Özil on the EUROs: "It all comes down to us"

Mesut Özil helped Arsenal finish second in the Premier League in 2015/16 and was named their player of the year. The Germany star remains a favourite in London but has now turned his attention to new targets. The European Championship is on the horizon and is raring to go. The 27-year-old spoke to DFB.de about the Gunners, the recent training camp and Die Mannschaft’s upcoming game against Hungary.

DFB.de: Mr. Özil, is time slowing down for you?

Mesut Özil: Why would it?

DFB.de: You’ve previously said that as you get closer to major tournaments, the days feel longer...

Özil: It feels that way. The players can’t wait for it to finally get under way so we can show our potential. We want to be successful.

DFB.de: What are you doing to speed things up?

Özil: It’s good that we have a lot of training sessions planned still. I enjoy going out onto the pitch and doing fitness work. I spend my downtime with the rest of the lads. It certainly isn’t boring because I’m really excited for the tournament. It can’t come quick enough.

DFB.de: You didn’t play in Augsburg yesterday, opting to stay behind in Ascona. Is regeneration your main aim currently?

Özil: I played a lot of games for Arsenal. Consequently, the head coach allowed me to use the first few days for regenerative purposes, although I’m still taking part in team training.

DFB.de: Arsenal came second in the table. Would you consider that a success?

Özil: I guess so. Tottenham lost heavily on the final weekend of the season and we got to overtake them thanks to a victory. It was certainly a nice end to the campaign. Finishing second was great, but obviously it would have been better to win the league.

DFB.de: Leicester City finished above you. Arsenal beat them twice in 2015/16, including a 5-2 romp before Christmas…

Özil: ...at that point no one would have believed that they would win the league! Everyone was surprised. They deserve a lot of credit – they were consistent throughout the season and fully deserved to win the title.

DFB.de: The Arsenal fans named you their Player of the Season. How proud does that make you feel?

Özil: I’m proud that I helped the team do well this term and claiming the award just shows that the fans value my efforts. It’s nice to receive credit for it. However, I wouldn’t have been able to win it without the help of my teammates and colleagues.

DFB.de: Would you say that this was your best season for Arsenal?

Özil: Definitely. My first year was tough at times and then the second one was injury hit. I was able to complete a full pre-season this time around and that certainly helped me perform as well as I did this term.

DFB.de: You recorded 19 assists, one fewer than Thierry Henry’s record of 20 within a season. What would breaking that record have meant to you?

Özil: I don’t play football for personal records. I just want to be successful with my teammates. If I do that and break records in the process, then obviously it’s great, however, that’s not my main goal.

DFB.de: So you wouldn’t swap any of your six goals to level or even break Henry’s tally?

Özil: No. There’s not much I’d change about last term. I was fit, played well in a lot of games and was consistent. That’s the main thing as far as I’m concerned.

DFB.de: After the season you visited a refugee camp in Jordan. How did that come about?

Özil: Originally I was invited to Dubai by Fly Emirates. However, I know Price Ali, president of Jordan’s FA, well and after speaking to him I decided to go to visit the cap.

DFB.de: What was that like?

Özil: It was really interesting, but also pretty sad. I don’t want to talk a lot about it to be honest. It was a private trip and I want to keep it that way – I’m not looking to share my experiences that widely.

DFB.de: After that you went on a pilgrimage to Mecca...

Özil: Yes I did, but once again I won’t want to talk about. We’re preparing for the European Championship and football is my main priority.

DFB.de: On Saturday, Die Mannschaft face Hungary in Gelsenkirchen, which acts as a double home game for you in effect. How special is that game going to be for you?

Özil: It’s always special for me. I have great memories there; it’s my home city after all. I was brought up there and I still have friends and family in the city. My first experiences of professional football game in the city. I was a Schalke fan and remain one to this day. I’m looking forward to going back to the stadium and seeing the fans again – it’s always nice.

DFB.de: After that game the EUROs will be just around the corner. Which teams do you think will challenge for the title alongside yourselves? What do you make of England, for example? You must know a lot of the players well…

Özil: I know a fair bit about them for sure, but primarily from a distance. I know that they have a good mix of young and experienced players. They also have a lot of spirit, which is an excellent quality. You could see that when we played them in Berlin recently. We went 2-0 up but ended up losing the game. Their mentality is spot on.

DFB.de: Who else do you think stands a chance?

Özil: There are a few others but France catch the eye. They’re playing at home and will have their fans supporting them at all times. I have seen some of their games and look pretty good. However, we also know our own strengths and that we can beat anyone on our day. It all comes down to us. If we reach our potential then anything is possible.