"Although I grew up in Germany, my roots are in Turkey. I have two hearts, one German and one Turkish. My mother taught me never to forget where I came from. These are the values I am still thinking about today ... The photo with President Erdogan was not about politics but about respect for the highest office of my family's country. "
BILD: Although Özil evokes his "values" he ignores that Erdogan is not for, but against the values of his German AND Turkish homeland. The freedom-loving, religiously moderate Turkey is increasingly transforming Erdogan into an Islamist dictatorship. Free media and freedom of expression have almost extinguished Erdogan, and German and Turkish journalists have been jailed without charge for criticizing him. Not a word of it in Özil's Jammer post on Facebook.
"Whether it was the German or the Turkish President would not have made any difference in my actions."
BILD: An absurd equation of the Bundespresident, who represents a democracy and has no real power and Erdogans, who takes more and more authority, dismissed tens of thousands of critical officials in his state apparatus and sees himself as the sole ruler.
"Whatever was the result of the last election, or the election before, I would still have taken the picture."
BILD: Pure stubbornness. In Germany Erdogan got his best result among Turks living abroad - of course not only, but also because of Özil's election campaign support. Especially absurd: Turks living in freedom in Germany chose a dictator for their compatriots in Turkey. That Özil contributed, he does not care.
"What I can not accept is that the media push the bad world championship of a whole team to my double lineage and a photo."
BILD: Complete nonsense, pure self-pity. No German newspaper, website, no broadcaster has made Özil's Turkish roots responsible for the catastrophe of the national team. Invented by Özil to become a victim of racist injustice in the media.
"Certain German newspapers use my origin and my photo with Erdogan as right-wing propaganda to push their political agenda."
BILD: Here is Özil in his world view dangerously close to Erdogan and other despots. Anyone who dares to criticize him or her must have a political agenda.
"Why else would the media use my name and photo as an explanation for our departure in Russia?"
BILD: Because Özil delivered as a central player a godawful, listless-looking performance that contributed significantly to the historic failure in the preliminary round.
"The media did not criticize my performance, but only my Turkish origin ... newspapers have tried to bring Germany against me."
BILD: Fictitious mischief. ALL media rightly criticized Özil's performance, no major media brand ever criticized his origins. An audacity towards the free media of his homeland, to which Özil lashes out racistly and without any evidence.
"I am disappointed that the media are double standards. Lothar Matthäus met with another political leader (Putin) and was hardly criticized by the media ... If the media thought that I should be expelled from the national team, would not Matthäus then the position of honorary leader will be denied? Am I a better target because of my Turkish roots? "
BILD: Özil indulges in his victim role, which has nothing to do with reality. Most German media have never demanded his expulsion despite the Erdogan photo, not even BILD. Lothar Matthäus was heavily criticized for his meeting with Putin - including BILD.Özil also complains that he was unloaded because of the anger about the Erdogan photo of his former school in Gelsenkirchen. BILD could not verify that.
"In addition, another partner has renounced me. This is also a partner of the DFB, before the World Cup, I was asked to participate in promotional videos. After my picture with President Erdogan, they took me out of the campaign. It was no longer acceptable for her to be seen with me. This is very ironic because a German ministry had declared their products illegal because it contained unauthorized software that increased the risk to the customer. Hundreds of thousands of their products have been recalled. While I was criticized and asked by the DFB to explain my actions, there was no such official and public call to the DFB sponsor. Why? Am I not right that this is much worse than a photo with the president of my country's country? "
BILD: Özil alludes here on the DFB sponsor Mercedes and the diesel scandal. The fact is that the Ministry of Transport has sharply criticized Mercedes. Whether Mercedes has used illegal software is highly controversial. But above all, it has absolutely nothing to do with Özil and the Erdogan photo. A distraction maneuver. Particularly worrying: this kind of "the others are even worse" rhetoric is just a typical stylistic device in speeches of the Turkish President Erdogan ...
"Reinhard Grindel said after the World Cup, I should explain myself. But I do not speak for him now, but because I want that. I will no longer be the scapegoat for his incompetence and inability to do his job right ... In Grindel's eyes and those of his supporters, I am German, if we win and immigrants, if we lose ... Are there criteria to to be a true German, which I do not fulfill? ... is it because I am Muslim? ... I was born and educated in Germany. Why do not people accept that I'm German? To you, Reinhard Grindel, I am disappointed but not surprised by your actions ... When you were still a member of the Bundestag, you said that Islamic culture is rooted in German cities. It is unforgotten and unforgiving."
BILD: Özil sees himself clearly as a victim of a racist and Islam-hostile hate campaign by the DFB top. An accusation that could hardly be more difficult. BUT: Again, Özil makes it too easy. For his Erdogan photo he was criticized from all political camps. He completely ignores that campaigning for a dictator is actually incompatible with the values of the DFB and the country he plays for. The DFB was still mild and forgiving. His billing is completely detached from his own behavior.
"When I tried to explain to Grindel my heritage, my ancestors, and the reasons for the photograph, he was much more interested in talking about his own political views and lowering my opinion. As part of the events, I also met with Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Unlike Grindel, President Steinmeier was a professional and interested in what I had to say about my family, my background, and my choices. I agreed with President Steinmeier that we would make a joint statement with the intention of returning to the agenda and focusing again on football. Grindel was angry that not his team should publish the first statement, but that Steinmeier's press department had the hat on the matter. "
BILD: If Özil's fierce allegations are true and DFB President Grindel has out of vanity obstructed a joint statement with the Bundespresident in the run-up to the tournament, he would hardly be tolerable. In the entire Özil-story Grindel and the DFB leadership gave a sad image. It lacked from the beginning the necessary consequence. It has made the scandal indebted by Özil also one for the DFB and thus had a significant impact on the World Cup appearance and the accompanying mood of the German national team.
"If high-ranking DFB officials do not respect my Turkish roots and use me for political propaganda, that's enough. That's not what I play football for. I will not lean back and do nothing. Racism should never be accepted. "
BILD: A reproach that is directed not only at Grindel, but on the country. Özil pretends that nobody has stood in the way of the "racist" Grindel to protect him. A slap in the face for millions of fans who admired and cheered him without prejudice. And for those who have taken him - as well as BILD - against racism in protection. The xenophobic insults a fan after the South Korea game, which describes Özil condemns BILD as well in the strictest.
Overall verdict: A self-righteousness to be beaten sorrow-resignation!
