Werner would welcome Ozil Germany return after controversial retirement

Dom Farrell

Werner would welcome Ozil Germany return after controversial retirement image

Mesut Ozil would be welcomed into the Germany fold if he went back on his international retirement, says RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner.

Werner and Ozil were both part of the holders’ shambolic World Cup defence in Russia, where Joachim Low's side crashed out at the group stage.

After the tournament, the Arsenal playmaker called time on his Germany career after releasing a lengthy statement, in which he criticised treatment from the media in his homeland and German Football Association (DFB) president Reinhard Grindel.

"I think many in the team would be happy if Mesut Ozil said, 'I'll do it again'," Werner said in an interview with SportBild, which will be published in full on Wednesday.

Werner also claimed he wants to reach the levels of World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann and Chelsea star Eden Hazard, suggesting he may have to leave Leipzig in order to realise that ambition.

"You can only do that if you are in a Champions League final or at least a semi-final," he added.

"In Leipzig, we are not quite ready to achieve that."

Werner is under contract at the Red Bull Arena until 2020.

Dom Farrell

Dom is the senior content producer for Sporting News UK. He previously worked as fan brands editor for Manchester City at Reach Plc. Prior to that, he built more than a decade of experience in the sports journalism industry, primarily for the Stats Perform and Press Association news agencies. Dom has covered major football events on location, including the entirety of Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup in Paris and St Petersburg respectively, along with numerous high-profile Premier League, Champions League and England international matches. Cricket and boxing are his other major sporting passions and he has covered the likes of Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, Wladimir Klitschko, Gennadiy Golovkin and Vasyl Lomachenko live from ringside.