LONDON: Former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil hopes to boost the numbers of British South Asians breaking into professional football after helping launch a development centre in Bradford.

The United Kingdom has a South Asian population of more than three million people, which amounts to seven per cent of the population.

While Britain’s Afro-Caribbean population is well-represented in elite sport, especially football, British Asians are under-represented with only 15 footballers from a South Asian background among the 4,000 professional players.

In a bid to redress that stark imbalance, Fenerbahce midfielder Ozil joined forces with the Football Association and the Football for Peace organisation.

Football for Peace, led by former British South Asian player Kashif Siddiqi and the FA, are co-launching the Mesut Ozil Development Centre in Bradford, which has a large South Asian community.

The centre will run football and life skill sessions at League Two side Bradford City’s training ground.

Several Premier League and Football League clubs have also signed up to the initiative and it is hoped the Bradford centre will be the first of many to open nationwide.

Ozil, a World Cup winner with Germany in 2014, is of Turkish heritage and now plays for Fenerbahce in Istanbul.

“I have always been surprised why the South Asian Community are only allowed to be fans of the game, why are we not seeing more players or managers breaking into professional football?” Ozil said.

“I want to support them, give them an opportunity to be successful both on and off the pitch. I am from an ethnically diverse background and understand the challenges. I hope the Football for Peace Mesut Ozil Centre will become the platform they need.”

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2021