Arsenal star Mesut Ozil’s future could have been very different.
He had just burst on to the big stage after starring for Germany in the 2010 edition of the FIFA World Cup in Africa.
Multiple clubs were interested in him with Ozil ending up signing for Real Madrid. However, the player revealed that Madrid were not his initial choice. He was actually a big fan of the Barcelona team under Pep Guardiola who were ruling the world back then.
He said: “After the 2010 World Cup; Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United wanted me.”
Ozil continued: “My wish was to join Barca, it was my favourite club, no other team has played as good a football as this club.”
Ozil added: “But Guardiola did not let me know that he liked me. I thought he was not interested. His absence made me suspicious. They said he was on vacation.”
“Mourinho was very convincing. Affable. And insistent. It was the opposite of the Barcelona coach. So I decided to join Jose Mourinho and Real Madrid.”
Ozil has gone on to play for big clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal and has become one of the best number 10s in the world but imagining him in that Barcelona team is scary indeed.
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