Özil posters and mouth-to-mouth gestures in Germany against Spain
Created: 11/27/2022, 10:44 p.m
By: Tobias Utz
Fans in Qatar with Özil posters.
© Jose Breton / Imago Images
At the World Cup preliminary round match between Germany and Spain, fans protest with Özil posters and mouth-to-mouth gestures: But what's behind it?
Qatar – Germany won a point against Spain: it was 1-1 after 90 minutes at the Al-Bayt Stadium in Al-Khor.
Niclas Füllkrug scored the golden goal - and thus secured the tie, a first sense of achievement for the German national team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
On the fringes of the game, there were protests in the stands.
So far, however, it is unclear who and what was behind it.
Scores of fans, dressed in traditional Qatari attire, held up placards with photos of Mesut Özil and covered their mouths.
The latter was definitely an allusion to the DFB team photo against Japan.
Before the first group game, the German internationals covered their mouths to protest against the ban on wearing the "One Love" captain's armband.
World Cup 2022: Özil posters shown in Germany against Spain
The captain's armband is intended to be a symbol of diversity and freedom of expression.
Especially in Qatar itself, this gesture by the national players was also criticized.
The fact is, however, that Özil did not part well with the DFB.
After the fuss about a photo with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan before the 2018 World Cup and the preliminary round, he finally resigned from the national team.
He had accused the DFB of racism, among other things.
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