Muslim Players in Germany Squad 2012

1. Sami Khedira

Sami Khedira  was born in 4 April 1987 is a German footballer currently playing for Real Madrid Club and the German National Team. Khedira moved to Real Madrid from VfB Stuttgart in 2010. He is considered a dynamic midfielder with "flawless aerial ability" who can cover a lot of ground, recover the ball and quickly join in the team attack with his powerful mid-range shooting.[

Khedira was born in Stuttgart. His father is from Tunisia and his mother is German so he is a muslim . Sami's younger brother Rani plays for the youth ranks of VfB Stuttgart and is a member of the Germany U17 team

Khedira was in the starting lineup in eight qualification matches for Euro 2012, helping Germany top their group with a record ten wins out of ten matches.


2. İlkay Gündoğan

İlkay Gündoğan was born in 24th October 1990, he is a German footballer of Turkish descent who plays for Bundesliga club Borussia Dortmund and the Germany national team as a midfielder, having previously played for VfL Bochum and 1. FC Nuremberg. Gündogan was a central figure in Dortmund's 2011-2013.

3. Mesut Özil

Mesut Özil Was born 15 October 1988 is a German footballer who plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Germany national football team. Özil has been a youth national team member since 2006, and a member of the German national team since 2009. He gained international attention during the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was nominated for the Golden Ball Award, which is awarded to the tournament's best player. Following his breakout performance at the World Cup, he was transferred from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid in August 2010.

Özil is a third-generation Turkish-German, who, in reference to his game, concludes, "My technique and feeling for the ball is the Turkish side to my game. The discipline, attitude and always-give-your-all is the German part. Although of Turkish descent, his entire life has been committed to Germany. His ancestors are from Devrek, Zonguldak in Northern Turkey 

He is a practicing Muslim. He recites the Holy Quran before his matches. Talking to the Berlin-based daily Der Tagesspiegel, Özil said, "I always do that before I go out (on the pitch). I pray and my teammates know that they cannot talk to me during this brief period." 


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 Germany’s football team is a model of integration, though not all Turkish fans approve

Mesut Ozil's fans - with German flag and symbol of the Turkish crescent and star
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İlkay Gündoğan with Turkish & German Flags

Germany National Team Squad in Euro 2012
 

Germany are favorites to win the European Cup in 2012 with good material and players world-class players. Germany coach Joachim Low has decided that the 23 players chosen to fight in Euro 2012.

German national team squad at Euro 2012

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (FC Bayern München), Tim Wiese (SV Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover 96).

Defenders : Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Mats Hummels (Dortmund), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Bendikt Howedes (Schalke), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Marcel Schmelzer (Dortmund).


Midfielders: Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Sven Bender (Dortmund), Lars Bender (Leverkusen), Ilkay Gundogan (Dortmund), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Julian Draxler (Schalke), Marco Reus (Moenchengladbach), Mario Gotze (Dortmund), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid).


Forwards : Miroslav Klose (SS Lazio), Mario Gomez (FC Bayern München), Lukas Podolski (1. FC Köln), Andreas Schurrle (Leverkusen)