“Racism within the national team doesn’t exist”- Germany teammate Toni Kroos hits out at Mesut Ozil

Toni Kroos says former Germany teammate Mesut Ozil was wrong to suggest that racism exists inside the national team and governing body.

The 29-year-old playmaker called time on his international career this summer following Germany’s abysmal World Cup finals campaign.

Prior to Russia 2018 getting underway, the Gelsenkirchen-born midfielder caused outrage back home after being photographed alongside Turkish president Tayyip Erdogan, with some blaming him for their disappointing performance.

Ozil subsequently accused the German FA (DFB) of failing to back him, proclaiming that “I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose” in his retirement statement, which hasn’t gone down too well in his homeland, including from ex-midfield partner Kroos.

“Mesut is a deserved international and as a player he deserved a better departure,” he told Bild.

“But the way he resigned was not in order. The parts in his statement that are rightly addressed are unfortunately overshadowed by the significantly higher amount of nonsense.

“I think he knows very well that racism within the national team and the DFB does not exist.”

Ozil for Germany

Before hanging up his boots, Ozil was one of the most capped members of Joachim Low’s squad, having played 92 international matches.

Across those outings, which spanned across five major international tournaments, he registered 23 goals whilst creating a further 40 for his teammates.

He was a key member in Germany’s triumphant World Cup 2014 campaign as well as those sides who reached three semi-finals (World Cup 2010, Euro 2012 and Euro 2016).

The post “Racism within the national team doesn’t exist”- Germany teammate Toni Kroos hits out at Mesut Ozil appeared first on Squawka News.

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