Mesut Ozil

Burst onto the scene at the 2010 World Cup and has not looked back. The influential Real Madrid midfielder is a technically gifted dribbler and passer, adept at providing assists, with a knack for scoring important goals.

Midfield maestro Mesut Ozil is expected to be at the heart of a vibrant young Germany team and the player defenders most fear. The young playmaker has gone from strength to strength since his international breakthrough at the 2010 World Cup, where he earned a nomination for the Golden Ball award with a string of influential and entertaining displays. After spending time with Schalke and Bayern Munich, Ozil took the move from the Bundesliga to the Primera Liga with Real Madrid in his stride two years ago and has established himself as a key player for Los Blancos, helping them to the league title this season. At just 23 years old, the German, who is of Turkish descent, is already a well-rounded creative player with a wealth of experience under his belt, and the fact that he is still improving makes him a daunting character to deal with. Boasting fantastic technique, excellent ball control and an insightful passing ability, Ozil has proven himself adept at chipping in with a large number of assists, while he is also prone to unleashing powerful shots from distance. If Ozil has a weakness, it is that he can be inconsistent and goes missing, but he nevertheless notched up four goals and 17 assists for Real this season. His skilful, creative play has led to inevitable comparisons to Argentina ace Lionel Messi, but Real coach Jose Mourinho has hailed the midfielder's unique style, claiming - "There is no copy of him - not even a bad copy." In a team that has come to rely on a dynamic, imaginative midfield, Ozil is an important figure and if Germany excel in this tournament as they did in South Africa, there is a good chance he will have played a key role in their success.