Mesut Özil shocked — or not — the world of football Sunday night as he announced his retirement from the German national team.
Citing racism and disrespect, Özil, who is of Turkish origin, said he no longer wanted to or could wear Germany's famous black-and-white jersey.
"I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose," wrote the player, who was scapegoated for then-reigning world champion Germany's humiliating exit from the tournament in Russia.
Right before the World Cup, Özil came under fire in Germany for meeting and taking a picture with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Some criticism after the meeting turned into racial abuse.
Underlining that sports brings a lot to integration in a country, Chancellor Angela Merkel said she respects Özil's decision.
"The chancellor values Mesut Özil highly. He is a great footballer who has contributed a great deal to the national team," said Merkel's spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer, adding that he has "now made a decision that must be respected."
Justice Minister Katarina Barley wrote on Twitter that it was an "alarm bell if a great German footballer like Mesut Özil no longer feels wanted in his country or represented by the DFB."
Özil's decision drew massive support online with many fans calling it right.
"Nothing but respect for Özil, honestly f--k racism and anyone who stands up for racists," one user wrote.
"Sad that Özil retired from international football, but I can't blame him. No human being deserved to be treated like that, shame in the year 2018 people still discriminate," another said.
One of the users also pointed out double standards in the Arsenal midfielder's treatment in Germany, saying, "Mesut Özil suffered racist abuse, was told to retire from the NT [national team] and made a public enemy for taking a photo with the president of Turkey. Meanwhile, Lothar Mathaus, who lead the anti-Özil hate campaign poses for photos with president Putin."
Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin applauded his teammate for standing up to racism.
"Surreal that someone who has done so much for his country on and off the pitch has been treated with such disrespect," Bellerin said on Twitter.
In a first reaction from his former teammates, defender Jerome Boateng said, "It was a pleasure, Abi," using the Turkish word for "brother."
In his analysis of the situation for popular football website Goal, Ronan Murphy supported the player's decision, calling it "right."
"With the way he has been treated by the [German Football Association] DFB and the media in his own country, why would someone as talented as Özil continue to play for a team who does not respect him?" Murphy questioned.
According to a sports website SB Nation writer Zito Madu, the fallout from Özil's meeting with Erdoğan and subsequent abuse was predictable, "because the criticisms of him in the German team has [sic] been bigotry disguised as analysis. It never really mattered what he did, he wasn't wanted."
"What really makes this so stupid is that the bigots win. They've finally gotten rid of Özil. Him being in that team was so irritating to them and their conception of German identity, and now he's been forced to retire because the environment has become unbearable," he added.
ESPN's Germany writer Raphael Honigstein said, "Mesut Özil's Germany exit [is] worse than any World Cup loss."
"The most technically gifted player of his generation feels he can no longer represent the white and black colors due to racism. Let that horrific sentence sink in," he wrote.
Former Norwegian striker Jan Aage Fjortoft congratulated all the people who have bullied the player into this decision.
"The fact remains that one of Germany's biggest football stars, doesn't want to play for Germany any longer. And one of the reasons he highlights is racism. Bad news for all of us that think football can change the world," Fjortoft said.
According to former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, who also played in Turkey for Trabzonspor, "discrimination should have no place in the world let alone football."
"You have helped Germany win trophies and then they turn on you. Be Proud of who you are and your heritage!" Campbell said as he addressed Özil on Twitter.
Özil also received support of Turkey, including from the members of the Turkish Cabinet.
"I congratulate Mesut Özil who by leaving the national team has scored the most beautiful goal against the virus of fascism," Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül wrote on Twitter.
Youth and Sports Minister Mehmet Kasapoğlu also expressed support to the player.
"We sincerely support the honorable stance that our brother Mesut Özil has taken," he said.
Since his debut in 2009, Özil won 92 caps for Germany, scoring 23 goals and setting up 40 more. He was chosen the German national team player of the year on five occasions. Özil won the World Cup in 2014 as a crucial member of Germany's squad.
