Germany’s national player of the year three times in a row
This is Mesut Özil’s second World Cup, having made his breakthrough from promising young talent to top-class player at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Since then, his stock has risen higher with each passing year, first moving to Madrid to become a global star before going to London to captivate the Premier League. In Germany, he was voted Germany’s national player of year by fans three years running, and there is scarcely a superlative in the dictionary that has not yet been applied to him. Özil finds solutions where others cannot even see problems. The lightness of his play gives him an air of weightlessness, causing fans to declare the 25-year-old an aesthete, an artist or a footballing wizard.
Expectations are high for Özil in Brazil – practically as high as for Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar – and so every word he speaks is followed with great interest. For that reason, when the Arsenal midfielder says Germany want to become world champions no matter what, it will make headlines around the world even though there is nothing new about the sentiment.
Of course, this is not the only thing Özil says. Above all, he issues a series of warnings about the level of teams at the World Cup, the quality of different players and the danger of what can happen when apparent favourites only give 90 per cent. “Many of the European sides are out,” says Özil, “even teams who were among the favourites for the title.” The crescendo of tapping keyboards continues afresh.
Mesut Özil: "I can play even better"
Özil showed flashes of silky football in the matches against Portugal and Ghana, but what would be enough for some is not for him. However, the Gelsenkirchen-born star has shown here that he can run and scrap for the ball, proving that he is happy to work hard at his football even when things are not coming easily. “Technically, I know I can play even better,” he says. “I’m still lacking goals and assists, but I think I’ve been playing at a high level.” And he has, but without some of his usual poise.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. So far, this World Cup has shown that South American teams have an advantage on their home continent. They are used to the climate and familiar with the conditions. Only those teams willing to push their bodies to the limit will succeed, proving that mindset is more important than sheer quality here. Özil knows this, and has demonstrated in his first two matches that he is mentally equipped for this World Cup. He illustrates this once more by concluding: “Ultimately I’m satisfied.” The tap-tap-tapping goes on.
Ahead of the USA match: “It’s up to us”
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Mesut Özil underlined several clear objectives ahead of Germany’s crucial World Cup group match against USA in Recife today (live on ZDF from 18:00 CEST). “We can beat any team at this World Cup,” said Arsenal’s 25-year-old midfielder.
It is 12:45 on Wednesday in Recife, just 45 minutes before Germany’s team bus leaves the team hotel, and two members of the squad are in a particular hurry. Joachim Löw and Mesut Özil are both expected at the FIFA press conference before their final training session.
Outside a couple of fans wait behind the barriers, and the noise levels rise as they spot the coach and player. Both men give the assembled group a quick wave, as there is no time for autographs and the tight security in Recife does not allow much of an opportunity for a walkabout. They jump onto the bus and it immediately drives away. There are 12 seats left on board, and Löw opts to sit in the front row with Özil behind him. The bus makes its way down bumpy roads, past Recife’s apartment blocks, favelas and football pitches that make Gelsenkirchen’s “Affenkäfig” (monkey cage) look like Wembley Stadium.
Happy to answer questions
At the Arena Pernambuco, player and coach pause for a moment a few metres from the press centre, perhaps to decide who will go in first. Before they finally set off, Özil briefly ducks into the changing rooms while Löw strides down the tunnel to take a look at the pitch. The midfielder then reappears and makes his way through the labyrinth of corridors, taking two right turns and one left before finally reaching a door marked “Press Conference”. It’s showtime.
Events in the auditorium follow their usual pattern: question, answer, pause, translation, repeat. The responses echo around the room. Whenever one of the protagonists at FIFA’s press conference gives a smile for the cameras, the room usually resounds with the sound of a hundred cameras – click, click, click – but on this occasion, it is not the flashguns dominating the soundscape.
When Özil speaks to the assembled journalists on the eve of Germany’s final group match against the USA, the overriding sound is not the click-click-click of the photographers. The assembled members of the press cannot tap fast enough on their keyboards to record the German’s words for posterity, and the tap-tap-tap of their frenzied typing almost drowns out Özil’s words altogether.
So far, he has only declared what everyone has known for some time: “We want to be world champions.” After a dramatic pause, he gives his statement extra emphasis by adding “no matter what!” The tap-tap-taps speed up to a lightning-fast pace. “We know we can beat any team.” At that moment, the tapping goes into overdrive.
Germany’s national player of the year three times in a row
This is Mesut Özil’s second World Cup, having made his breakthrough from promising young talent to top-class player at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Since then, his stock has risen higher with each passing year, first moving to Madrid to become a global star before going to London to captivate the Premier League. In Germany, he was voted Germany’s national player of year by fans three years running, and there is scarcely a superlative in the dictionary that has not yet been applied to him. Özil finds solutions where others cannot even see problems. The lightness of his play gives him an air of weightlessness, causing fans to declare the 25-year-old an aesthete, an artist or a footballing wizard.
Expectations are high for Özil in Brazil – practically as high as for Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar – and so every word he speaks is followed with great interest. For that reason, when the Arsenal midfielder says Germany want to become world champions no matter what, it will make headlines around the world even though there is nothing new about the sentiment.
Of course, this is not the only thing Özil says. Above all, he issues a series of warnings about the level of teams at the World Cup, the quality of different players and the danger of what can happen when apparent favourites only give 90 per cent. “Many of the European sides are out,” says Özil, “even teams who were among the favourites for the title.” The crescendo of tapping keyboards continues afresh.
Mesut Özil: "I can play even better"
Özil showed flashes of silky football in the matches against Portugal and Ghana, but what would be enough for some is not for him. However, the Gelsenkirchen-born star has shown here that he can run and scrap for the ball, proving that he is happy to work hard at his football even when things are not coming easily. “Technically, I know I can play even better,” he says. “I’m still lacking goals and assists, but I think I’ve been playing at a high level.” And he has, but without some of his usual poise.
This is not necessarily a bad thing. So far, this World Cup has shown that South American teams have an advantage on their home continent. They are used to the climate and familiar with the conditions. Only those teams willing to push their bodies to the limit will succeed, proving that mindset is more important than sheer quality here. Özil knows this, and has demonstrated in his first two matches that he is mentally equipped for this World Cup. He illustrates this once more by concluding: “Ultimately I’m satisfied.” The tap-tap-tapping goes on.
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Ahead of the USA match: “It’s up to us”
Germany are in a comfortable position ahead of today’s final group match against the USA (live on ZDF from 18:00 CEST). Either a win or a draw would make them group winners. Only defeat carries the chance of a premature exit from the tournament, a scenario Özil refuses to contemplate.
He has respect for Die Mannschaft’s opponents and has already familiarised himself with Jürgen Klinsmann’s side. “I watched the USA versus Portugal match,” he says. “You can see how much USA have improved. Their players are very strong physically and have a huge amount of energy. They stay tight, counter-attack well and switch positions very quickly.” So far, so flattering, but then Özil reverts to his previous confidence. “It’s up to us,” he adds, “and if we do what the coach asks of us, then we’ll beat USA.” And with that, the tapping reaches its final crescendo.
