Goal.com · Sep 5, 2018
Mertesacker refutes Germany race division amid Ozil retirement storm
Former defender Per Mertesacker has played down reports of racial division amongst the German national team amid suggestions that Die Mannschaft were split into two camps during the 2018 World Cup.
Mertesacker's comments, of course, come in the wake of Mesut Ozil pulling out of the national fray after allegations of racism from within the DFB and the German media.
A recent report in Spiegel's print edition stated that the World Cup squad was split in two during their time in Russia with 'potatoes' – the stereotypically German players – on one side, and 'kanaken' – a derogatory German word for those with immigrant backgrounds – on the other.