The German Federation admits they handled poorly the build-up of Mesut Ozil's eventual international retirement.

On the eve of the 2018 World Cup, Ozil was pictured alongside teammate Ilkay Gundogan with controversial Turkish president Recep Erdogan.

The picture caused outrage in Germany and ill-feeling towards Ozil escalated as the defending champions failed to make it out of the World Cup group stages.

After the tournament, the player posted a number of letters on social media detailing the "racism and disrespect" he had suffered, culminating in him announcing his retirement from the national team.

"The DFB made mistakes in dealing with the events surrounding the Ozil case," general secretary Friedrich Curtis told the German Foundation on Integration.

"A photo became a burning glass for many topics. The moment there were racist allegations, we missed the time to meet with the player."