Mesut Ozil denies giving his World Cup bonus to Gaza children

Published July 17, 2014
Mesut Özil (left) with his German partner Sami Khedira — File Photo
Mesut Özil (left) with his German partner Sami Khedira — File Photo

German Midfielder Mesut Özil has denied giving his World Cup bonus to children in Gaza but may donate in future, according to his representative.

Özil played a pivotal role in the midfield of the German team which won the country's fourth World Cup after defeating Argentina in extra time.

Before the tournament started, the DFB, the German Football Association, had promised each member of the squad £240,000 for winning the coveted Jules Rimet trophy.

Reports had surfaced that Özil had pledged to give his bonus to the suffering children in Gaza who have been continuously attacked by Israeli warplanes.

Özil, who is a practicing Muslim and of Turkish descent, posted on his official Facebook page that he was in fact funding sick children in Brazil to undergo surgery.

The reports of the Arsenal star donating money to Gaza were also deemed untrue by his representative Roland Eitel who while speaking to the Independent said, “The claim that Mesut donated money to Gaza is not true.”

He also added “Maybe in the future, who knows? He donated money to causes in Brazil and he is now on holiday.”

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