Ilkay Gundogan has vowed to continue playing for Germany, despite backing Mesut Ozil over the claims of racism which saw the Arsenal midfielder retire from international duty.
Gundogan and Ozil, both Germans of Turkish origin, sparked a furore in their home country when they were photographed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a reception in London in May.
The subsequent backlash, much of which targeted Gundogan and Ozil's heritage, cast a shadow over Germany's World Cup campaign, which ended early with a dismal group stage exit.
Asked whether Ozil's allegations of racist criticism were accurate, Gundogan referred to comments made by former councillor Bernd Holzhauer in his response.