Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 6y

Mesut Ozil return to Germany team not expected by coach Joachim Low

Germany coach Joachim Low does not believe that Mesut Ozil will ever make a return to the national team, telling Sport Bild that he thinks it is "not an issue."

Ozil announced his withdrawal from the Germany team in the aftermath of their 2018 World Cup exit, citing racism at the top of the German FA (DFB) and within parts of the German society. However, the Arsenal playmaker stopped short of announcing a full retirement from international football.

"Mesut Ozil from my point of view has clearly announced his retirement and closed the door by himself," Low told Sport Bild. "A comeback is not an issue."

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Germany were knocked out in the group stage in Russia, four years after they lifted the trophy for a fourth time. The build-up to their title defence was overshadowed by a photograph that Ozil and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan -- another Germany international with Turkish heritage -- had taken with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Low told a news conference in Munich last week that he has unsuccessfully tried to contact Ozil following the player's statement in July.

When announcing his withdrawal from the national team, Ozil left the door open on a possible return in the third and final part of his statement that he'd be "no longer playing for Germany at international level whilst I have this feeling of racism and disrespect."

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