It is fair to say that Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil is a footballer that divides opinion, and his latest performance in Germany’s 1-0 defeat to Mexico on Sunday has not gone down too well in his homeland.
Even though the 29-year-old has provided more assists than any other player in the Premier League since moving to the Emirates in a £42 million deal in 2013, Ozil is regulary accused of being a fair weather player who goes missing when the going gets tough.
Now former Germany captain Lothar Matthaus has become the latest pundit to slam the Gunners star for his lack of work-rate and effort.
Despite much criticism over the years Ozil has always been a favourite of Germany coach Joachim Low. However Matthaus, who captained Die Mannschaft to World Cup glory in 1990 and amassed 150 caps for his Country, has questioned whether Low’s faith in Ozil is still justified.
“He is in the game without joy,” he wrote in Bild.
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“I often have the feeling that on the pitch Ozil doesn’t feel comfortable in the DFB jersey, is not free – almost as if he does not want to play.
“There is no heart, no joy, no passion. After the latest impression, it is not excluded for me that he withdraws from the national team after the World Cup.”
“What displeases: His body language is negative.
“He is in the game without joy.
“I often have the feeling that on the pitch Ozil doesn’t feel comfortable in the DFB jersey, is not free – almost as if he does not want to play.
“There is no heart, no joy, no passion. After the latest impression, it is not excluded for me that he withdraws from the national team after the World Cup.”