Mesut Ozil reveals best-ever Arsenal team-mate XI including Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla
MESUT OZIL named Alexis Sanchez and Serge Gnabry in the best XI of players he played with at Arsenal.
The former Gunners outcast, who has announced he is hanging up his boots at the age of 34, previously took part in a Twitter Q&A and also revealed he’d sooner retire than play for Tottenham.
Ozil, 34, decided to call time on his career midway through Turkish side Istanbul Basaksehir’s season.
He thanked all of the clubs he played for, including Arsenal and Real Madrid, but admitted that injuries in recent months have taken their toll on him.
Despite the big fall-out with Mikel Arteta at the end of his time in North London, the winger still looks back fondly on his time there.
And during a Twitter Q&A he was asked: “Who is your top Arsenal XI in the era you played for the club?”
Ozil named David Ospina behind a four-man defence including Bacary Sagna, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker and Sead Kolasinac.
Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla were his two picks at the base of midfield.
And the attacking midfield trio would frighten most defences if the players were in their prime.
Ozil named himself in the No 10 role with Bayern star Serge Gnabry on the right wing and Sanchez on the left.
HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was given the nod with Ozil naming him up front on his own.
Ozil was in the final days of his time at Arsenal when taking part in the Q&A, and he endeared himself to fans with another answer he gave.
Jimmy asked: “Now that your contract is nearing the end with Arsenal, If you only had one contract offer and that was from Tottenham…. Would you rather retire or sign for Tottenham…?”
And the playmaker quickly answered: “Easy question, Retire.”
Ozil’s retirement brings to an end a career stacked with trophies, with the playmaker once regarded as the best No10 in world football.
Bursting onto the scene with Schalke in 2006, Ozil became a certified Bundesliga star when he joined Werder Bremen in 2008.
But it was his epic performances for Germany at the 2010 World Cup which secured a £13million move to Real Madrid that same summer.
Ozil won LaLiga and the Copa del Rey during his time in the Spanish capital before Arsenal came calling.
The Gunners paid £42.5m for Ozil in 2013, with him quickly becoming an Emirates cult hero.
Ozil ended up with 44 goals in 254 for Arsenal, winning an incredible three FA Cups in four years.
And it was during this time that he lifted the World Cup with Germany at Brazil 2014.
But back at Arsenal, Ozil started to find his minutes limited under Unai Emery and Arteta following Arsene Wenger’s exit.
And Ozil eventually moved to Turkey with Fenerbahce in January 2021.
Ozil lasted 18 months with the Istanbul giants before joining city rivals Basaksehir last summer.
But he failed to score in just eight appearances for his new side before calling a day on his career, last playing in a Super Lig defeat to Kayserispor on February 2.