Julius OkorieFormer German international, Mesut Ozil has officially joined Turkish ruling party, Ak thus teaming up with long time ally and current president of Turkey, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Ozil, who has been a longtime admirer of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his political ideas, was formerly appointed into appointed to the Central Decision and Management Board of the AK Party on Sunday, February 23 marking a significant step in his post-football life.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe former Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Werder Bremen, attacking midfielder, had faced intense scrutiny in the later stages of his football career due to his close association with Erdogan
The relationship, particularly highlighted by his retirement from the German national squad in 2018, sparked a significant backlash. In 2023, Ozil announced his retirement from professional football shortly after a contentious photograph of him meeting Erdogan in London stirred public outrage, reviving debates around his loyalty to Germany.
The criticism intensified as some German politicians publicly questioned his commitment to the national team, suggesting he should be sidelined from the squad just before the crucial 2018 World Cup held in Russia.
Despite the backlash, Ozil has not shied away from expressing his solidarity with Erdogan’s political agenda, vocally supporting his policies and encouraging voters to back his re-election campaign.
READ ALSO: Ozil Retires From Professional Football, Pens Emotional Letter To Fans
Their connection has been personal as well as political; Erdogan was a guest at Ozil’s extravagant wedding in Turkey in 2019, solidifying their bond. More recently, the two were seen sharing a close moment in the stands at the Olympiastadion in Berlin during a match between the Netherlands and Turkey in 2024, further showcasing their enduring friendship against the backdrop of Ozil’s new political journey.
Ozil who made 92 appearances for the Germany national team with 23 goals to his credit, was a former Germany junior international, featuring in both U-18 and 21 categories respectively. He made 427 career appearances scoring 73 goals in the course of playing for
six different clubs including Schalke 04, Fenerbahçe and İstanbul Başakşehir where he finally dropped the anchor.
By venturing into politics, Ozil will be following the footsteps of former Turkey international, Hakan Şükür, who also joined Ak Party and was elected to Turkish parliament in 2011, George Weah who joined politics in 2003, losing two presidential bids to former Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf before finally being elected as two term President of Liberia, among others.
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
