Mesut Özil

madristar · August 24, 2010

"Ozil will be Real Madrid's Messi!"

Real Madrid looked on with envy as Lionel Messi helped turn great rivals Barcelona into Europe's leading team.

The Argentina forward inspired the Catalans to a league, cup and Champions League treble last year and another Primera Division title last term as Madrid's wait for further silverware continued.

Now, though, the capital club can boast their own version.

They have agreed a deal with Werder Bremen for the transfer of Mesut Ozil, believed to be worth around 15 million euros, and the Germany international will undergo a medical at the Bernabeu tomorrow.

And if the Madrid faithful need any reassurance over the quality of their new signing, they need only listen to how he is spoken of back in his homeland.

"We in Germany are prone to rave about foreign players,'' said Horst Hrubesch, a European Championship winner with West Germany in 1980, during this summer's World Cup.

"We praise Wayne Rooney to the heavens, likewise (Cristiano) Ronaldo or Messi.

"But we have our own Messi. Our Messi is Ozil."

While the Argentinian struggled in South Africa, though, Ozil quickly emerged as one of the stars of the tournament.

His glorious left-footed strike from outside the area which arced into the corner saw off Ghana and booked Germany's place in the knock-out stages, where his dribbling and passing ability, speed of thought and eye for the unexpected proved too much for England and then Argentina to cope with.

Only eventual champions Spain managed to find a way to deal with the tournament's most exciting new talent, nullifying his threat as Germany's exciting campaign came to an end at the semi-finals.

Ozil, who was born in Gelsenkirchen to Turkish immigrant parents and turned down the chance to play for Turkey in favour of representing the country of his birth, has given German football something with which his predecessors were rarely associated - flair.

That is not to say he is a luxury player, with his impressive goal and assist return proof his game has an end product.

Ahead of the tournament he was winning comparisons with legendary Germany playmaker Thomas Hassler, a World Cup winner in 1990 and European Championship winner in 1996.

The 21-year-old, who can play in a central role or out wide, was the standout player in the Bundesliga last term, even if his club Werder Bremen did not emerge as challengers for the title.

His form ensured the northern Germany club did not miss Brazilian playmaker Diego, who left the Weserstadion for Juventus last summer.

But his star now shines so much brighter than that of his former team-mate.

And it is Jose Mourinho's Madrid who will reap the rewards.

Aga · August 24, 2010

GraceGibson · August 24, 2010

I read the media said he was doing a good job in his first game for Madrid. I think he has some great potential and I would really like to see him doing well at Madrid. He will have some hard time at the beginning maybe, but with Kaka ruled out for quite a long time, I see his chances being even better. Specially with VdV really leaves