KUALA LUMPUR, April 27 — Former Arsenal and Real Madrid star Mesut Ozil has encouraged Malaysia to strengthen investment in youth academies and grassroots development to elevate its football standards.
Ozil, also a German international from 2009 to 2018, said building a strong football ecosystem begins with nurturing young talents through proper education and structured support across all levels of the game.
“What’s important in football is making good investments in academies and young people, and supporting amateur and professional clubs,” he said at the Malaysia-Turkiye Leadership Summit 2026 at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) here today.
He also stressed that a long-term commitment to youth development could see more Malaysian players making their mark internationally.
“I think if this is done as a country, then many Malaysian football players will be seen on the world stage,” the German-born Ozil, son of Turkish immigrants, added.
On handling pressure at the highest level, Ozil cited self-belief and trust in teammates as the key, particularly in high-stakes matches.
“On the field, I never felt pressure. I always believed in myself and my teammates. Even when we lost big games, we never gave up and always tried to improve,” he said, adding that
He also stressed that true leadership is reflected in how individuals respond to setbacks.
“If everything is going well, it is easy. But when something goes wrong, you have to learn from your mistakes and come back stronger,” he added.
The summit, which drew more than 500 participants, was also attended by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and the president of the Council of Higher Education Türkiye, Professor Dr Erol Özvar.
It also featured a special session with prominent figures, such as Deputy Economy Minister Datuk Mohd Shahar Abdullah and Polity Executive Chair Nurul Izzah Anwar.
The strategic initiative was a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Higher Education, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Sycamore Foundation.
— BERNAMA
TAGS: Mesut Ozil, German, Malaysia-Turkiye Leadership Summit 2026, Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abd Kadir, investment
