Welcome to the Goal.com 50! In this special series, Goal.com editors worldwide vote for the top 50 players of 2009-10. We count down to the announcement of the winner on August 10th with profiles of each and every player who made it into the top 50...
Long considered a potential superstar, Mesut Oezil sprung to prominence during the 2009-10 season. Fresh off a European Championship-winning campaign with Germany’s U-21s, the Gelsenkirchen native was entrusted with the “Diego role” at Werder Bremen. As the cornerstone of coach Thomas Schaaf’s attacking machine, the 21-year-old took over where his No. 10 predecessor left off, and flourished.
In the first four Bundesliga matches of the fall term, Oezil scored three goals and assisted two more, earning high praise from national team coach Joachim Loew. In early September, the youngster was awarded his second Germany cap in a friendly match with South Africa, and took his chance with aplomb. Oezil was influential in setting up Mario Gomez’s opener, and later scored his first international goal to cap off a 2-0 win. From that day onward, Oezil was a shoo-in for the playmaker role in Loew’s squad.
Oezil’s impressive form continued throughout the campaign, and was highlighted in Bremen’s 6-0 demolition of Freiburg, in which the rising star scored once, and provided a hat-trick of assists. Sadly, a string of five consecutive defeats in the Bundesliga effectively ended Bremen’s chances of competing for the league title before February. Later in the spring, Bremen were eliminated by Valencia in the Europa League, and lost the DFB Pokal final to Bayern Munich.
While he failed to earn silverware with Bremen, Oezil managed to lead his club to a third place finish in the league — and with it, a return to Champions League play — and ended the season with 24 assists and 11 goals in 46 appearances.
During Germany’s pre-World Cup warm-up games, Oezil failed to convert several sitters, but did well as the mastermind of Loew’s offence, and retained his starting role. At the finals tournament, the versatile attacker became a household name thanks to a series of dazzling performances. His brilliant, long-range strike against Ghana — his only goal of the tournament — put Germany through to the knockout rounds at a time when it seemed that all hope of winning Group D was lost. Although fatigue hindered Oezil’s performance later in the tournament, his Germany side managed to take third place. The Schalke youth product finished his World Cup campaign with a goal and three assists, and was shortlisted for the golden ball award.
Following his stellar performances for club and country, it is no wonder that Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona have shown interest in acquiring his services. Oezil is a natural playmaker, with uncommon precision in his crosses and trademark through-balls. But what makes him truly exceptional is his brain. Without exaggeration, Oezil just might be the most intelligent footballer on the planet. He somehow knows exactly where to go, when to go there, and what to do in order to break down an opposing defence. He then acts upon his prophetic instincts with impeccable precision.
Where Oezil will play next season remains a mystery, but the team that manages to put him on its roster will be a lucky one indeed. Only 21 years of age, Europe has only just begun to see the promise Oezil has to offer.
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