Retired star Sami Khedira has revealed that one of his teammates at Real Madrid told him that leaving the club and joining a Premier League giant was a "serious mistake".
The former Germany star spent five years at the Santiago Bernabeu between 2010 and 2015, during which he won seven trophies, including the 2013/14 UEFA Champions League.
The now 37-year-old joined the Spanish juggernauts after impressing for his country at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
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Notably, he was not the only German lured by Real after that tournament, as his compatriot Mesut Ozil was also signed by Los Blancos following the showpiece.
Ozil's time at the club, however, lasted only three years before he made a €47 million (R881 million) move to Arsenal in September 2013.
Speaking at length about Ozil's career, Khedira told Marca that the playmaker privately said he regretted his departure from Real.
"Everyone understands Cristiano [Ronaldo]. To win games, Cristiano was the man, because he never failed. He was always there. We needed a goal, so we passed the ball to Cristiano. But the most special player for me was Mesut Özil.
"And I explain it with his departure. The day Mesut left, we were all saying to Florentino: 'But why are you selling him?' But we all said it, right? Benzema, Cristiano, Ramos… Ozil was an absolute genius, he was a real magician.
"I played behind him and you gave him a bad pass and he controlled the ball with ease… I have never seen a player with that class and that quality, really."
Asked if he felt Ozil could have won the Ballon d'Or if he had stayed at Madrid, Khedira said: "I don't know, because there were Cristiano and Messi and also Xavi and Iniesta, who for me should have won a Ballon d'Or.
"But yes, Ozil had that potential. And although he had a great career, it would have been different at Madrid.
"And he told me that it was a serious mistake to leave Madrid, because he had everything here. The Bernabéu loved him, he played like an angel.
"Really, Mesut played like Zidane. My idol was Zizou and if you put both of them on YouTube and watch them… Mesut was like Zizou."
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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