Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has slammed his former Germany teammate Mesut Ozil for his comments about racism within the German national team and Football Federation.
Read: New Leader In FIFA Rankings Confirmed, Germany Out Of Top 10
Ozil has retired from international football after being made the scapegoat for his country's disastrous performance at the 2018 FIFA World Cup by many fans, experts and even officials within Germany.
In his long retirement statement Ozil, who has Turkish heritage and was criticised for taking a photograph with Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accused DFB president Reinhard Grindel of racism and failing to back him in the row over the picture ahead of the tournament.
“In the eyes of Grindel and his supporters I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose,” Özil wrote in his statement.
Kroos has now come out and hit back at his former Germany teammate, inisisting there is no racism in the national team and DFB.
“The parts in his statement that are rightly addressed are unfortunately overshadowed by the significantly higher amount of nonsense,” Kroos told Bild.
“I think he knows very well that racism within the national team and the DFB does not exist.
“Basically Mesut is a deserved international and as a player he deserved a better departure. But the way he resigned was not in order.”
Read: The Highest-Paid Real Stars After Courtois' Arrival
Germany’s surprise elimination in the group stages in Russia 2018 was the earliest World Cup exit of a German side in 80 years. Kroos also confirmed that he has no plans in following Ozil into international retirement, despite the disappointment in Russia.
Why do you think hardly any of Ozil’s ex-teammate back him in the racism row? Have your say in the comments section below.