UK Edition
Mesut Ozil remains doubtful for Germany's opening 2018 World Cup game with Mexico despite being fit
Mesut Özil has been declared physically fit to play his first match for more than a month but, with concern also about his mental state amid the political storm that has overshadowed Germany’s World Cup preparations, manager Joachim Löw has arrived in Moscow still unsure of his starting XI to face Mexico on Sunday.
Özil and Ilkay Gundogan have even faced calls to be excluded from the squad after being photographed meeting Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has faced criticism in Germany for his crackdown on political dissent following a failed coup.
The families of both players are of Turkish origin and, with Gundogan referring to Erdogan as “my president”, were accused by the German Football Association of letting “themselves be exploited”.
Gundogan, who was booed in Germany’s friendly match against Saudi Arabia and has since had his car vandalised in Cologne, is adamant that he was not attempting to make any political statement but Özil has so far been quieter amid recent back and knee injuries.
Löw has urged Germany’s fans not to boo their players and Özil’s team-mate Julian Draxler was adamant on Saturday that the Arsenal forward was “making jokes” and in “good” spirits in the countdown to their opening World Cup game.
"He has skills not many possess and he is our most creative player," Draxler said. "He will be there when needed and will play a good tournament."
Löw's Germany teams have won all six of their opening matches in major international tournament, scoring 17 goals, and he stressed that the approach would not alter in trying to become the first country to defend a World Cup win since Brazil in 1962.
“Everyone has this positive tension – it does not matter what you have won or not,” he said. Of Özil, Löw added: “Mesut Özil this week completed two additional training sessions and can play but there are two, three ideas in my head for the line-up,” said Löw.