Mesut Ozil is often hailed as one of the best playmakers of his generation, which is not far from the truth. The former German international dedicated his career to playing for others, making him a popular figure at Real Madrid and later Arsenal, where he had his prime years, delivering for the North London club at the highest level.
While many claim Ozil’s best years were spent at Arsenal, the versatile midfielder made a name for himself at Real Madrid under Jose Mourinho, whom he once hailed as his best manager ever. However, Florentino Perez revealed an incident between the two involving Ozil’s ex-girlfriend.
Jose Mourinho’s revelation once led to Mesut Ozil dumping his girlfriend
Anyone familiar with Jose Mourinho knows he’s perhaps the most straightforward individual in football in terms of his personality and how he delivers his opinions. On one occasion with Mesut Ozil, Mourinho couldn’t hide his feelings, as he didn’t hold back in his assessment of the midfielder’s girlfriend, causing Ozil to end the relationship, as narrated by club president Florentino Perez.
“Mesut Ozil came here aged 21. He is a third-generation Turk and then he discovered Madrid,” Perez revealed. “He dumped his girlfriend and changed his lifestyle, falling for an Italian model from Milan. He had a private jet, so he would fly out there, have s*x, and come back,” he continued.
“Then one day, he annoyed Jose Mourinho, who jokingly said, ‘Hey, Ozil, idiot, let me tell you something as if I were your father. The girl you’re going out with has f**ked everyone at Inter and AC Milan, including the coaching staff of both teams,’ Ozil ended up leaving the girl,” Perez concluded.
Mourinho’s words clearly turned on a switch in Ozil, who recorded back-to-back assist stats in three consecutive seasons for Real Madrid before he left for Arsenal in 2013.
Ozil hailed Mourinho as the ‘best coach of the century’
Jose Mourinho, who is gearing up for his next managerial role, played a vital role in Mesut Ozil’s career, and the former German international gave him his flowers for his importance in his career, especially when they were both at Real Madrid. For context, Mourinho signed Ozil the same summer he joined Real Madrid and left the club the same summer the Los Blancos decided to part ways with the legendary Portuguese manager. They’ve always shared a mutual respect for each other ever since.
“For me, Jose Mourinho is the best coach of this century,” Ozil declared. “His tactical understanding is another thing, but also his way of speaking in the locker room and how he always protects his team in front of the media. He’s truly a world-class coach,” the former Arsenal playmaker added.
Ozil went further to highlight Mourinho’s role in his decision to choose Real Madrid over other teams like Manchester United and Barcelona in 2010.
“I chose Real Madrid for him. He took me to see the stadium and all the trophies they had won. This gave me goosebumps. In comparison, Guardiola was a major let-down. I wanted to become a Madrista because of Mourinho,” he concluded.
Mesut Ozil is now enjoying his retirement, becoming a social media sensation with his opinions on games and other football-related issues, most recently his dig at Diego Simeone’s Atletico Madrid.
