Former German footballer Mesut Ozil joins Erdogan’s AK Party

Former German footballer Mesut Özil has joined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Political Party Justice and Development Party.

A former German player who won the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the star of major football clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal has joined Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s political party.

The 37-year-old former German footballer has been elected a member of the ruling party’s central council, according to a statement issued by the Justice and Development Party.

He was born on October 15, 1988, in a refugee camp in West Germany to a Turkish-born family.

Before Mesut Ozil became a footballer, his father was a blacksmith, while he used to sell chicken products in his youth.

He made his international debut in February 2009 with a friendly match against Norway. In his third match against South Africa, he showed the way to the ball for the first time.

He was included in the German football team for the first time in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in which he scored the first international goal in the match against Ghana and assisted Thomas Muller four times. He was named player of the match while he was also awarded the 2010 FIFA World Cup Top Assist. He scored 30 goals in 92 matches for Germany.

He has also been named Germany’s best player in 2012, 2011, 2013 and 2015.