Former Arsenal and Real Madrid footballer Mesut Ozil has transitioned into politics after joining Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s party.
The retired German midfielder, 36, was named on the ruling AK Party’s (AKP) Central Decision and Management Board during a party congress on Sunday.
Ozil, who is of Turkish descent, received criticism later in his career due to his relationship with Mr Erdogan.
He retired from the German national team in 2018, five years before his wider retirement from the game, after a photo of him meeting the Turkish president in London caused uproar.
Reinhard Grindel, who was the head of Germany’s soccer federation at the time, accused the players of allowing themselves to be “exploited” by Mr Erdogan for political purposes.
Some German politicians questioned Ozil’s loyalty to Germany, suggesting he should be removed from the national squad ahead of the World Cup in 2018.
Former Arsenal, Real Madrid star, Mesut Özil joins politics
