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Gunning for Greatness: My Life: With an introduction by Jose Mourinho
Shortlisted for International Autobiography at the British Sports Book Awards
Mesut Ozil is a midfield magician, casting an elegant spell over opponents and conjuring passes through gaps lesser mortals can't even see. After an eventful sojourn among the Galacticos of Real Madrid he has savoured silverware at Arsenal, while in 2014 he lifted the World Cup with Germany.
But his life and career have been a test of resilience. Growing up in Germany's Turkish community, he faced prejudice from those who claimed his dual identity would prevent him giving his all for the national team. Later came questions over a different type of commitment, the kind levelled against those, like Mesut Ozil, who excel in football's finer arts rather than relying simply on running and ruggedness. He has proved concerns on both these issues lack substance.
In Gunning for Greatness, Mesut Ozil reveals the inside stories of his relationships with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, his quest to help the under-fire Frenchman restore Arsenal's pre-eminence - and how he silenced the sceptics by conquering the world.
Mesut Ozil is a midfield magician, casting an elegant spell over opponents and conjuring passes through gaps lesser mortals can't even see. After an eventful sojourn among the Galacticos of Real Madrid he has savoured silverware at Arsenal, while in 2014 he lifted the World Cup with Germany.
But his life and career have been a test of resilience. Growing up in Germany's Turkish community, he faced prejudice from those who claimed his dual identity would prevent him giving his all for the national team. Later came questions over a different type of commitment, the kind levelled against those, like Mesut Ozil, who excel in football's finer arts rather than relying simply on running and ruggedness. He has proved concerns on both these issues lack substance.
In Gunning for Greatness, Mesut Ozil reveals the inside stories of his relationships with Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger, his quest to help the under-fire Frenchman restore Arsenal's pre-eminence - and how he silenced the sceptics by conquering the world.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 16, 2017
57 people are currently reading
430 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
January 17, 2019
Am I biased? Probably. Was the book a great fun to read? Absolutely. I loved every second of it, I was smiling practically non-stop. As a fan, I'm so happy (no pun intended) to see how much he matured both as a player and as a person. (And from the point of view of a language nerd - it was really interesting to observe how much living in England influenced his German.)
April 22, 2022
Mesut Özil has always been one of my idols and I loved his autobiography. As a child, he lived a rough life, with practically no room to live in. Born in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, where his mother worked two shifts every day just so she can earn money to raise Özil and his siblings. Coming from a Turkish background, his first year in pre-school was dreadful as he has practically never learnt German. His experience learning the language was very slow and rough, and his work was always full of mistakes. The part that I remember the most is when Özil was 17 and he decided to change his nationality from Turkish to German. It was a step that he needed to take to get closer to becoming a professional football player. He was hated by the people at the officials and he was ignored for a long time. Even people who have arrived later got their name called first and Özil's father was angered by it. They had to go again tomorrow as the officials have locked the place and told them to come back tomorrow. Özil was determined to get his German passport and was not giving up. He went back with his father the next day after a lot of arguing, Özil got his German passport. This short story has shown Özil's perseverant attitude and this has brought him to become one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 24, 2024
I wanted another European footy read heading into Kathryn and I’s Portuguese summer vacation and Euro 2024 season. This has been on my list for years and now felt like the right time.
Mesut has been a fascination of mine for years ever since he became Arsenal’s record signing just over 10 years ago. I remember seeing the press release from my iTouch in engineering class as a freshman in high school. It was the first headliner signing I had seen as a supporter of Arsenal, and it felt monumental for the club.
What’s most interesting is just how much changes in a world like European football over such a short duration of time. I think he was maybe 25 years old when we signed him. Big-money, young player signings like these are generally made with the intent of being there through their prime years, and hopefully for some time after that as well. But not every player has the longevity of Toni Kroos, Messi, etc. Özil has been gone from Arsenal for almost 5 years now. In fact, he’s retired. In an ideal world, he’d be captaining this young side that we have now, but things didn’t quite work out as everyone hoped.
The book makes it somewhat easier to understand how that happened.
Of the four large clubs that he played for during his professional career (Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal) it appears that all four tenures ended on a sour note. Sometimes because of his own actions, other times from something an agent/his father did, and perhaps a bit of bad luck/mistreatment from his clubs as well. Nevertheless, it seems to be a theme. And this ominously sounds a lot similar to the criticism he was constantly dealt on the field, for issues like body language, work rate, and attitude.
The book spends an enormous amount of time and space focused on his critics in the media and what various news outlets have said about him over many years. I found it a bit exhausting and I do sense a lack of maturity. This feels like the case for many of these mega-talented footballers.
This also relates to where I do feel a bit of sympathy for him. He talks about his exit from Real Madrid, which he describes as largely a result of complications between his father (acting as an agent) and club executive Florentino Perez. He describes the painful process of firing his father as agent thereafter and venturing out on his own. His Dad ultimately takes him to court for money. This part of the book—the most complex portion in terms of his personal development— is just one or two pages long. You can sense the shame and just how difficult this was. This part of the story was really where I’d like to spend the most time, rather than the least. This seems to me to be his true ‘coming of age’ moment, and not the moments on the pitch. Perhaps he might think differently.
The truth that I see, and this is where I sympathize, is that Mesut really never had great mentors or coaching until far too late into his career. Much of his struggles came from foolish difficulties that were corrected in the public eye, rather than during the early stages of his career. Stubbornness and immaturity seem to be what prevented him from more success at the club level.
There is no question about his ability. And I think that’s what made onlookers frustrated. He was an amazing playmaker and talent. There are so few others like him in the world. Ironically, Ødegaard seems the most similar in today’s game, although even he appears to be maybe more talented and consistent than Mesut ever was for Arsenal.
Mesut has been a fascination of mine for years ever since he became Arsenal’s record signing just over 10 years ago. I remember seeing the press release from my iTouch in engineering class as a freshman in high school. It was the first headliner signing I had seen as a supporter of Arsenal, and it felt monumental for the club.
What’s most interesting is just how much changes in a world like European football over such a short duration of time. I think he was maybe 25 years old when we signed him. Big-money, young player signings like these are generally made with the intent of being there through their prime years, and hopefully for some time after that as well. But not every player has the longevity of Toni Kroos, Messi, etc. Özil has been gone from Arsenal for almost 5 years now. In fact, he’s retired. In an ideal world, he’d be captaining this young side that we have now, but things didn’t quite work out as everyone hoped.
The book makes it somewhat easier to understand how that happened.
Of the four large clubs that he played for during his professional career (Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Real Madrid, Arsenal) it appears that all four tenures ended on a sour note. Sometimes because of his own actions, other times from something an agent/his father did, and perhaps a bit of bad luck/mistreatment from his clubs as well. Nevertheless, it seems to be a theme. And this ominously sounds a lot similar to the criticism he was constantly dealt on the field, for issues like body language, work rate, and attitude.
The book spends an enormous amount of time and space focused on his critics in the media and what various news outlets have said about him over many years. I found it a bit exhausting and I do sense a lack of maturity. This feels like the case for many of these mega-talented footballers.
This also relates to where I do feel a bit of sympathy for him. He talks about his exit from Real Madrid, which he describes as largely a result of complications between his father (acting as an agent) and club executive Florentino Perez. He describes the painful process of firing his father as agent thereafter and venturing out on his own. His Dad ultimately takes him to court for money. This part of the book—the most complex portion in terms of his personal development— is just one or two pages long. You can sense the shame and just how difficult this was. This part of the story was really where I’d like to spend the most time, rather than the least. This seems to me to be his true ‘coming of age’ moment, and not the moments on the pitch. Perhaps he might think differently.
The truth that I see, and this is where I sympathize, is that Mesut really never had great mentors or coaching until far too late into his career. Much of his struggles came from foolish difficulties that were corrected in the public eye, rather than during the early stages of his career. Stubbornness and immaturity seem to be what prevented him from more success at the club level.
There is no question about his ability. And I think that’s what made onlookers frustrated. He was an amazing playmaker and talent. There are so few others like him in the world. Ironically, Ødegaard seems the most similar in today’s game, although even he appears to be maybe more talented and consistent than Mesut ever was for Arsenal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 2, 2017
I have been a fan of Mesut since his 2010 World Cup stint so I might sound biased but I tried my best to be objective here. But he was just so honest about his struggles, family problems, coach problems, failures and ambitions that I have to gush about him first- I have become a bigger fan now. ⚽️ 🇩🇪 🇹🇷
Keeping aside my infatuation, the book takes the reader on Mesut's journey from being a nobody to the stardom he was enjoying now. His style and content of writing seemed like an open letter to his fans and friends; at some point it felt like he had to write a biography at this young age because he had to tell his side of the story too as he underwent enough misunderstandings. The way he fought back from every disastrous downfall and the way he fought his inner demons, it was quite inspiring. I appreciate how he tried to inspire and also encourage the integration of different cultures(read: refugees). It was also nice to know the inside-stories obviously about him and other players and coaches. He even softened my hatred towards Jose Mourinho! So glad that it was not just full of descriptions of his games like the Messi book that I reviewed earlier.
Sadly, the writing was not coherent at all and kept jumping from one point to another. It was annoying but as it's a biography of a player, I forgive it and look forward to read another biography of his when he retires.
Keeping aside my infatuation, the book takes the reader on Mesut's journey from being a nobody to the stardom he was enjoying now. His style and content of writing seemed like an open letter to his fans and friends; at some point it felt like he had to write a biography at this young age because he had to tell his side of the story too as he underwent enough misunderstandings. The way he fought back from every disastrous downfall and the way he fought his inner demons, it was quite inspiring. I appreciate how he tried to inspire and also encourage the integration of different cultures(read: refugees). It was also nice to know the inside-stories obviously about him and other players and coaches. He even softened my hatred towards Jose Mourinho! So glad that it was not just full of descriptions of his games like the Messi book that I reviewed earlier.
Sadly, the writing was not coherent at all and kept jumping from one point to another. It was annoying but as it's a biography of a player, I forgive it and look forward to read another biography of his when he retires.
June 16, 2017
Leider wenig Tiefgang und kaum Reflektion. Der eigentliche Untertitel sollte lauten: Warum Mesut Özil an nichts Schuld ist und Jose Mourinho liebt.
Immer wieder zieht Özil Parallelen zum Mourinho, dessen Einfluss auf ihn und warum dieser so ein genialer Trainer ist. Also nichts für Mourinho-Kritiker, so wie mich.
Die Kapitel sind kurzgehalten und lassen sich leicht lesen, aber es geht chronologisch von der Kindheit bis zur WM 2014/EM-Aus 2016, aber auch hier fehlt Tiefgang.
Leider recht enttäuschend.
Immer wieder zieht Özil Parallelen zum Mourinho, dessen Einfluss auf ihn und warum dieser so ein genialer Trainer ist. Also nichts für Mourinho-Kritiker, so wie mich.
Die Kapitel sind kurzgehalten und lassen sich leicht lesen, aber es geht chronologisch von der Kindheit bis zur WM 2014/EM-Aus 2016, aber auch hier fehlt Tiefgang.
Leider recht enttäuschend.
May 23, 2017
Entertaining read. Unexpectedly open from such a usually reserved person. Not my favorite footballing book but he is one of my favorite players, haha.
April 13, 2018
Sophisticated life questions in simple words from an introvert young man with a genius football mind and big heart, who went through various environments and knows a price and real value of everything.
January 29, 2020
#3rd book of 2020, As an Arsenal fan, I am a big fan of Ozil since he joined Arsenal side in 2013. I clearly remember that the day his transfer was done just before last minutes of transfer window, I really amazed and was over the moon. Now it's been 7 years since he joined Arsenal, still expecting from him great assists that can help us win trophies. I grabbed his autobiography yesterday and finished it only 2 days, because it was really interesting get to know him from his early childhood to Arsenal days. After reading this book, as a football fan I knew a lot of things about transfers, behind scenes etc. In conclusion, Hard work and perseverance leads to success. #YaGunnersYa
May 9, 2017
Gleich vorneweg, hierbei handelt es sich um das Hörbuch dieser Ausgabe. Dies ist eigentlich sehr interessant gemacht, indem es wie ein langes, sehr lockeres Interview von Mesut Özil mit dem Sportjournalisten Frank Buschmann gestaltet ist. Dieser fragt dann immer Sachen aus dem Buch und fragt ggf. dann auch mal nach.
Was mich dann doch sehr überrascht hat und worüber ich sehr erschrocken war, war das schlechte Deutsch von Mesut Özil. Dies war mir gar nicht so bewußt, da er ja in Deutschland geboren und aufgewachsen ist und immer als Musterbeispiel für Integration dargestellt wird. Das hat den Hörgenuss natürlich erheblich getrübt.
Das Buch ist insgesamt sehr stark weichgespült, das heißt, es werden keine bis kaum kritische Punkte angesprochen. Zum Beispiel hätte ich mir auch mal die Nachfrage nach seiner Meinung zum Thema Steuertricks bei den Millionengehältern gewünscht oder aber auch allgemein zum Thema Islam / Terror.
Özil wird im Buch wirklich sehr einseitig als der einfache Junge dargestellt, der nur Fussball spielen möchte. Z. B. bei seinem Wechsel von Schalke zu Werder, werden natürlich nur die Schalke Verantwortlichen als die Buhmänner dargestellt. Und Mesut ist das Opfer, dass als geldgierig dargestellt wird, aber ihm geht es ja gar nicht um das Geld, denn er will ja nur Fussball spielen. Ja nee, is klar. Aber das hat er wirklich so gesagt.
So richtig Mehrwert hat die ganze Geschichte irgendwie auch nicht, denn man erfährt nicht wirklich viel über Mesut. Nur ein wenig aus der Kindheit und wie es ihm bei Madrid gefallen hat und wie seine einzelnen Transfers zustande gekommen sind.
Gut finde ich auch den Untertitel des Buches: "Was du brauchst um deine Träume zu verwirklichen". Wenn dann die Aussage des Buches die ist, dass man selbstbewusst sein soll und hart arbeiten soll, dann ist alles möglich... Das ist mir dann doch zu einfach und viel zu platt. Zumal von einem Fussballer, der wahrscheinlich einfach nur Glück gehabt hat mit diesem Talent auf die Welt zu kommen. Das ist dann doch viel zu wenig Aussage in diesem Buch.
Daher finde ich das Buch dann doch sehr schwach in seiner Grundaussage, weil es gar nicht in die Tiefe geht sondern wirklich nur an der Oberfläche kratzt obwohl die Form eigentlich interessant ist und viel mehr möglich gewesen wäre.
Was mich dann doch sehr überrascht hat und worüber ich sehr erschrocken war, war das schlechte Deutsch von Mesut Özil. Dies war mir gar nicht so bewußt, da er ja in Deutschland geboren und aufgewachsen ist und immer als Musterbeispiel für Integration dargestellt wird. Das hat den Hörgenuss natürlich erheblich getrübt.
Das Buch ist insgesamt sehr stark weichgespült, das heißt, es werden keine bis kaum kritische Punkte angesprochen. Zum Beispiel hätte ich mir auch mal die Nachfrage nach seiner Meinung zum Thema Steuertricks bei den Millionengehältern gewünscht oder aber auch allgemein zum Thema Islam / Terror.
Özil wird im Buch wirklich sehr einseitig als der einfache Junge dargestellt, der nur Fussball spielen möchte. Z. B. bei seinem Wechsel von Schalke zu Werder, werden natürlich nur die Schalke Verantwortlichen als die Buhmänner dargestellt. Und Mesut ist das Opfer, dass als geldgierig dargestellt wird, aber ihm geht es ja gar nicht um das Geld, denn er will ja nur Fussball spielen. Ja nee, is klar. Aber das hat er wirklich so gesagt.
So richtig Mehrwert hat die ganze Geschichte irgendwie auch nicht, denn man erfährt nicht wirklich viel über Mesut. Nur ein wenig aus der Kindheit und wie es ihm bei Madrid gefallen hat und wie seine einzelnen Transfers zustande gekommen sind.
Gut finde ich auch den Untertitel des Buches: "Was du brauchst um deine Träume zu verwirklichen". Wenn dann die Aussage des Buches die ist, dass man selbstbewusst sein soll und hart arbeiten soll, dann ist alles möglich... Das ist mir dann doch zu einfach und viel zu platt. Zumal von einem Fussballer, der wahrscheinlich einfach nur Glück gehabt hat mit diesem Talent auf die Welt zu kommen. Das ist dann doch viel zu wenig Aussage in diesem Buch.
Daher finde ich das Buch dann doch sehr schwach in seiner Grundaussage, weil es gar nicht in die Tiefe geht sondern wirklich nur an der Oberfläche kratzt obwohl die Form eigentlich interessant ist und viel mehr möglich gewesen wäre.
Read
July 10, 2017I refuse to give this book a rating because it's an autobiography and who am I to rate someone else's life? And Mesut Özil's life at that!
I listened to the audiobook which was basically one very long interview (4 hours and 55 minutes to be precise) and I loved that they did that. Of course, that means I didn't really "read" the book as it was written but I quite enjoyed listening to Mesut recounting his life and career. It gave the entire thing a more personal feel than I think a simple reading could've ever provided, especially because I'm pretty sure Mesut didn't actually write this book himself.
I went into this already being a big fan of Mesut but I feel like I know and understand him a little bit better now. Some of the things he talked about made me quite emotional (whenever he talked about the World Cup, like I still can't believe it three years later... my boys fucking did That™) and some made me laugh. The only thing I was a bit annoyed at was Frank Buschmann constantly interrupting Mesut to ask follow up questions but I got used to it after a while, I guess. (Still, let him finish pls!!)
All in all, a very nice experience that I would recommend to anyone who considers themselves a fan of him, German football or football in general.
I listened to the audiobook which was basically one very long interview (4 hours and 55 minutes to be precise) and I loved that they did that. Of course, that means I didn't really "read" the book as it was written but I quite enjoyed listening to Mesut recounting his life and career. It gave the entire thing a more personal feel than I think a simple reading could've ever provided, especially because I'm pretty sure Mesut didn't actually write this book himself.
I went into this already being a big fan of Mesut but I feel like I know and understand him a little bit better now. Some of the things he talked about made me quite emotional (whenever he talked about the World Cup, like I still can't believe it three years later... my boys fucking did That™) and some made me laugh. The only thing I was a bit annoyed at was Frank Buschmann constantly interrupting Mesut to ask follow up questions but I got used to it after a while, I guess. (Still, let him finish pls!!)
All in all, a very nice experience that I would recommend to anyone who considers themselves a fan of him, German football or football in general.
May 20, 2021
Böyle bir kitabı puanlamak ne kadar doğru olur bilmiyorum sonuçta insan hayatını anlatıyor. Ancak kullanılan sade ama etkileyeci dil kitabı bir çırpıda bitirmemi sağladı.
Bu güzel hayallerinin arkasındaki zorlu mücadelesini görmemi sağladı. Başarı merdivenlerinin zıplayarak çıkılmadığını, her basamakta daha kuvvetli adım atılması gerektiğini öğretti.
Futbolu seviyorum diyen herkesin okuması gerektiği bir kitap olduğunu ve futbolun sadece top sürmek olmadığını gösteren bir kitap olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Umarım ölmeden önce biz hayranlarına hayatının geri kalan kısmında karşılaştığı anılarla dolu bir kitap daha bırakabilir.
I don't know how to evaluate such a book, after all, it tells about human life.However, the simple but impressive language that was used made me finish the book in a snap.
It made me see his tough struggle behind his beautiful dreams. He taught that the ladder of success cannot be climbed by jumping, and that stronger steps must be taken at each step.
I think it is a book that everyone who says I love football should read and it is a book that shows that football is not just dribbling.
I hope he can leave us fans another book full of memories he encountered for the rest of his life before he dies.
Bu güzel hayallerinin arkasındaki zorlu mücadelesini görmemi sağladı. Başarı merdivenlerinin zıplayarak çıkılmadığını, her basamakta daha kuvvetli adım atılması gerektiğini öğretti.
Futbolu seviyorum diyen herkesin okuması gerektiği bir kitap olduğunu ve futbolun sadece top sürmek olmadığını gösteren bir kitap olduğunu düşünüyorum.
Umarım ölmeden önce biz hayranlarına hayatının geri kalan kısmında karşılaştığı anılarla dolu bir kitap daha bırakabilir.
I don't know how to evaluate such a book, after all, it tells about human life.However, the simple but impressive language that was used made me finish the book in a snap.
It made me see his tough struggle behind his beautiful dreams. He taught that the ladder of success cannot be climbed by jumping, and that stronger steps must be taken at each step.
I think it is a book that everyone who says I love football should read and it is a book that shows that football is not just dribbling.
I hope he can leave us fans another book full of memories he encountered for the rest of his life before he dies.
April 29, 2017
Enjoyable
A fun look into the world of a fantastic footballer and humble man. An open and honest account of his life and movement through various clubs.
A fun look into the world of a fantastic footballer and humble man. An open and honest account of his life and movement through various clubs.
September 4, 2017
This isn't the sort of book I tend to read, however I'm glad I did.
Read it, there's a lot to be gained from this book; it's very easy to read and get lost in and what a remarkable journey he's undertaken. Mesut deserves his success.
Read it, there's a lot to be gained from this book; it's very easy to read and get lost in and what a remarkable journey he's undertaken. Mesut deserves his success.
May 14, 2017
I just love this man. And kudos to the ghost writer. It was an exciting read.
May 30, 2017
Good job on using YouTube, ghostwriter. Still doesn't cover up how whiny Mesut constantly is.
August 6, 2020
In het Nederlands gelezen
November 27, 2019
I have always defended Ozil and always claimed he is misunderstood, his body language looks lazy but it's his style of play. His running stats prove he does try hard, his passing figures are exceptional and he gets a lot of unfair critism and players like him should be celebrated they are why we watch football. That all being said this book has made me dislike a player I considered my favourite player since he joined Arsenal for a few reasons. I think he looks very greedy he had issues at Schalke which he blamed on Schalke involving money, he then had issues at Madrid involving money for which he blamed his own father and sacked him and then after this book he refused numerous 200k a week plus offers at Arsenal.
The spat with his father involved Ozil paying a out of court settlement which proves he didn't pay his father owed money which just sounds awful. For a father to take his son to court and the son to settle out of court something very wrong was clearly done on Mesut's part which can't be described as anything other than greed. Ozils father was blamed for the Madrid fall out but clearly Mesut made the demands his father was asking for yet Ozil through his father under the bus. Then again at Arsenal without his father to blame he refused 250k a week wages at a club he said he loves, playing in a league he loves and at the time was the star player who played every game. He can say he wanted more minutes at Schalke, he can say he wanted to feel more appreciated at Madrid, he can say his dad acted unprofessional in trying to get that contract but what's his excuse for holding Arsenal to ransom.
For a guy to come from nothing to say 250k a week and 300k a week isn't enough is utter greed and the lies he has told in the book by repeating over and over again that money isn't important make me angriest of all. As I said Arsenal offered him the brightest wages in their history by a long way so he knew he was appreciated, he himself said he loves the league, he says he enjoys London, he said he loves the team mates and he was playing every game. If that was all the case then surely you would bite the clubs hand off even at 200k a week already being a multimillionaire regardless of what was on offer elsewhere as happiness was the priority and he has said he was already very happy. 3 clubs all having issues with him signing contracts and all three with diffrent excuses from Ozil, his dad taking legal action because of money and even the tax dodging accusations are just too much for it to be misunderstandings. I love Ozil the player but I think he is greedy and cares more about money than football and that is based on what he has published here and that's why in all honesty he has never fulfilled his full potential. He should of been talked of as the next best player after Messi and Ronaldo and should still be dominating games and running the biggest matches but he often can't even make the bench. He signed his last huge contract 18 months ago and since then has struggled to even play 90 minutes and again in this book has said that he hasn't always trained at his maximum.
The spat with his father involved Ozil paying a out of court settlement which proves he didn't pay his father owed money which just sounds awful. For a father to take his son to court and the son to settle out of court something very wrong was clearly done on Mesut's part which can't be described as anything other than greed. Ozils father was blamed for the Madrid fall out but clearly Mesut made the demands his father was asking for yet Ozil through his father under the bus. Then again at Arsenal without his father to blame he refused 250k a week wages at a club he said he loves, playing in a league he loves and at the time was the star player who played every game. He can say he wanted more minutes at Schalke, he can say he wanted to feel more appreciated at Madrid, he can say his dad acted unprofessional in trying to get that contract but what's his excuse for holding Arsenal to ransom.
For a guy to come from nothing to say 250k a week and 300k a week isn't enough is utter greed and the lies he has told in the book by repeating over and over again that money isn't important make me angriest of all. As I said Arsenal offered him the brightest wages in their history by a long way so he knew he was appreciated, he himself said he loves the league, he says he enjoys London, he said he loves the team mates and he was playing every game. If that was all the case then surely you would bite the clubs hand off even at 200k a week already being a multimillionaire regardless of what was on offer elsewhere as happiness was the priority and he has said he was already very happy. 3 clubs all having issues with him signing contracts and all three with diffrent excuses from Ozil, his dad taking legal action because of money and even the tax dodging accusations are just too much for it to be misunderstandings. I love Ozil the player but I think he is greedy and cares more about money than football and that is based on what he has published here and that's why in all honesty he has never fulfilled his full potential. He should of been talked of as the next best player after Messi and Ronaldo and should still be dominating games and running the biggest matches but he often can't even make the bench. He signed his last huge contract 18 months ago and since then has struggled to even play 90 minutes and again in this book has said that he hasn't always trained at his maximum.
February 25, 2019
Gunning For Greatness By Mesut Ozil: Gunning For Greatness, a autobiography of a young starting professional soccer player that goes by the name of Mesut Ozil. Mesut always found himself in a lot mischief, and having to sacrifice a lot of things like friendships, and clubs “teams”. In my opinion, some of the main ideas that were stated in the book were about Ozil’s adjustment to becoming a professional soccer player at a young age.
After reading Gunning For Greatness I found myself being more interested in what most soccer players have to go through in order to become a soccer player but most importantly about what Mesut had to go through in his life.“The chief scout of the turkish football associations… has once swapped numbers with my father after spotting me at some trials” Being a young up incoming soccer player, it must feel great knowing that scout’s have there eye on you and are willing to stay in contact with you. “scouts evaluate the talent of footballers with a view to signing them on a professional contract”.
In my opinion the main ideas the book really expresses is how mesut had to overcome challenges that popped up in his life. Ozil clearly pointed out that he had a supporting father who was up for challenges and who always followed him and wanted the best for him. Mesut’s father always fought for him, even while Ozil tried to surrender his turkish passport in order to be able to play on the german international team the official refused to help mesut surrender his turkish passport but eventually ended up complying with their request after mesuts father argued with him back and forth for 2 days. Another main idea that stuck out to me was that Ozil went through many tough times 1 being his apartment being robbed with 3 of his valuable watches inside, another time time he went through was him losing many friendships after moving 1,500 kilometres away from his hometown.
Mesut reflected about a lot of things that has happened to him while he was young and growing up. One in particular was when he was being labeled as a money hungry player who was just playing soccer for the money, people labeled him as this because he didn't accept his “contract” with his old team because he wasn’t sure he wanted to keep playing with them but the media took it as if he thought he was worth more money. I also believe that mesut was trying to prove that he didn’t live a perfect life and it's not rare for people to go through hard times in life.
Overall I would rate this book a (4 / 5). All in all I believe mesut did a great job showing what sacrifices and problems he had to overcome in order to be in the position he is now.
After reading Gunning For Greatness I found myself being more interested in what most soccer players have to go through in order to become a soccer player but most importantly about what Mesut had to go through in his life.“The chief scout of the turkish football associations… has once swapped numbers with my father after spotting me at some trials” Being a young up incoming soccer player, it must feel great knowing that scout’s have there eye on you and are willing to stay in contact with you. “scouts evaluate the talent of footballers with a view to signing them on a professional contract”.
In my opinion the main ideas the book really expresses is how mesut had to overcome challenges that popped up in his life. Ozil clearly pointed out that he had a supporting father who was up for challenges and who always followed him and wanted the best for him. Mesut’s father always fought for him, even while Ozil tried to surrender his turkish passport in order to be able to play on the german international team the official refused to help mesut surrender his turkish passport but eventually ended up complying with their request after mesuts father argued with him back and forth for 2 days. Another main idea that stuck out to me was that Ozil went through many tough times 1 being his apartment being robbed with 3 of his valuable watches inside, another time time he went through was him losing many friendships after moving 1,500 kilometres away from his hometown.
Mesut reflected about a lot of things that has happened to him while he was young and growing up. One in particular was when he was being labeled as a money hungry player who was just playing soccer for the money, people labeled him as this because he didn't accept his “contract” with his old team because he wasn’t sure he wanted to keep playing with them but the media took it as if he thought he was worth more money. I also believe that mesut was trying to prove that he didn’t live a perfect life and it's not rare for people to go through hard times in life.
Overall I would rate this book a (4 / 5). All in all I believe mesut did a great job showing what sacrifices and problems he had to overcome in order to be in the position he is now.
April 3, 2019
This book is a great book written by professional soccer player Mesut Ozil. In this autobiography, Mesut Ozil details his life and success as a professional soccer player, but he also details his struggles growing up as a Turkish boy in Germany, and how that made his soccer career more difficult. Because of his Turkish roots, he has faced and extreme amount of criticism from some German soccer fans, who say that because he is part Turkish he can't give 100% for the German national team. He details how he overcomes this and became one of the biggest names in global soccer. He also details his relationships with some of his former managers, including legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. Overall, this book details one man's journey to overcome prejudice, hate, doubt, and racism and become one of the greatest soccer players in the world. Some of the cons of the book are that it is translated from German to English. Therefore, some of Mesut Ozil's writing style is lost in translation, and on occasion there are some parts that just don't read correctly and have partial grammatical errors. Another con of this book is that if you aren't a big soccer fan, you might be a little lost. He refers to a lot of pro soccer players in this book and doesn't always describe who they are, so if you aren't a huge soccer fan you might be lost at points. There is not much offensive content in this book. There are certainly tragic moments, but nothing that is really super offensive. One pro of the book is that it is super inspiring. Even if you don't enjoy soccer or even sports in general, this book will inspire you. Following his journey from a little boy to playing soccer on the world's biggest stage is very cool. Another pro of this book is that it exposes racist fans for their horrible behavior and it proves them wrong. One quote that I like from this book is "Everyone wants to be something, but nobody wants to make the effort to get there." This shows that Ozil has truly made the effort to get where he is today, and that is very inspiring. Another quote I really like is "I'm German when we win, but Turkish when we lose." This quote shows how German fans treat him differently if the German National Team loses. As a soccer fan who stays updated on soccer news, I can confirm that this is true. When the German Team loses, Ozil is normally the first player the German fans and media blame for the loss. It is very sad to see and it helps me understand Ozil's struggles a little more.
November 22, 2018
I read this book because I’m interested in Mesut Özil and German football (soccer) in general. I found the story itself to be interesting and enjoyable, but the translator who translated this book from the original German to English did an awful job. Horrible. The translation of the intent of the writing was fine, but the English grammar was the worst I’ve ever read. If I had a dollar for every sentence fragment in this book, I could probably purchase the publisher and make sure it doesn’t release any more books like this. There were comma errors, misused punctuation throughout, misspellings (at one point Bastian Schweinsteiger’s name was even spelled Bastien.) I wanted to enjoy the book, but every grammatical error took me out of the story - and those errors were everywhere - many per page. The errors were more the rule than the exception. Did anyone even edit this book after it was translated? As an educator in a school where many students would be interested in this book, I’d like to donate it to the high school library, but I hesitate because I believe students learn good grammar and writing through reading. What would this teach them? Disgraceful. Two stars because Özil’s story is worth reading.
March 22, 2018
A great insight into the life of one of the world's best footballers, this book takes you on the full journey of Mesut Ozil's rise to fame. Even as a young boy, Ozil was faced with difficult decisions. One of the most powerful chapters speaks to his decision to turn in his Turkish passport and move to Germany. He was faced with criticism at such a young age that he is much more used to it in present day. Along the way he played alongside other incredible athletes and worked under amazing managers. He learned something from every person in his life and speaks respectfully of all he's met during his journey. You'll learn so much about him and everyone that's had an impact on his life. Such an honest interpretation of his own life.
March 10, 2020
I really liked this book, as it takes the reader through a long adventure from a normal child to a huge football star that won everything you can win. It is similar to other football books because every story is similar but that doesn't make it less fun to read. It´s really interesting to see the life behind what we hear on the news and what struggles Özil had during his career. He was very truthful and made the boom lots of fun to read.
I would recommend this book to everyone that is interested in football because it is very interesting and it inspires.
I would recommend this book to everyone that is interested in football because it is very interesting and it inspires.
July 5, 2022
Mesut did a great job bringing the reader into the greatest moments of his football journey. I am unsure how the book was transitioned from German to English, but there were a few moments in the book where thoughts or statements were not cohesive. I am thinking this was due to the translation between the two languages and not having clear words to help explain a moment in one language to another. Overall I enjoyed the book and learned more about his life up until this moment. Being a fan of the German National Team, it was an intriguing read to see how Mesut got to where he is now.
August 17, 2017
Good view of a kid growing up in Germany of Turkish ancestry, who doesn't learn the language until later. A bit arrogant but an ego is required for a soccer superstar. I liked his behind the scenes descriptions of how German football is different than the pretty finesse game of Spain (Real Madrid) and the physicality of the English Premier League and the descriptions of his two very famous coaches.
September 5, 2018
Very readable. I decided to read this after reading Özil’s statement announcing his ‘retirement’ from the German national side due to discrimination. The book includes a lot about his efforts to try reconcile his Turkish and German heritage - issues that millions of Europeans contend with.
Özil is a complex genius. He’s clearly more sensitive than the average footballer. This makes for a fascinating read. #YaGunnersYa
Özil is a complex genius. He’s clearly more sensitive than the average footballer. This makes for a fascinating read. #YaGunnersYa
October 3, 2018
Ozil has been one of my favorite players. However, after reading the book, and reading through his struggles, my respect for him has also increased.
There are many things you can understand from the book.
1) Success has no short cut.
2) Importance of making right decision and by consulting your family and loved ones.
3) Believing in yourself is more important then fulfilling other people perception.
There are many things you can understand from the book.
1) Success has no short cut.
2) Importance of making right decision and by consulting your family and loved ones.
3) Believing in yourself is more important then fulfilling other people perception.
February 27, 2018
I really liked how I was able to connect to the story. It wasn't just a story about parties, drugs, money, and the superstar life. The book was deeper, you got to feel the struggle. Mesut Ozil's started living on his own when he was about 18 and he share how he was scared because he was on his own. I would give it a 5/5, it was really good especially for an autobiography.
August 27, 2018
Read it yesterday in one of those read-in-one-day circumstances. Definitely the worst autobiography I've ever read. Even bad books usually contribute to something. This, just falls flat down into nothingness. Forgotten in time.
There is nothing that could be said about an interesting content. The script contains the usual content: child hood, managers, players and back room politics. But beyond that, not a hunch of inspiration was found that day when he decided to write this. There is no ups or downs, nothing inspiring, no joyful reading moments, nothing to go back to.
There is nothing that could be said about an interesting content. The script contains the usual content: child hood, managers, players and back room politics. But beyond that, not a hunch of inspiration was found that day when he decided to write this. There is no ups or downs, nothing inspiring, no joyful reading moments, nothing to go back to.
April 13, 2023
As a fan and having seen this remarkable footballer’s journey during last decade, this book was a much needed read for me. For someone who has loved watching the skill and finesse Özil showed during his peak years at Real Madrid and then at Arsenal, this book will serve as a recap and the things that went through the superstar footballer’s head.
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