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Merkel ‘respects’ Ozil's decision to retire from German football team

Mesut Ozil, who is from Turkish decent, announced last week, he will no longer play for Germany

July 24, 2018 at 11:29 am

German Chancellor Angela Merkel “respects” the Turkish-German footballer Mesut Ozil’s decision to quit from the national team, her spokeswoman said yesterday.

“The chancellor values Mesut Ozil highly. He is a footballer who has contributed a great deal to the national team. He has now made a decision that must be respected,” Reuters reported Ulrike Demmer as saying.

“About three million people of Turkish roots who live in Germany are well integrated,” she added, stressing that immigrants are welcome in Germany.

Ozil, who is of Turkish decent, announced on Sunday that he will no longer play for the German team because of racism he has subjected to.

“I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” he said in a statement.

READ: Reactions pour in after Ozil quits German national team