Wizard of Öz: Football tragedy addresses identity and integration

Wizard of Öz: Football tragedy addresses identity and integration

On October 16, 2023, the Bremen Theater celebrated the premiere of “The Wizard of Öz – a Football Tragedy”, a play by Akın Emanuel Şipal directed by Aram Tafreshian. This work deals in detail with the career of the former world-class player Mesut Özil, who rose from a talented kicker from the Ruhr area to one of the biggest stars in international football. But the road to fame was paved with challenges that can now be relived on stage.

“The Wizard of Öz” not only highlights Özil's successes, such as his triumph with the German national team at the 2014 World Cup, but also the dark sides of his career, in particular the political controversies that erupted after a controversial photo with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The second half of the piece focuses on how the soccer star deals with the challenges of identity and integration in German sport. Topics such as racism and migration policy are central components of this football drama, which portrays Özil as a complex and tragic character, shaped by his origins and the expectations that are imposed on both him and his origins.

Insights into identity and integration

Özil, who grew up in a Turkish family in Gelsenkirchen, was signed by Schalke 04 at the age of 17, which began his journey into the big world of football. The first part of the piece impressively shows his everyday life in the Ruhr area and aspects of his childhood, and historical allusions are made to the Polish immigration history in the Ruhr area, which is an important part of German football tradition. This connection makes it clear how football offers many migrants an opportunity to integrate and become part of this society.

Tafreshian's directing team has invited a diverse ensemble that illuminates both the intricacies of Özil's personal story and the broader questions about identity and the role of football in society. “The Wizard of Öz” addresses the idea that football should be an apolitical terrain, thereby raising the question of the role of sport and politics in an increasingly polarized climate.

Özil's importance in German football

Özil is often seen as a symbol of integration in German football. It represents the country's development from a country of emigration to a country of immigration, which is clear in the current German national team - before the 2024 European Championship, 25% of the players had a migration background. However, despite his success, Özil has faced racial prejudice that extends beyond his resignation from the national team in 2018. Another player, İlkay Gündoğan, who has also been embroiled in controversy, is enthroned as captain of the national team - a sign of the fight against discrimination and greater diversity in German sport.

“The Wizard of Öz” not only brings the dramatic twists and turns of Özil's career to the stage, but also invites the audience to reflect on the challenges and expectations in the context of identity. The play ends with no clear winner, which aptly reflects the complex reality in which many migrant characters navigate.

Overall, the play offers a successful combination of sport, politics and personal fate and encourages you to question your own attitude towards integration and identity. “The Wizard of Öz” is not only a homage to a football star, but also a reflection of society.

For further information about the play, visit the pages of Die Deutsche Bühne and Welt or bpb.