Arsenal’s star winger, Bukayo Saka, has supplied a shocking and glowing tribute to former teammate Mesut Ozil, naming the German playmaker as the very best participant he has ever performed alongside.
The endorsement from the 24-year-old, who has shared the pitch with the likes of Harry Kane, Declan Rice, Phil Foden, for England, underscores the distinctive and simple genius of the retired midfielder.
Chatting with BBC Radio 5, Saka was requested who’s the very best participant he has performed with.
The Arsenal winger replied: “Possibly Mesut Ozil. Prime quality participant, man. It was simply enjoyable, laborious to explain it. Enjoyable to play with him, enjoyable to look at him.”
Who’s the very best participant Bukayo Saka has ever performed with? ?#BBCFootball #AFC #ThreeLions pic.twitter.com/FH3m4RqkS9
— BBC 5 Stay Sport (@5liveSport) November 16, 2025
This sentiment completely captures the admiration many younger Gunners had for the midfielder, who possessed a uncommon imaginative and prescient and creativity usually unseen on the Premier League stage.
Saka performed 17 matches alongside Mesut Ozil throughout the early phases of his senior profession, clearly leaving an enduring impression of sheer, easy high quality.
Mesut Ozil’s time at Arsenal
Ozil, who joined Arsenal from Actual Madrid in 2013, grew to become synonymous with elite-level playmaking.
Regardless of a tumultuous finish to his spell in North London, his peak years offered Arsenal followers with unforgettable moments of footballing artistry.
Throughout his tenure, Ozil registered 44 targets and 77 assists throughout 254 appearances for the membership in all competitions.
Participant
Appearances
Objectives
Assists
Competitions
Mesut Ozil
254
44
77
All competitions
A spotlight of his distinctive output was the 2015/16 Premier League season, the place he recorded a staggering 19 assists within the league, a complete second solely to Thierry Henry and a testomony to his standing as probably the greatest inventive forces in Europe on the time.
He additionally helped the membership safe 4 FA Cup titles, breaking their notorious nine-year trophy drought.
Ozil’s political opinions and the tip of his Arsenal profession
Whereas Mesut Ozil’s high quality on the pitch was by no means in query, his profession at Arsenal was finally impacted by off-field controversies.
The German midfielder overtly criticised China’s human rights insurance policies in 2018.
The state of affairs escalated after he made a controversial publish on social media in December 2019, talking out in opposition to the alleged persecution of Uighur Muslims in China.
Arsenal shortly moved to distance themselves from the feedback, stating that the content material was “Ozil’s private opinion” and that the membership “all the time adheres to the precept of not involving itself in politics.”
Given the huge industrial pursuits of the Premier League and the membership in China, the feedback drew an instantaneous and extreme backlash, together with the cancellation of the membership’s match broadcast by Chinese language state tv.
The following marginalisation of the high-earning star, who was finally unnoticed of each the Premier League and Europa League squads, culminated in his departure to Fenerbahce in January 2021.
What’s Mesut Ozil doing now?
Since retiring from skilled soccer in March 2023 after a last spell with İstanbul Başakşehir, Mesut Ozil has transitioned into a brand new chapter targeted largely on politics in Turkey and several other enterprise ventures.
Ozil, who’s of Turkish descent, has formally entered the political area in Turkey, becoming a member of the central council of the ruling Justice and Improvement Celebration (AKP) in 2025.
This transfer follows his long-established shut ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Past politics, the previous German worldwide is pursuing various enterprise pursuits.
He continues to be concerned together with his esports crew, which he initially based in 2018. Moreover, Ozil has additionally acquired a stake within the Mexican soccer membership, Membership Necaxa.
Ozil has additionally devoted time to bodily transformation since his retirement, spending time within the fitness center to construct a extra muscular physique, which is a noticeable distinction from his enjoying days.
