Mesut Özil shares picture of wolf salute cheer
The EM-Quarterfinal between the Netherlands and Turkey could become heated - regardless of the sports events. Former German national player Mesut Özil has joined the debate about Merih Demiral's wolf gesture jubilee from the Turkish national player, on Instagram.
Mesut Özil, the former German national player, shared a picture of Merih Demiral's controversial wolf gesture on Instagram. The picture was visible in a story of the 35-year-old for some hours before the EM-Quarterfinal between the Netherlands and Turkey. It was an unintentional promotion for Turkey. After that, he also posted a picture of himself apparently on an airplane with the words: "I am coming." It seems that Özil is on his way to the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
Demiral was banned from UEFA for two games due to the wolf gesture controversy. The atmosphere before the match was heated due to this biased and premeditated decision, as Mehmet Büyükeksi, the association president, stated in a press release. TRT, the Turkish broadcaster, called the decision a "scandal," and Büyükeksi described it as "unacceptable, illegal, and political."
The 26-year-old Demiral formed the hand sign and symbol of the "Grey Wolves" after scoring his second goal against Austria in the Round of 16. The "Grey Wolves" are referred to as the supporters of the right-wing extremist "Ülkücü-Movement," which is monitored by the German Constitutional Protection Agency.
Özil's Affinity for Erdogan
The influential fan group Ultraslan from the traditional club Galatasaray announced on Instagram that they couldn't wait to attend the match as "thousands of Grey Wolves in Berlin and millions in the world to give an answer to this brutality." They called on fans to show the wolf gesture at the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
In Turkey, the MHP is the political representation and coalition partner of the Islamo-conservative AKP of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Erdogan intends to attend the match. The president will arrive shortly before the football game and leave the same evening, according to Erdogan's office. The departure from Istanbul is scheduled for approximately 16:00 hours. No further appointments in Germany have been planned so far. Turkish President Erdogan dismissed the criticism of the gesture, stating that the player had only expressed his "enthusiasm."
Surprisingly, Özil's sharing of the photo at a closer look is not. Özil had been seeking proximity to the autocrat Erdogan even when he lived in Germany, Spain, and England, while playing for Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, and Arsenal FC. He made Erdogan his best man in 2019. In 2023, he celebrated Erdogan's re-election with a "Thank God."
When Ozil got married, a notably famous singer in Turkey also appeared: Mustafa Yildizdogan. He performed the song "Olurum Turkiye" (I die for you, my Turkey), which Ronya Othmann and Cemile Sahin once referred to as the "hymn of the right-wing extremists in Turkey" in a "taz" comment. In Germany, Ozil surprised with an election recommendation for the party "Team Todenhofer" during the Bundestag election 2021. This party emerged from the "Bundnis für Innovation & Gerechtigkeit," which was rumored to have a connection to the Turkish Erdogan Party AKP.
Mesut Özil's decision to attend the European Football Championship 2024 as a supporter of Turkey could add fuel to the tense atmosphere, given his close relationship with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. During an international match, the Turkish national team is expected to show the controversial wolf gesture, which was popularized by Mesut Özil and his supporters, the Ultraslan. The European Football Championship 2024 in Turkey might feature a significant political undercurrent due to the involvement of Mesut Özil and President Erdogan.
