Though football is a sport, we still witness some politics in the game. Players, clubs, or managers often give their views regarding controversial situations, which sometimes get them in trouble. Dutch forward Anwar El Ghazi has now suffered the consequences of his actions after the player gave his views on the Israeli-Palestinian war.
Though the conflict between the two countries dates back to 1948, things recently heated up on October 7 after Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups launched several land and air attacks into multiple border areas of Israel. People and celebrities all across the world have talked about the issue, but Anwar El Ghazi’s world has now cost him his livelihood.
Who is Anwar El Ghazi?
Born on May 3, 1995, in Barendrecht, Netherlands Anwar El Ghazi is a professional football player who often plays on the right wing. The winger’s career started back in 2000, when he joined BVV Barendrecht’s youth academy. After staying with the club for six years, he made a move to Feyenoord, where he played for two years. Finally, in 2013, he was signed by Ajax. He made his debut for Ajax’s first team in the 2014 Johan Cruyff Shield against PEC Zwolle, coming in as a substitute for Ricardo Kishna.
After leaving Ajax in 2017, Anwar El Ghazi took his talents to several other clubs, like Lille, Aston Villa, Everton, and PSV, finally joining Mainz in 2023. The 28-year-old was also a part of the Netherlands’ national football team and was called up to play in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying matches. Since Anwar has citizenship in both the Netherlands and Morocco, he is now thinking of making a switch and representing Morocco at the international level.
Why did Mainz 05 terminate Anwar El Ghazi’s contract?
The Israel-Palestine war is affecting thousands of lives, and Anwar El Ghazi decided not to stay quiet about the issue. The 28-year-old posted on his Instagram account last month, where he expressed his support for Palestine and its residents. This is where all the drama between him and his club began. Mainz 05 suspended El Ghazi, but the suspension was lifted on Monday. Mainz released a statement saying that the player has been warned and has expressed remorse about his post.
Anwar El Ghazi gave a statement on Wednesday, saying that he does not regret anything and stands by what he said. This behavior of his got the club riled up, which soon terminated his contract. A statement issued by the club on Friday read: “FSV Mainz 05 terminated their contract with Anwar El Ghazi with immediate effect on Friday. The club has taken this action in response to comments and posts from the player on social media.”
Anwar El Ghazi soon responded, and it seems like he is still standing by what he said. In an Instagram post, he said, “The loss of my livelihood is nothing when compared to the hell being unleashed on the innocent and vulnerable in Gaza.”
Though this controversy has now put the player’s career in jeopardy, he is still standing for what he believes in. Do you think FSV Mainz made the right decision by terminating the player’s contract? Tell us what you think in the comments section.
