ISTANBUL: FormerGerman international football Mesut Ozil was married in Istanbul on Friday withTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as his best man. The 30-year-old Ozil,who has Turkish family roots, sparked controversy last year when he wasphotographed with Erdogan, raising questions about the footballer's loyalty toGermany on the eve of their disastrous 2018 World Cup campaign.
The Turkishleader arrived in the early evening for Friday's ceremony at a luxury hotel onthe banks of the Bosphorus to see the former Arsenal midfielder marry hisfiancee, former Miss Turkey Amine Gulse. A smiling Erdogan and his wife Eminewere seen standing next to the young couple as their marriage was formalized.
After 92 appearancesfor Germany, including a key role in the 2014 World Cup victory, Ozil suddenlyquit the national squad last July, accusing German football officials ofracism. Ozil announced in March that he had asked Erdogan to be his best man.German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff was part of a chorus ofcriticism of the invitation. Helge Braun, a CDU told the Bild newspaper thenthat it "makes one sad" that Ozil would make a such a move despitehaving already been sharply criticized by the German public over his firstmeeting with Erdogan.
Ozil has datedGulse since 2017 and the couple announced their engagement in June 2018. Thefootballer, a third-generation German, whipped up a political storm when he waspictured alongside Erdogan last May. Criticism intensified after the red-faceddefending champions crashed out of the first round of the World Cup in Russia.In the wake of the World Cup fiasco, Ozil announced his resignation from thenational squad, saying: "I am German when we win, an immigrant when welose".
Erdogan oftenattends marriages in Turkey of celebrities, whom he particularly seeks outduring election campaigns. His presence at Ozil's marriage comes ahead of amayoral election in Istanbul on June 23, required after the original voting inMarch was annulled following a narrow victory for the main oppositionRepublican People's Party. - AFP