Mesut Özil, former Arsenal and Real Madrid footballer, has moved into politics by joining Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's AK Party.
The 36-year-old retired German midfielder was appointed to the AKP's Central Decision and Management Board during a party congress.
Özil, who is of Turkish decent, faced criticism during his career due to his association with Erdoğan, particularly after a controversial photo of them together emerged in 2018. He retired from the German national team that year amid accusations of being exploited for political purposes.
Many questioned his loyalty to Germany and suggested his removal from the national squad ahead of the World Cup.
In his retirement statement, Özil described his critics as racist and emphasised that the photo was simply a show of respect for Türkiye.
Özil married Amine Gulse in Istanbul the following summer, with Erdoğan attending the wedding.
After winning the 2014 World Cup, he left Arsenal for Fenerbahçe in 2021, later moving to İstanbul Başakşehir, where he retired in 2023.
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