Michael Ballack has identified how Mesut Ozil can truly become a world-class footballer.

The Arsenal attacking midfielder is often maligned in the media for failing to show enough passion and spirit on the pitch.

There is no doubting Ozil's ability, however, and former Germany teammate Ballack believes he knows how the 28-year-old can move beyond his shortcomings.

"He is one of the best players in the world at the moment," the former Bayer Leverkusen, Chelsea and Bayern Munich star told Sky Sports.

"He has a great left foot, a great touch, a good view for the game, combined with his speed with the ball especially. He can have a huge influence on the game and can change games.

"What he can improve is mentally how he deals with certain situations, as if he feels comfortable on the pitch, then he is one of the best players in the world.

"But everyone has difficult situations in the game where you get criticism and you have to go through that and deal with it.

"But I just wish he could step up a bit more and be a bit more against the opinions of the media, fans, or whoever, because he is a good player and sometimes he should have more confidence.

"And then he can maybe take another step towards becoming a world-class player, because he has the potential."