Welcome to #Euro2016Rank, a weeklong look at the top 25 players we expect to see at the European Championship. Over 50 ESPN FC experts and writers from across the globe voted, and we're rolling out the results right up to opening day, when France plays Romania on June 10.
Why is Mesut Ozil in the top 25?
Ozil plays the game with the air of a man for whom the game appears too easy. His relaxed body language can irk some, but the facts and figures speak for themselves. He is a production line of assists, and chance creation, suggesting the effectiveness of an unorthodox style that outfoxes opponents. Drifting across the area between midfield and attack, though best when given a central role, he was a favourite foil of Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid and is an idol at Arsenal since his £42.5 million move there in the summer of 2013. A World Cup winner with Germany in 2014.
What the experts say:
"The sale of Ozil is very bad news for me. He was the player who best knew my moves in front of goal. ... I'm angry about Ozil leaving." -- Cristiano Ronaldo, September 2013.
"I must say Mesut is an absolute complete, collective player. Sometimes he's frustrated that he doesn't get the same balls back, but he's a very important link in our game." -- Arsene Wenger, December 2014.
Career highlight:
Ozil was a World Cup winner in 2014, but it was four years earlier at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa when he made his breakthrough, as Germany blazed to the semifinals. His finest performance in the tournament was in the second-round destruction of England in Bloemfontein with a supreme playmaking performance during a 4-1 victory.
Stat of the season:
In 2015-16, Ozil made 45 appearances, created 171 chances, collected 20 assists, scored eight goals and had a passing percentage of 85.7 percent.
What next for Ozil after Euro 2016?
At present, there is something of a contractual impasse between Ozil and Arsenal, with negotiations on a new deal expected to restart after the finals are finished, though there is little panic on either side.
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