Share

'You coward!' - Ozil reveals Mourinho bust up

Cape Town - Mesut Ozil has revealed that he once had a bust up with Jose Mourinho during a half-time dressing down with the then Real Madrid coach accusing him of being a coward.

The Arsenal player is set to release his autobiography later this year and German newspaper Bild has been serialising extracts from the book ahead of its expected publication.

In an explosive extract on his time at Real Madrid, Ozil reveals a heated dressing room bust up with the current Manchester United coach, who accused him of not working hard enough.

'You think two beautiful passes are enough? You think you’re so good that fifty percent is enough?!' Ozil writes, remembering Mourinho's half-time fury.

'He pauses. Stares at me with his dark brown eyes. I stare back. Like two boxers at the stare-down before the first round.

'He shows no emotion. Just waits for a response from me. How much I hate him right now. And I love Mourinho actually.'

Ozil admits that he reacted by throwing his jersey at Mourinho and imploring him to play instead.

The German played for three years at the Bernabau under Mourinho until 2013 before being sold to Arsenal.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1272 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1469 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2240 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE