Big-hearted Arsenal star, Mesut Ozil has received a Laureus Prize for funding life-saving surgeries for 23 children in Brazil. The charity prize was handed to him at the Laureus Media Awards, held in Berlin today.
Reacting to the honour, the 26 year-old said, “This accolade means a lot to me because I am honoured for something I’ve done off the pitch. This makes me very, very proud. It also means a lot to me because I was able to help children, and they are our future. I am delighted that everything worked out. The doctors have done an incredible job.
“Because I am famous it is easier to help — footballers also earn a lot of money. And to me personally it’s just very important to help children. I have a few other small projects I want to make reality and I will continue to step on the gas off the pitch so that I can help as many children as possible.”