It is a common tradition in world football to honor great players with celebratory farewell matches. This Saturday, the recipient of that honor will be Brazilian midfielder Diego, one of the Bundesliga's most exciting players in recent decades. Diego, who won a league title with Werder Bremen, also played for Juventus and Atlético Madrid.
Many of the players who shared the pitch with Diego over his illustrious career have been invited to the tribute match. However, Mesut Özil has been left off the guest list, largely due to his political views and his hostility toward Israel. Özil has previously been linked to the "Grey Wolves," an ultranationalist Turkish movement, and has formed a close relationship with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. He has also called for the destruction of Israel and posted inflammatory content on social media.
Werder Bremen, a club that has demonstrated solidarity with Israel throughout the ongoing war - including its fans displaying banners demanding the return of Israeli hostages and unveiling a powerful tribute after the murder of Hersh Goldberg-Polin - confirmed the decision. A spokesperson for the club stated: "We agreed with Diego not to include Mesut in the list of invitees, as he has recently undergone a development that does not align with Werder Bremen's values."
