Mesut Özil believes he will one day be crowned the world’s best player – and says rough treatment from opponents in England is making him a stronger athlete.
Arsenal’s Germany international midfielder, the subject of stinging criticism at times this season – with Paul Scholes suggesting he was just “going through the motions” – said he was sure he has what it takes to lift the trophy won by Cristiano Ronaldo in January.
“If I continue to develop well and stay healthy, I would like, in the next few years, to hold the Ballon D’Or in my hands,” he told Sport Bild. “I am convinced that it can happen.
“I’m feeling very positive. I’m a world champion and I play at a top club in the Premier League. There is much more of a physical test here than there is in Spain or in the Bundesliga – I constantly have bruises, but that makes me harder. I feel physically better than ever.”
Özil also spoke of his ongoing frustration with how his nationality is often portrayed in Germany, with repeated references to his Turkish descent.
“Only I am designated as ‘the German-Turk’. When it’s Sami Khedira no one says ‘the German-Tunisian’, no one calls Lukas Podolski and Miroslav Klose ‘the German-Poles’. Many forget that I was born in Gelsenkirchen, and grew up in Germany.
“If I don’t sing the anthem [before games] it is only because at that moment I am concentrating on the match. And I pray during the anthem for health and happiness.”
He said, though, he had gained from being influenced by two cultures, citing German discipline and tactics and Turkish style. “As a footballer it benefits my way of playing. I’m proud I’ve been able to take something from both cultures.”
