- the winner is... '' Arsenal Football Club. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016. Jump up ^ `` Iniesta, Messi, Ronaldo up for Best Player Award ''. UEFA. 14 August 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2015. Jump up ^ `` FIFA Ballon d'Or 2014 -- voting results '' ( PDF ). FIFA.com. 12 January 2015. Archived from the original ( PDF ) on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 12 January 2015. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mesut Özil. Official website Mesut Özil at Soccerbase Arsenal official profile Profile at Premier League Mesut Özil at kicker.de ( in German ) Mesut Özil at fussballdaten.de ( in German ) Mesut Özil at ESPN FC Mesut Özil at BDFutbol 2010 FIFA World Cup profile Mesut Özil at National-Football-Teams.com Mesut Özil -- FIFA competition record Arsenal F.C. -- current squad 4 Mertesacker 6 Koscielny 7 Mkhitaryan 8 Ramsey 9 Lacazette 10 Wilshere 11 Özil 13 Ospina 14 Aubameyang 16 Holding 17 Iwobi 18 Monreal 19 Cazorla 20 Mustafi 21 Chambers 23 Welbeck 24 Bellerín 27 Mavropanos 29 Xhaka 30 Maitland - Niles 31 Kolašinac 33 Čech 35 Elneny 54 Macey 61 Nelson 62 Nketiah 69 Willock Manager : Wenger Awards UEFA Euro 2012 Team of the Tournament Goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon Iker Casillas Manuel Neuer Defenders Jordi Alba Fábio Coentrão Philipp Lahm Pepe Gerard Piqué Sergio Ramos Midfielders Xabi Alonso Sergio Busquets Daniele De Rossi Steven Gerrard Andrés Iniesta Sami Khedira Mesut Özil Andrea Pirlo Xavi Forwards Mario Balotelli Cesc Fàbregas Zlatan Ibrahimović Cristiano Ronaldo David Silva Arsenal F.C. Player of the Year 1967 : McLintock 1971 : Wilson 1981 : Sansom 1997 : Bergkamp 1998 : Parlour 2006 : Henry 2007 : Fabregas 2008 : Fabregas 2009 : Van Persie 2010 : Fabregas 2011 : Wilshere 2012 : Van Persie 2013 : Cazorla 2014 : Ramsey 2015 : Sánchez 2016 : Özil 2017 : Sánchez 2012 UEFA Team of the Year GK : Iker Casillas RB : Sergio Ramos CB : Gerard Piqué CB : Thiago Silva LB : Philipp Lahm MF : Andrés Iniesta MF : Xavi MF : Andrea Pirlo MF : Mesut Özil FW : Lionel Messi FW : Cristiano Ronaldo 2013 UEFA Team of the Year GK : Manuel Neuer RB : Philipp Lahm CB : Thiago Silva CB : Sergio Ramos LB : David Alaba MF : Gareth Bale MF : Marco Reus MF : Mesut Özil MF : Franck Ribéry FW : Zlatan Ibrahimović FW : Cristiano Ronaldo Germany squads Germany squad -- 2010 FIFA World Cup Third Place 1 Neuer 2 Jansen 3 Friedrich 4 Aogo 5 Tasci 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger 8 Özil 9 Kießling 10 Podolski 11 Klose 12 Wiese 13 Müller 14 Badstuber 15 Trochowski 16 Lahm ( c ) 17 Mertesacker 18 Kroos 19 Cacau 20 Boateng 21 Marin 22 Butt 23 Gómez Coach : Löw Germany squad -- UEFA Euro 2012 semi-finalists 1 Neuer 2 Gündoğan 3 Schmelzer 4 Höwedes 5 Hummels 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger 8 Özil 9 Schürrle 10 Podolski 11 Klose 12 Wiese 13 Müller 14 Badstuber 15 Bender 16 Lahm ( c ) 17 Mertesacker 18 Kroos 19 Götze 20 Boateng 21 Reus 22 Zieler 23 Gómez Coach : Löw Germany squad -- 2014 FIFA World Cup winners ( 4th title ) 1 Neuer 2 Großkreutz 3 Ginter 4 Höwedes 5 Hummels 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger 8 Özil 9 Schürrle 10 Podolski 11 Klose 12 Zieler 13 Müller 14 Draxler 15 Durm 16 Lahm ( c ) 17 Mertesacker 18 Kroos 19 Götze 20 Boateng 21 Mustafi 22 Weidenfeller 23 Kramer Coach : Löw Germany squad -- UEFA Euro 2016 semi-finalists 1 Neuer 2 Mustafi 3 Hector 4 Höwedes 5 Hummels 6 Khedira 7 Schweinsteiger ( c ) 8 Özil 9 Schürrle 10 Podolski 11 Draxler 12 Leno 13 Müller 14 Can 15 Weigl 16 Tah 17 Boateng 18 Kroos 19 Götze 20 Sané 21 Kimmich 22 Ter Stegen 23 Gómez Coach : Löw VIAF : 258609885 ISNI : 0000 0003 7977 0122 GND : 1025281462 BIBSYS : 14032804 Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title= Mesut_Özil&oldid = 825472073 '' Categories : 1988 births Association football forwards Association football midfielders Expatriate footballers in England Expatriate footballers in Spain German expatriate footballers German footballers German Muslims German people of Turkish descent Germany international footballers Germany under - 21 international footballers Germany youth international footballers Living people Sportspeople from Gelsenkirchen Bundesliga players La Liga players Premier League players Rot - Weiss Essen players FC Schalke 04 players SV Werder Bremen players Real Madrid C.F. players Arsenal F.C. players 2010 FIFA World Cup players UEFA Euro 2012 players 2014 FIFA World Cup players UEFA Euro 2016 players FIFA World Cup - winning players German expatriates in England German expatriates in Spain Footballers from North Rhine - Westphalia Hidden categories : CS1 German - language sources ( de ) CS1 Spanish - language sources ( es ) CS1 Turkish - language sources ( tr ) Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages EngvarB from January 2018 Use dmy dates from January 2018 Articles using Template : Medal with Winner Articles with German - language external links BDFutbol template with ID same as Wikidata NFT template with ID same as Wikidata FIFA player ID same as Wikidata Wikipedia articles with VIAF identifiers Wikipedia articles with ISNI identifiers Wikipedia articles with GND identifiers Wikipedia articles with BIBSYS identifiers Talk View source Contents About Wikipedia Wikiquote Azərbaycanca تۆرکجه বাংলা Беларуская Беларуская ( тарашкевіца ) ‎ Български Bosanski Català Čeština Dansk Deutsch Eesti Ελληνικά Español Esperanto فارسی Føroyskt Français Galego 한국어 Հայերեն हिन्दी Hrvatski Bahasa Indonesia Íslenska Italiano עברית Basa Jawa ქართული Қазақша Kiswahili Kurdî Кыргызча Latviešu Lietuvių Magyar Македонски Malagasy മലയാളം Malti मराठी Bahasa Melayu Монгол Nederlands नेपाली 日本 語 Norsk Norsk nynorsk Oʻzbekcha / ўзбекча Plattdüütsch Polski Português Română Runa Simi Русский Scots Shqip Simple English Slovenčina Slovenščina Soomaaliga کوردی Српски / srpski Srpskohrvatski / српскохрватски Suomi Svenska தமிழ் Taqbaylit Татарча / tatarça ไทย Türkçe Тыва дыл Українська اردو Tiếng Việt 中文 Edit links This page was last edited on 13 February 2018, at 16 : 18. 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Question: how many assist does ozil have in his career
Answer: 25