Profile Text
Özil in 2011, photo by Photo Works/Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Gelsenkirchen, West Germany (now Germany)
Date of Birth: 15 October, 1988
Ethnicity: Turkish
Mesut Özil is a German professional footballer. An attacking midfielder, he played for Schalke 04 II, Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Fenerbahçe, and İstanbul Başakşehir, and the Germany national team. He is a board member of the Turkish Justice and Development Party.
He has been described as a “third-generation immigrant.” His family is from Devrek, Zonguldak, Turkey. He has said, “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.” He held Turkish citizenship during his youth.
Mesut is married to Amine Gülşe, who was Miss Turkey 2014. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was a witness in their wedding ceremony. Mesut and Amine have two children.
Mesut has been described as having Kurdish ancestry. It is not clear if this is accurate.
He is a practising Muslim.