#2 Mesut Ozil – Arsenal and Germany
Trending
One of the most shocking exclusions from the 30-man shortlist announced by France Football was that of Arsenal maestro Mesut Ozil. The German playmaker was on fire for Arsenal last season and if not for the profligacy of his team-mates in front of goal, he could have managed to bring to an end the Gunners’ current Premier League drought.
Ozil racked up 19 assists in the Premier League last season and came agonizingly close to matching Thierry Henry’s record of 20 assists in a single Premier League season. The German playmaker also created 181 chances for the Emirates outfit across all competitions last season – a record.
Ozil was also in contention for the PFA Player of the Year but was pipped by Riyad Mahrez after guiding the Foxes to their maiden Premier League title triumph. He was also a key player for Joachim Low’s side at the Euros, where Germany’s attempt to follow the World Cup win with a Euro triumph was halted by an Antoine Griezmann inspired France in the semi-finals.
How the German failed to make the cut for the 30-man shortlist is beyond the realms of reality and purports to be blasphemous.
