Mesut Özil: His career in pictures

Özil joined the youth system of Bundesliga team Schalke in his hometown of Gelsenkirchen in 2005. His success on the international stage came early, winning the U21 European championship with Germany in 2009.

Özil's club career has not disappointed those who once described him as "the next big thing." After a falling out with Schalke over salary, Özil moved to Werder Bremen in 2008. His performances for Germany in 2010's World Cup gained the attention of Europe's best clubs. He moved to Real Madrid in 2010 and later moved to English team Arsenal for a (then) club record €50 million ($58.7 million).

In 2010, Özil won the Bambi — Germany's top media prize — for being a shining example of German integration. A third-generation German, he has always expressed pride in his Turkish roots, while emphasizing that his life has been devoted to Germany. An observant Muslim, he posted pictures of himself making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca in 2016.

Seen here meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel after defeating Turkey in 2012, the attacking midfielder has attracted legions of loyal fans for his quiet, unassuming personality and philanthropy. He would later be applauded for donating his 2014 World Cup winnings to Brazilian children in need of life-saving surgery and for meeting with Syrian refugee children in Jordan.

Özil started in all seven games of Germany's sucessful World Cup run in Brazil in 2014. Known as "Löw's playmaker," the midfielder has a close relationship with German national coach Joachim Löw. He ended the tournament leading in passes completed in the final third and was behind only Argentine superstar Lionel Messi in chances created.

Özil has met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan several times, most recently in May 2018, leading to a photo opportunity that many resoundingly condemned — from the political left for his apparent support of an authoritarian leader, and from the right for a perceived lack of loyalty to Germany.

Germany crashed out in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia — the national team's worst performance in decades. The president of the DFB, Reinhard Grindel, attempted to deflect criticism from himself by blaming Özil's Erodgan meeting for distracting the team. Grindel's reaction drew intense criticism from German politicians and soccer fans.

In an eviscerating statement on Twitter, Özil resigned from international play in July 2018, aged 29. "I will no longer stand for being a scapegoat for his incompentence," the footballer said of Grindel. Accusing the DFB president of racism, he thanked Löw and others in the German team for their support. In total, he played 92 matches for Germany, scored 23 goals, and registered 40 assists.