Mesut Ozil
Mesut Ozil
Former players can still use public events to comment on how governing bodies apply rules across different situations. Comments made after a veterans’ match can highlight perceived inconsistencies in the treatment of national teams and clubs. Those remarks have now been directed at FIFA by a player who previously represented both Arsenal and the German national side.
The 2014 World Cup winner spoke after a friendly between Istanbul Başakşehir and Zenit St. Petersburg in Istanbul. The match, which Başakşehir won 3-2, was linked to an economic forum. He has previously spoken on political matters and used the occasion to address the differing status of Russian and Israeli teams in international competitions.
FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian sides in February 2022 following the invasion of Ukraine, with the ban still in place for senior teams. Israeli sides have continued to compete. Mesut Ozil appealed for equal treatment and stressed that football should bring people together.
Former Real Madrid and Arsenal star Mesut Özil has accused FIFA of applying double standards by maintaining sanctions on Russian teams while allowing Israeli sides to compete freely in international football.
The 2014 World Cup winner with Germany made the comments after a veterans’ match between his former club Istanbul Başakşehir and Russian side Zenit St. Petersburg in Istanbul earlier this week. The friendly, which Başakşehir won 3-2, took place in connection with the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum.
“I’d like to say this: football has always brought peace. As long as we don’t focus on race or religion, the world of sport has always brought people together,” Özil said. “As is well known, and as you know, FIFA has not imposed any sanctions on Israeli teams, but it has done so against Russian teams. Here, I would like to appeal, as they say, to FIFA. Hopefully, they will stop applying double standards and treat everyone equally.”
FIFA and UEFA suspended Russian national teams and clubs from their competitions in February 2022 following Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine. The ban remains in place for senior sides, though some limited participation for certain youth teams has been permitted in recent years. Israeli teams, by contrast, have continued to take part in international competitions despite widespread criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza that began after the events of October 7.
Özil, who ended his playing career at Başakşehir, has a history of speaking out on political issues, including past public support for the Palestinian cause. Club president Göksel Gümüşdağ echoed the criticism, arguing that the isolation of Russian teams while no comparable measures are applied to Israel represents clear double standards and calling for FIFA and UEFA to adopt a fairer stance. The 38-year-old former midfielder stressed that sport should unite people regardless of origin or belief and used the occasion to thank organisers for staging the event that brought Turkish and Russian veterans together.
His comments add a former Arsenal player’s voice to the ongoing discussion over how football authorities handle international conflicts.