Mesut Ozil: Arsenal star has paid for 11 Brazilian children to have life-saving surgery

Ozil pledges to make it a yearly event through his charitable foundation

Mesut Özil posted this picture on his Facebook account (Facebook/Mesut Özil)

We all remember the story of Arsenal and Germany star Mesut Ozil funding life-saving surgery for 23 sick children in Brazil.

He even received the Laureus award for his charity work.

A year on, the 26-year-old is continuing his work in the South American country and has paid for more children to have operations.

The Arsenal playmaker has paid for 11 children to have surgery at a hospital in Coroata, in the north-eastern region of Maranhao, between 24 October and 7 November, according to the German FA (DFB).

The Arsenal record signing said that he would continue to help children in the country through the Mesut Ozil Foundation in cooperation with aid programme BigShoe.

“Even one year after we won the World Cup, I want to continue to leave a positive mark in Brazil by financing eleven more children’s operations,” said Ozil on the DFB website.

“For me it’s very important that I carry on providing help for the children of Brazil.”